Get the Most Out of Your Air Conditioner This Summer With These Tips
Summer in the Windsor region may not last very long, but it sure gets hot and humid during those few months. Air conditioning is a must, but if you’re worried about the bills, you might think avoiding the AC for as long as possible is the way to go. It’s actually not because sitting in excessive heat and humidity can create a whole new set of problems.
Instead, learn how to use the air conditioner more efficiently so that those bills don’t stop you from keeping cool.
Remember to Clean or Change the Filter
First, keep cleaning or changing that filter. If you have a wall unit or a ductless mini-split, you likely have a reusable mesh filter. If the unit has a filter light that pops on when the filter needs cleaning, then clean the filter as soon as possible. Running the unit for another day or two before cleaning should be OK, but the longer you let the filter sit, the more dust will build up. It will just be harder for the unit to cool efficiently.
If you have a central air system, there might not be an indicator light to let you know when the filter needs attention. Check those filters at least once a month, and change or clean them when they’re covered with dust. If you have to replace the filter, look for the same model number to ensure the replacement fits. Filter changes are the most powerful AC maintenance task you can do at home to keep your system working its best.
Close Curtains and Blinds During Hotter Weather
When it’s hot outside, your home has to deal with heat transfer. This is when the hot air outside heats up the outside of your home, and that heat transfers across those materials and into your home. Air next to the walls can then heat up, and as the air circulates around your home, it heats up your home.
The windows are a particularly efficient spot for heat transfer, so close the blinds or curtains when it’s hot out. Some air will still heat up, but not as much.
Find and Fix Drafts
Of course, heat transfer isn’t the only way for hot air to get into your cool home. Check the weatherstripping around your doors, and replace it if needed; also, get a draft excluder to place at the bottom of any doors that open to the outside. Inspect windows for spots where they’re not closing fully or have sliding panes that are out of alignment.
Don’t Block Any Part of the Air Conditioning Unit
No matter what type of air conditioner you have, ensure that no part of it is blocked. This means trimming back or removing plants that are growing too close to any outdoor components and moving furniture away from wall units that are placed near the floor.
Don’t place shades over the outdoor portions of any air conditioner system, such as the condenser unit for a central air system. While some believe that providing shade can help the system work more efficiently, the opposite may be true; blocking the top of the unit, even with a few feet of space in between, can stop air from venting properly from the top of the unit.
Ensure All Vents Are Open
If you have central air, go around your home, and make sure all the vents are open. Some vents don’t allow you to control whether air can flow through or not, but if you do have a control that lets you adjust louvres in the vent, make sure they’re all open.
Closing them off throws your home’s cooling off. The system you have is (or should be) properly sized for the size of your house, and closing off rooms effectively makes the system overpowered for the space it has to cool. The system could start short-cycling and thus waste energy.
Add a Few Fans
If you have ceiling fans or oscillating stand fans, turn them on to help the cooler air circulate around your home. You may find that the breeze from the fans allows you to set the thermostat a few degrees higher, thus saving energy. If all you have is a box fan, that will work, too.
Consider Zoning
If you have a central air system and a large or multi-storey home, consider zoning. This is when you have separate thermostats controlling different parts of the house. For example, you could set the thermostat for an upper storey to a higher temperature if you’re not going to be upstairs for a while.
Have the Air Conditioner Inspected Each Spring
Something that will really help your air conditioner work more efficiently each year is to have it inspected each spring. That lets you address problems before the heat starts.
Keep your family and home comfortable during Ontario’s sweltering summers with expert cooling services. When you need air conditioner repairs, maintenance, or even one of those yearly inspections in the Windsor region, call Guaranteed Comfort Heating & Cooling!