General guidelines on using air conditioners

1. Do not switch on air conditioners unless it is 26C. It is even better to hold out until 28C.

2. Instead of turning on the air conditioner during summer or even throughout the whole year, you can switch on electric fans and open the windows in your room.

3. If there is a must for you to turn on the air conditioner, set the temperature to 25.5C, which is the most comfortable temperature for humans.

4. Unplug air conditioners when they are idle.

When air conditioners are switched on...

1. Turn on the electric fan at the same time so that you will rely less on the air-conditioning and improve ventilation of your room.

2. Draw the curtains to reduce the heat of sunlight coming into the room.

3. Do not wear too many clothes. Instead, wear clothes which are light in colour.

Ways to maintain the efficiency of your air-conditioners

1. Ask a professional to clean the air filters of your air conditioners regularly as dust will impede airflow and result in a 15 percent increase in energy consumption.

2. Clean the temperature sensors of your air conditioners regularly.

3. Replace air conditioners which are energy inefficient with those of "Energy Efficient Level 1". Remember to look at the labels which give you information about energy efficiency of the products.

(HK Edition 03/25/2008 page1)