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The following phrase is taken from [an NHK News
article](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/k10012427161000/k10012427161000.html):

> 窓を開けるときには、エアコンを消さないほうが電気代が高くなりません.

I translated this as:

> When the window is open, you'd better not turn off the air conditioner if
> you don't want a higher electrical bill.

Which... doesn't really make sense to me.

What does negative verb+ほうが mean in this sentence?

I'm just interested in the use of negative verb+ほうが. I've only seen it used
with ほうがいい.
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grammar meaning
What does negative verb+ほうが mean in this sentence?
I think the grammar not as complicated as you think if you know that 〜である方がいい
means "It's better that [something affirmative goes here]". Similarly, 〜ない方がいい
is "It's better that [something negative goes here]".

For example, consider an example where you are suggesting that your friends
watch a TV program or not watch it. The literal translation of あの番組は見た方がいい
would be "it's better to watch the TV program" and あの番組は見ない方がいい would be "it's
better not to watch the TV program".

I think the context and logic is bit difficult to understand. So, I searched a
little bit and they say "leaving air-conditioner on" consumes less electricity
and costs less the electricity price in case just for 30 minutes between 9:00
and 18:00.

According to [the article by Daikin Industries,
Ltd.](https://www.daikin.co.jp/press/2016/20160812_02/), one of the largest
air-conditioner manufacturers, they collected the opinion from consumers and
70% of them believe the case of "leaving the air conditioner on" costs less
electricity price than the case of "frequently turning on and off".

They did experiment to verify that

> 実験（1）： 「つけっぱなし」の方が消費電力が小さくなる
> 9:00～23:00まで「つけっぱなし」にしたエアコンと、30分間隔で運転ON/OFFを繰り返したエアコンの消費電力量を比較し、「つけっぱなし」の方が安くなる時間帯を検証。
>
> 結果 日中9:00～18:00の時間帯は、30分間であればエアコンを切るより「つけっぱなし」にする方が消費電力量は少なくなりました。

That is to say, if you are going outside for just 30 minutes, "leaving the air
conditioner on" costs less the price than "turning it off when you leave and
turning it on again after coming back".

The graph below shows the relationship between electricity price (vertical
axis) and time (horizontal axis). つけっぱなし: "leaving the air conditioner on" and
こまめに入り切り: "Frequently turning it on and off".

[![Electricity price over time graphs; leaving AC on vs. turning it on and
off](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Djvb5.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Djvb5.jpg)

All in all, regarding electricity price, in the midst of hottest summer,
keeping the room cool is better than turning off air-conditioner and let the
warm air pass through the room just because you want to let the
virus/dusts/micro-particles/etc. out from the room.

There are some other intersting graphs regarding electricity consumption and
room temperature and humidity in the same article:
[日中30分の外出ならエアコンは切るより「つけっぱなし」がお得でした！](https://www.daikin.co.jp/press/2016/20160812_02/)
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answer
The phrase ほうがいい can actually be understood in terms of its component parts.
ほう means "side". So Xほうがいい literally means the "X side is good" - i.e. given a
choice, choosing X is the best result, or X is better.

This construction extends naturally. For example if you were comparing two
buildings, you could say このビルのほうが高い = "the side (where I choose) this building
is tall" = "this building is taller".

Regarding the quote from your question:

> エアコンを消さないほうが電気代が高くなりません。

This sentence works the same way. "The side where you choose to not turn off
the air-con does not result in the electric bill becoming high" = "Not turning
of the air-con doesn't make the electric bill get higher."

The reasons for this counter-intuitive statement are explained in [kimi
Tanaka's answer](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/77350/what-does-
negative-verb%E3%81%BB%E3%81%86%E3%81%8C-mean-in-this-sentence/77354#77354).
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answer