The ultimate guide on how to cut down on your electric bill during the summer in Japan

If you are having similar concerns, then this is the right place for you to be! In this article, GoEMON will introduce you to some of our ultimate tips on how to cut down on your electricity bill while still staying cool during the summer in Japan! 

1. Maintaining the temperature indoors

Worried about the high cost of electricity, one thing that many people do is turn the air conditioner on and off frequently, thinking that this would be able to cut down on their bill. However, it might not be a good idea to do this. If you turn the air conditioner off when it is cool and then on again when it starts to feel hot, the air conditioner will then have to work to decrease the now-high temperature to a lower degree. Although the power consumption can be cut during the time the air conditioner is turned off, the unit will require extra power when it is restarted in order to make the room cool again. In turn, this may actually end up costing you more electricity than leaving it on and maintaining the cool temperature. The higher the temperature is outside, the more correct this is. 

2. Making use of the air conditioner + fan combo

Needless to say, the air conditioner is definitely the home appliance that uses the most electricity and thus costs the most during the summer in Japan. Many would only use air conditioners to keep themselves cool by setting the temperature to the lowest level possible. Though it sure is tempting to do so, this definitely would rack up your electricity bill by a considerable amount by the end of the month. 

Source: Odishabytes

Thus, rather than just the air conditioner, we strongly recommend also using an electric fan. First, raise the temperature of the air conditioner by a few degrees so that the room gets to a neutral temperature - not hot, but also not “cool” cool. This is when the fan comes to play, which can help you feel the cool breeze directly on your skin and make you feel so much cooler. Just by raising the air conditioner temperature by one to two degrees can help you save roughly two to three percent of your energy use. Electric fans’ energy use is significantly minimal in comparison with that of air conditioners, so definitely do give this a try! 

3. Keeping the air conditioner filter clean 

As the air conditioner works continuously during the summer, dust tends to accumulate on the filter and the unit, which prevents the cold air from being blown properly. When this happens, we would tend to lower the temperature even more, leading to higher energy consumption and correspondingly higher electricity bills. Therefore, make sure to always keep your air conditioner filter clean, as this will not only ensure that the air conditioner is working effectively in keeping the room cool and thus cut down on your electricity bill but also beneficial for your health as well. 

Source: GaijinPot 

You can take off the filter and wash it directly, or use one in many products widely available in the market to make the job easier! We recommend doing this periodically once or twice a month. 

4. Block the heat from outside the window

In the summer, a lot of heat comes into the house through the window. Thus, one effective way to lower the temperature indoors is to block the heat from outside. There are various ways you can do to achieve this, but the quickest and most simple one would be to get yourself heat-blocking curtains. Available in all sorts of designs, sizes, and colors, these items can be bought offline in shopping malls and home centers alike or on online shopping platforms. 

5. Wearing clothing and bedding made from cool materials

Source: Nitori 

Don’t you find it annoying when it gets so hot that you just can’t seem to sleep, and you are sweating so much that your clothes and the bedding just stick to your skin? In that case, you can try switching your pajamas, as well as bedding to materials made of cool summer materials. These materials are breathable and cool to the touch, which will definitely make your summer nights a lot more enjoyable. Similarly to heat-blocking curtains, you can easily find these items in shopping malls, home centers, and online stores, in a plethora of different colors and designs for you to freely choose from. 

In this article, GoEMON has introduced you to some of our most effective tips on how to cut down on your electric bill during the summer in Japan. Do you have any other suggestions?  Let us know in the comments down below. 

Don’t forget to follow GoEMON Global on our official Facebook for the latest updates on life in Japan via this link right here: https://www.facebook.com/GoEMONGlobal 

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