Keep calm and stay cool in summers!
During summers, when the weather begins to feel hotter than blue blazes, people rush to turn on their air conditioners. The global climate is changing with time, which is the reason why summers are getting hotter while winters are becoming unbearably cold. As people are trying to beat the harsh summer heat, air conditioning has become common all around the country. However, people also seek efficient and affordable means to keep their homes fresh during summers. The air conditioners cut up to 12% of your total income from the energy expenditures. It may not sound a lot but adds up to $11 billion a year with all the houses in the country.
Not just the energy expense, but the air conditioners also release approximately 196 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. Moreover, the air conditioner needs regular maintenance for cleaning and increasing the performance. These costs withdraw cash from the owner’s wallets, which becomes a serious problem. However, you can still reduce these continuous costs of repairs and maintenance by performing necessary maintenance from time to time. The cleaned and efficient air conditioners will not only maintain air quality, but it will also consume less energy, thus reducing bills. With that said, let’s discuss eight tips that increase the efficiency and life of your AC.
Cleaning AC Filters And Vents
Dust easily gets caught up in the AC filters and vents, which significantly reduces the AC performance for cooling the environment. Not just that, but this dust also costs 7% more energy than the clean filters and vents. Both window or central air units have vents and AC filters that get dirty after a month of use. Many people follow the common belief that the closed vents lower the energy consumption for the particular rooms. But in fact, closed vents increase energy consumption and directly affect the final bills.
You can also get your AC vents repaired by seeking professional help, for instance, air conditioning repair in Orlando is the primary choice of the majority population for the purpose. Thus, you achieve the desired cooling without any hassle.
Clean Space Of AC Units
As per professional recommendations, the unit’s space needs to be cleaned both from the inside and outside. Dust and debris that accumulate inside the AC can reduce its performance and results in damage in the future. Moreover, the dirty AC unit needs more energy to work correctly. The debris hinders the airflow in the group, thus decreasing the efficiency of the AC.
Professionals advise removing any bushes and plants from the outdoor unit. You can also seek some professionals for more in-depth cleaning of the outdoor unit. Moreover, giving some space between the indoor unit also increases the cooling efficiency of the air conditioner.
Installing Outdoor Unit In Shady Area
The sun rays cause drastic effects on the outdoor units. The outdoor unit systems can get heated up instantly because of the harsh weather outside. In this case, you may install the outdoor unit in a shady area to prevent overheating. The sun rays increase the pressure on the outdoor unit to produce more cooling, which needs more energy to perform better.
A covered installation of the outdoor unit increases the AC’s efficiency by 16%. Simply shelter the outdoor unit to provide the shade from the sun rays. You can also install your outdoor unit under a tree shade to secure the unit from harsh sunlight.
Insulating Ducts
Nothing is more frustrating than continually paying up for the broken AC that does not even work correctly. People are often confused with their performance of AC. Air conditioners are complex systems and need special considerations for long-lasting performance. Especially, AC ducts are the essential structures of the air conditioners that need to be adequately insulated during installation.
The air duct leaks result in an increase in electricity bills with up to 21%. There is no way any AC can outperform in rooms with a lot of holes. In this case, it is incredibly crucial to insulate the ducts to prevent the leakage of the cool air.
Annual AC Checkup
AC systems need annual checkups and cleaning to increase airflow performance. Avoiding the checkup will lead to higher electricity bills with deteriorating cooling. Research states that the yearly AC maintenance increases the lifespan of the AC with up to 20 years. For that, you can simply hire professionals for tuning, cleaning, and monitoring refrigerant levels of your AC to maximize its performance.
The professionals can quickly identify the problems with the evaporator coil or empty refrigerant and fix it right for you. It may indeed cost some bucks, but it is worthwhile to get your AC fixed for hidden issues.
Setting Adjustment
Another trick to increase the efficiency is by working around the settings of the AC. The AC works with more energy under low-temperature environments. Setting them to a higher temperature will reduce energy consumption. In this case, you can simply raise the temperature of the air conditioner when it is not in use. Proper insulation of the rooms will make sure to contain the cooling without wasting them through the leakage.
Moreover, you can also install a system to control the temperature in each room. One reason for that is most apartments do not need cooling. Connecting thermometers in kitchens, storage areas, and bathrooms allow you to control the temperature without wasting any energy.
Use Ceiling Fans
Using ceiling fans in the AC room might sound absurd, but there are some remarkable benefits to it. Ceiling fans aids in increasing the workflow and cooling down the temperatures in minimum time. Your AC system will have to work twice to reach the minimum temperature levels of the room. However, stylish ceiling fans can considerably ease the machine by alleviating the load, thus reducing energy consumption.
Reduce Indoor Heat
AC systems follow a simple trick for cooling the home. Your AC removes the hot air and blows cold air to the rooms. If your rooms are already warm, then ACs will have to work more to make your rooms comfortable. One of the ways to avoid this is by removing all other electrical appliances like hairdryers, refrigerators, and ovens from the room to reduce the heat.
Final Words
Regular maintenance of the AC increases its efficiency and saves the costs of repairs and tuning. It is always smart to follow the preventive measures and perform a thorough cleaning to increase the lifespan of the air conditioners. Implementing these tips ensures that your AC performs well, even in the harsh climates.
