Are Water Coolers Expensive to Run?

Having cool, fresh and filtered water on demand in your workplace keeps you and your employees hydrated all day every day. We all know the benefits of drinking water regularly, so why not invest in water coolers? You may be worried about how expensive they are to run, but we’re here to help clear this up for you.

How Do Water Coolers Work?

First of all, let’s take a look at how water coolers work. Different types of water coolers work in different ways; the two main types are bottled water coolers and mains fed water coolers.

Bottled water coolers feature a large bottle of filtered water that connects to the top of the machine. Once the seal is pierced, the water flows into its internal reservoir. Then the tank fills up, so the water can be drawn from the tap. There are different options when it comes to taps too; there can be an ambient temperature tap and the chilled tap. For the chilled tap, this requires a refrigeration unit.

Mains fed water coolers are directly connected to the water mains and uses a filtration system to purify it before drinking. This means there isn’t a reservoir where the water sits, all you need to do is use the tap and filtered water will be dispensed.

How Do Water Coolers Use Electricity?

How water coolers use electricity depends on the make and model of the water cooler, the features that it may have and how often it is used. If there are features such as a hot water dispenser or some sort of lights on the model, these will require electricity.

The refrigeration unit in a water cooler is the main thing that uses electricity so, if a water cooler is used more frequently, then it will use more electricity. The more electricity it uses, the more expensive it will be to run.

Do Water Coolers Use A Lot of Energy?

The different factors affecting a water cooler’s energy consumption include the model, the capacity, the ambient temperature, the unit for cooling or heating the water, the cooling system (if required) and the equipment power.

Water coolers are actually designed to be switched on 24/7 which isn’t very energy efficient, unless it’s used 24/7. The unit for cooling or heating the water will need either a constant source of electricity or will be on a cycle where it heats for a certain amount of time before switching off and automatically turning on again. However, it is known that a water cooler uses less energy than any domestic fridge.

The energy consumption will be reflected in your utility bills for both types of water coolers, but the cost for running a bottled water cooler will also be influenced by the amount of water bottles you need to purchase. The more water you require, the more you will have to pay.

Cost Saving Tips for Your Water Cooler

• Choose a water cooler with a high energy rating; five ticks consume less energy
• Switch the water cooler off from the outlet at the end of each day or choose standby mode when it is not in use for extended periods of time
• Perform regular maintenance to keep the equipment running efficiently
• Purchase bottled water in bulk as this will be discounted compared to purchasing one bottle at a time

Water Coolers From Cooler Sense

At Cooler Sense, we provide both bottled and mains fed water coolers that save you time and money day after day. With a wide catalogue of models to choose from, we take the time to get to know your requirements so you can choose the best one for your workplace, budget and energy requirements.

Get in touch with us today to find out how much electricity our water coolers use and which one would work for your needs.