Poor performance and inefficiency of air conditioning units is most often caused by inadequate maintenance. Homeowners need to be on top of things and take the time, once monthly, to check things out in order to save the potential expense of a big repair down the road.
The air conditioner won’t work properly if you allow the filter and the A/C coils to get dirty. What could happen if not properly maintained is that the compressor or fan (or both) can fail before their normal life time. If you want to make sure that your air conditioning unit runs effectively and efficiently for years without the need for service calls, then regular maintenance should be performed to the air conditioner’s filters, coils, and fins.
You can be assured that not maintaining these things will lead to a slow but sure decline in the way your air conditioning system operates and it will begin increasing the amount of energy used as well.
Air Conditioner Coils
Over a period of time and use, the evaporator and condenser coils will inevitably collect dirt. You can prevent the evaporator coil from becoming dirty too quickly by making sure that you maintain a clean filter always. The evaporator coil will, though, collect dirt over a period of time, and when it does it causes the air flow to reduce. The reduction in air flow can cause insulation on the coil itself and that decreases the ability of the coil to absorb heat, therefore lessening the ability of the system to cool your home.
Air Conditioner Filters
This is one of the most important (and perhaps the simplest) Dry hvac maintenance tasks that you can do to make sure that your air conditioning system continues to run efficiently – clean or replace your air conditioner filters regularly. Depending on where you live and how often your air conditioner runs will determine how often you should be replacing (or cleaning) your filters. For instance, if you live in a hot climate and use your air conditioner all day, every day then you probably want to change your filter out every month.
If your filters are clogged or dirty they will most certainly block the normal air flow and significantly reduce your system’s efficiency. If the flow of air is greatly restricted, the air can bypass the filter and carry dirt right into the evaporator coil and hurt the heat absorbing properties of it.
Programmable Thermostats
Experts say that you can save ten percent or more every year on you utility bill by setting your thermostat at eighty-two degrees for six to eight hours a day. This can be accomplished automatically with the simple installation of a programmable thermostat. When you install one of these, it allows you to control the thermostat to turn on and off at different settings throughout the day; most allow you to set schedules for every day or different schedules for different days.
Using one of these allows you to set the temperature to a higher number when you’re not at home, and then automatically reset to your desired temperature just before you return home so your home will be cool and you don’t have to sacrifice comfort.
Air Duct Cleaning
No one likes to hear this, but your air conditioning ducts and vents house dust mites that live and breed there. They can wreak havoc on those with allergies or other health problems. This can also lead to an increase in your cooling bill because it can decrease air flow. You shouldn’t attempt to clean out the air ducts yourself, though – this is one of those things that you should always call a professional to do.
Following these simple tips can go a long way to helping you save money on your energy bill, and increasing the life of your air conditioning system.
