How to Stay Cool at Home

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) issued a Level 1 heat alert on Sunday for 15 districts across the country.

The alert covers the whole of Perlis, plus Kubang Pasu, Pokok Sena, Pendang, Padang Terap, Kota Setar, Kuala Muda and Sik in Kedah; Hulu Perak in Perak; Machang and Pasir Mas in Kelantan; Beaufort in Sabah; and Kapit, Limbang and Marudi in Sarawak. Level 1 is the mildest of MetMalaysia’s three-tier system, triggered when daily highs hit 35-37°C for at least three consecutive days. The financial sting tends to arrive later, in next month’s electricity bill.

Here are five quick ways to stay cool, without scorching your TNB bill.

1. Aircon at 24–25°C, not 18°C. Every degree warmer cuts cooling power by roughly 6%. For a 1HP unit running eight hours a night, the swap from 18°C to 25°C saves around RM20-30 a month.
2. Draw the curtains by midday. Direct sun through a west-facing window can heat a room faster than the aircon can cool it. Block the heat first, then cool what’s left.
3. Clean the aircon filter. A clogged filter can add 5–15% to power use. Takes 30 seconds with a brush and the kitchen tap.
4. Run the washer and dryer after 10pm or on weekends. TNB’s Time-of-Use (ToU) scheme charges about 4 sen/kWh less during off-peak hours. Same load, smaller bill.
5. Watch the 600 kWh line. Cross it in a month, and TNB’s RM10 retail charge, the Automatic Fuel Adjustment (AFA), and 8% service tax all kick in. Check the myTNB app mid-month, not at the end.

The new tariff (in effect since July 2025) is a flat ~44.43 sen/kWh up to 1,500 kWh, but it rewards lighter users through the Energy Efficiency Incentive (EEI), up to 25 sen/kWh in rebates for households under 1,000 kWh. Less usage, bigger rebate. The system is built for the home that doesn’t crank the aircon.

MetMalaysia’s daily heat updates are at www.met.gov.my/iklim/status-cuaca-panas. If you’re in one of the listed districts, especially in a high-rise unit with afternoon sun, check your usage in the myTNB app this week, not next month. By then, the bill is already printed.