The beginning of summer or more precisely – the beginning of summer heats, remind us that we need to buy a new AC or another fan. This is the boom period for the sales people of those cooling gadgets. The Greek Center for Consumer Protection published recommendations about what we need to know when we purchase a new AC or a fan.

    1.     We need to check whether the product has a CE sign – it certifies that the product is produced according to EU standards.

    2.     We need to check whether the product has an information label with the producer – name, product type, technical characteristics such as power and type of the used electricity.

    3.     We need to check whether the device comes with any instructions and a warranty card.

    4.     The ACs need to have an energy table, which they consume in 7 steps – from A to G where A is the most economical and G is the most energy wasteful level.

5.     We need to pay attention to the instructions on where to install the AC.

6.     When it comes to the fans, we need to make sure that the rotation is dense enough, in order for a child’s finger not to be able to get stuck inside.

The Greek Center for Consumer Protection advises us on how to use the ACs, in order not to overload our electricity bill:

1.     We need to choose the right AC according to the size of the room where it will be installed.

2.     We need to choose such AC, which has an energy saving label. Those ACs spend 30% less electricity than the others. We need to set the temperature to 27⁰C, in order not to overload the power network and our pocket.

3.     All windows and doors, where the AC is installed, need to be closed, in order not to cool off the environment.

4.     In accordance to the instructions, we need to clean and change the filter of the AC often enough, in order to ensure its normal operation.

5.     For one hour, one AC with power of 1KW spends energy for ?0.10 or in other words, nearly ?30 per month.

6.     A fan, installed on the ceiling of a room, cools off the room as much as the AC but it spends 1/6^th of the electricity the AC needs.

7.     When we buy ACs or any other electrical device, we need to make sure we are purchasing a product with a green label for energy saving – A, B, or C.

The program of the Greek Development Ministry regarding the old ACs takes effect from tomorrow. The website of the institution has a list with the stores, which are participating in the program. The Ministry provides 35% of the price of the AC, which should not exceed ?500. Each consumer can purchase up to two ACs from this program.