Don’t Make These Common Mistakes With Your AC System
August 28th, 2013 | by AB
In the heat of the summer, many of us have had some fuss with our home air conditioning systems— and as a result, seen your electricity bill go up more than you’d expect. But many common AC issues can be easily remedied, resulting in lower bills and a cooler home.
Check out this helpful list of the Top 10 Mistakes Homeowners Make With Their AC System, from BubbleLife:
1. Failing to perform maintenance
The most important aspect of AC ownership is the air conditioning maintenance performed on the unit. Without proper maintenance, a system will degrade quickly and will require unexpected repairs. Yearly inspections are mandatory for a smoothly operating air conditioner.
2. Allowing excessive plant growth
Plant and shrub growth around an air conditioner may impede performance of the unit. Proper ventilation of an air conditioning system ensures efficient cooling and that the unit isn’t overworked.
3. Setting the thermostat on arctic
Sitting in an icy home might feel good when it’s a hundred degrees outside, but setting the air conditioner too low will reduce efficiency of the unit over time. Air conditioning machinery suffers greatly when overused in extremely hot weather.
4. Understanding closing vents
Unused rooms might not need to be cooled, but closing vents might make sense in some homes. It’s essential to take note of the efficiency of the air conditioner after such closures, however, to ensure the system isn’t hindered by such closures.
5. Proper thermostat replacement
The cooling provided by the air conditioner is dependent upon the thermostat reading, and it’s vital that the device is placed properly within the home. It shouldn’t be near any hot electronics or heat generating devices because this will result in over-cooling problems.
6. Forgetting about the fans
Use of a fan may boost the efficiency of the air conditioner and allow the machine to be run at a lower intensity. Fans should be used as an addition to an air conditioner and not solely as a substitute. In addition, fans need to run in such a way that they push air downward.
7. Leaving exhaust fans on
Running an exhaust fan for a few minutes in the kitchen after someone burns popcorn is fine, but such fans shouldn’t be used excessively. Exhaust fans may result in the unintentional removal of cool air from the home.
8. Running the unit too much
If nobody’s at home, there’s no reason to run the air conditioner. If the temperature is so hot that pets inside the home require cooling, installing a programmable thermostat ensures the lowest possible waste of energy.
9. Placing the unit in the sun
The placement of the air conditioning system may impact its functionality, and it’s usually a good idea to place an air conditioner on the east or north side of the home so that direct sunlight isn’t as much of an issue.
10. Buying a huge air conditioner
A huge air conditioner doesn’t mean that a home owner will enjoy cooler temperatures inside. An over-sized condition may result in humidity problems, inefficient cycling, and excessive power consumption.
Click here to keep reading and see the original article on BubbleLife.
