In Singapore’s heat and humidity, air-conditioning is practically a daily essential. Whether you’ve just collected the keys to your new apartment or are thinking about replacing an ageing air-conditioning system, choosing and using the right setup can make a significant difference to your comfort, electricity bills and long-term maintenance costs.

But many households still end up overcooling rooms, wasting energy or overlooking simple habits that could help their systems run more efficiently. From learning the best temperature settings for day-to-day use to deciding how many units your new home needs, there are several smart ways to optimise your air-conditioners’ cooling effort. 

CNA Lifestyle speaks to Daikin Airconditioning’s training manager Eric Tan Kuo Hon about how you can get the most out of your air-conditioning system, while keeping costs, odours and maintenance issues under control.

YOU WANT YOUR APARTMENT TO BE COOL WHEN YOU GET HOME

Activate the air-conditioner via a smart home app about 15 to 30 minutes before you reach home, advised Tan. The recommended setting? A temperature of 25°C with a medium-speed fan. 

Pre-cool only the rooms you will use immediately. That would typically mean the living room (if your family gathers there) and bedroom (if you usually rest there after coming home). “Cooling unused rooms is like running extra light bulbs you’re not looking at,” said Tan, “It adds to the bill without improving comfort.”

For homes not linked to an app, set the air-conditioner at 23°C or 24°C for about 10 to 15 minutes for a quick initial cool-down, then return to 25°C, he said. “Avoid using 18°C as it doesn’t cool the interior faster. Most units cool at a similar rate; they just run longer – and cost more – to reach a lower setpoint.”

For your apartment to feel cooler without dropping the thermostat, switch on a ceiling or standing fan at the same time. Once the room is comfortable, you can even raise the temperature to 26°C and continue using an external fan for air movement. 

You can help your air-conditioner along by keeping the doors and windows closed. Draw the curtains, especially for rooms with west sun. Avoid using the laundry dryer, oven or anything that generates heat. 

To prep your bedroom for sleep without even switching on the air-conditioner, close your blackout curtains at 5pm – especially if the room faces west. Before bed, set the temperature at 25°C with a fan, rather than 22°C all through the night, Tan recommended. And use the sleep or econ mode. “These modes typically ease the compressor load after the initial cool-down,” he said.