Heat wave: searches for air conditioning skyrocket and prices rise on ‘Esquenta Black Friday’

A heat wave has been plaguing the five regions of the country in recent days, a scenario that has been forcing Brazilians to look for ways to cool off, causing the demand for household appliances with this function to increase, as well as their price, amid the period leading up to Black Friday, known as “Esquenta Black Friday”.

In a survey carried out exclusively to the InfoMoneyBuscapé reported that the demand for air conditioning increased 23.5% since the last week of October and, with it, the average price of the item, which jumped from R$2,099 to R$2,228, according to the database of platform.

According to IPCA data from October, in the last 12 months the price of air conditioning increased by 9.24% and that of fans, by 3.94%. Compared to September, air conditioning became 6% more expensive, while fans increased by 0.20%.

The assessment of André Almeida, analyst at the National Price Index System of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), is that the heat wave in different regions of the country may have driven the increase in prices of air conditioning units in October. “The drought in Amazonas, which is affecting the production of several industries, may be contributing to the rise in air conditioning prices,” added Almeida, in addition to the heat wave – which fuels demand for the item.

Heat wave

The five regions of the country face high temperatures, close to or around 40 degrees Celsius (°C). They are related to the El Niño climate phenomenon, which is worsened by the effects of global warming.

According to a study by the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) on the impacts of climate change in the country, Brazil has already seen an increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius in temperature in some parts, changes in the rainfall regime, an increase in the number of dry days and longer duration of heat waves over recent decades,

“Our analyzes clearly reveal that Brazil is already experiencing these transformations, evidenced by the increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in several regions since 1961 and which will worsen in the coming decades in proportion to global warming”, added Lincoln Alves, coordinator of the study. , in a note released by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

This Tuesday (14) the city of Rio de Janeiro recorded, at 9:15 am, the highest thermal sensation since 2014, at 58.5 degrees Celsius (°C). The measurement was made by the municipal meteorological service station Alerta Rio in Guaratiba, in the west of the city. At the time, the thermometers read 35.5 degrees (°C). Yesterday (13) the city of São Paulo recorded the second hottest day in history, with 37.7 degrees (°C), behind the historic record of 37.8 degrees (°C) in 2014.

How to save money using air conditioning and the like?

The National Electric System Operator (ONS) recorded this Monday (13) a new record in the instantaneous load demand of the National Interconnected System (SIN): at 2:40 pm, the level of 100,955 megawatts (MW) was reached. It was the first time in the history of SIN that the load exceeded the 100 thousand MW mark. The previous record was 97,659 MW, measured on September 26 this year.

Therefore, it is important to be aware of some rules when buying and using appliances that alleviate heat – such as choosing the type of air conditioning unit according to your profile, needs and size of your room. Recently, Inmetro (National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology) listed some savings tips. See below.

Air conditioning

The best-known air conditioning units are the so-called “Split”, divided into internal and external parts, and window air conditioning, which only has one piece of equipment. As it is quieter and more economical, the Slip It is the most commonly found today, even though the cost of installing it is higher.

According to Inmetro, before purchasing the device, the consumer must calculate the effect on energy savings and always choose the device that has the lowest consumption – even if it is more expensive, because this difference will probably be paid for over time. . This calculation can be done using data from the Inmetro label, glued to the equipment, which informs the annual energy consumption per year. (kWh/year).

Multiply the energy consumed by the device in kWh (kilowatt hours) by the energy tariff charged in your region. For example: considering the residential tariff of R$0.754 per kWh, if the air conditioning consumes 600 kWh per year, the annual expense will be 600 x 0.754, which will result in R$452.4 per year.

Only turn on the air conditioning when there are people in the room and, while it is on, avoid opening and closing doors. Also close the windows and insulate the room well so that cold air does not escape. Furthermore, curtains and awnings reduce the incidence of sun heat in the area, contributing to thermal insulation.

Inmetro also warns against the myth that when setting the air conditioning unit to 17ºC, it will cool the room more quickly. The refrigeration speed will be the same, with the difference that your device’s compressor will work harder until it reaches a temperature of 17ºC. Inmetro recommends keeping the temperature at 23ºC which, in general, is the best way for air conditioning to work.

Fan

The fan is a more traditional item in Brazilian homes, as it does not require a specific electrical installation, like air conditioning, fans can be a good ally to alleviate the heat while spending less than when using air conditioning.

There are usage tips very similar to those for air conditioning, such as properly sizing the device for the size of the room and only turning it on while there are occupants in the space.

When using it, observe the amount of wind the device is capable of producing. On the Inmetro Label, you are informed about the fan flow rate. Therefore, if two models consume the same amount of energy, choose the one with the higher flow rate, as it will certainly be able to ventilate more than the other.

The energy efficiency index on the device’s Inmetro label will show the relationship between flow (amount of wind) and energy consumed and, in the same way, choose products with greater efficiency.

Inmetro also warns that, whatever the fan model, it is important to clean and maintain it to facilitate air circulation. The screws must always be tight, the propellers balanced and, in the case of the ceiling model, check that the bulb is the one indicated by the fan manufacturer.

(With information from Reuters and Agência Brasil)