Is called Cooling poverty And it is nothing more than the effect, on the pockets of families, of the expenditure so -called by cooling. With climate change, the air conditioner has become an indispensable tool but involves a decisive increase in costs, unsustainable for low -income people. A study by the Euromediterranean Center on climate change and the Cà Foscari University, published in the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, reveals that the growing adoption of air conditioning as adaptation strategy will significantly increase residential electrical consumption worldwide and open a social scissor: while high -income families allocate between 0.2% and 2.5% of their expenses Upon use of air conditioning, the poorest ones can reach up to 8% of their electricity budget for cooling.
Our consumption expert, Riccardo Pieroni It gives us some advice.
Of Riccardo Pieroni
With the arrival of the summer, the air conditioner turned on in 65% of the houses of the Italians who have at least one air conditioning system and, with the temperatures that rise, millions of families find themselves dealing with more savory bills.
According to an analysis made by the Facile.it platform, the average monthly cost for the use of the air conditioner during a month of the summer 2025 reaches 86 euros, with +3% compared to 2024 and +20% compared to 2023. A disbursement that can exceed 260 euros per seasona figure that varies according to the number of devices installed, the size of the house and consumables.
In the case of a co -presence of multiple plants, it is even more urgent to adopt effective savings strategies. Containing costs is possible, not only by choosing the most convenient light rates – today lower than 5% than last year – but also by changing their habits and investing in more efficient technologies.
The first step is to evaluate the energy class of your system. A class AT +++ air conditioner with inverter technology can reduce costs up to 40% compared to a less efficient model. The inverter regulates the operation adapting to the desired temperature, avoiding continuous “lighting and off” which make consumption rise up to 30%. Another aspect often neglected is the method of use.
Use the dehumidifier instead of the only coolingto, or activate the “Sleep” function at night, can cut consumption by 13% and 10% respectively. It is also important not to overdo it in the use of the air conditioner: a temperature difference greater than 6-8 ° C compared to the outside is not recommended for both one’s health and for the wallet.
Then there is maintenance. Clean the filters regularly and check the system by a technician at least once a year allows you to save up to 8% in energy. Finally, do not cool empty rooms, keep doors and windows closed, lower the shutters during the hottest hours It can save an additional 6%.
With summers that become increasingly torrid, energy efficiency becomes an economic and environmental protection tool. The good news is that little to make the difference is enough: often everything begins with a daily gesture.
To avoid the discomfort from air conditioner
Often we feel uncomfortable even with the conditioner on: the air too dry or the lack of spare part can create that feeling of “artificial cold”. An ideal environment should maintain relative humidity between 40 and 60 percent, while a slight air circulation amplifies the perception of freshness. For this reason, combining ceiling or table fans with the air conditioner allows you to raise the set temperature by 2-3 degrees while maintaining the same comfort.
