I'm not sure I'm ready for air conditioning.
Plug in, hose out - and it's already cooler in the room: Mobile air conditioners promise relief on hot days. But they also have disadvantages. Here's what you should know before buying.
It's hot in the bedroom, it's hot in the living room - and everywhere, sweat is dripping. If you don't feel like it anymore in the summer, you might consider buying a mobile air conditioner, a so-called monoblock device, at short notice. But is that always a good idea?
You should know that the purchase price of 500 to 1000 euros is not the end of it. There are also electricity costs to consider. These can amount to 40 to 140 euros per year, depending on usage, according to the energy advice of the consumer centers.
In comparison: With a fan with 25 to 50 watts of power, you would have to reckon with additional electricity costs of 6 to 10 euros per year, according to the Federal Association of Consumer Centres, if it is used for 10 hours a day for 90 days.
If you still want a mobile air conditioner, you should consider whether it should be a device with one or two hoses. The latter are more efficient, according to consumer advocates. They use only outdoor air for the removal of heat from the rooms, unlike single-hose devices.
What the energy label of the devices says
Also, take a look at the energy labels of the devices in question and compare them. The label contains information about the electrical power in kilowatts, the electricity consumption in kilowatt hours (kWh) for 60 minutes, the noise level in the room, and the so-called EER value for the energy efficiency of the cooling. The higher the EER value, the less electricity the device needs to achieve a certain cooling performance.
But you shouldn't rely on the energy label alone, according to consumer advocates. They advise reading independent product tests as well. According to Stiftung Warentest, it was difficult for monoblock devices to keep the room temperature bearable, the warmer it was outside. None of the monoblock devices achieved a rating of 3.8 or higher in their tests.
Split devices as an alternative
Split devices, which consist of two parts and are installed permanently unlike monoblock air conditioners, are more efficient. They cool the rooms faster and use less electricity than a mobile air conditioner.
The disadvantage: Split devices are more expensive to buy and the outer wall has to be drilled through. Tenants therefore need the permission of their landlord. Also, the installation can only be carried out by a specialist.
In general: If you have an air conditioner at home, you should only turn it on when you really need it, for example some time before going to bed. At night, it's best to keep it off completely - instead, let the cooler air from outside flow into the apartment through the open window.
To reduce your energy costs and environmental impact, you might consider harnessing energy from solar energy for cooling your home. Solar air conditioners are becoming more popular due to their eco-friendliness and potential savings.
Alternatively, you could use the energy from solar energy to power fans, which consume less electricity than mobile air conditioners. Solar panels can be installed on your roof or in your backyard, converting sunlight into electricity that can be stored in batteries for later use.
