Air conditioning is quickly becoming a standard response to summer heat, but the comfort it provides also shows up in higher electricity bills. A journalist from Business Insider checked how much his own unit really costs to run and found that cooling a flat can translate into a daily expense of more than 8 zł.
His case is a useful example for anyone thinking about buying an air conditioner. The journalist installed the device in his apartment back in 2018. The flat is located on the top floor of a building, directly under the roof, and its skylights make the space particularly difficult to cool.
During the strongest heat, the air conditioning works for around eight hours every day. In his case, this means a daily cost of 8.24 zł. If the unit were used that way for 20 days a month, the total charge for cooling alone would amount to about 274.20 zł. That scenario assumes regular, eight-hour operation day after day.
Service costs belong in the annual budget
Electricity is not the only expense linked to an air conditioner. The device needs an annual inspection and servicing, and depending on the range of tasks such a visit can cost from 200 to 500 zł. The real cost of keeping a flat cool in summer therefore includes both power consumption and regular maintenance.
European regulations also shape the way air conditioning is used today. Since 2010, all air conditioners sold in the European Union must be equipped with a heating function. As a result, they can work as air-source heat pumps and provide heat in colder months, not just cool rooms in summer.
France puts cooling on the political stage
Successive heat waves in Europe have started a broader discussion about access to air conditioning in places that are especially vulnerable to high temperatures. In France, Eric Ciotti, leader of the Union of the Right party, which supports the far-right National Rally, proposed legislation to require the installation of air conditioning in schools, medical institutions and nursing homes for seniors.
Marine Le Pen has also made cooling a campaign issue. She promised that if she wins the presidential election, she will launch a wide-ranging programme for the expansion of air conditioning, saying the issue is linked to public health.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Shutterstock
