Insider Air Conditioning Secrets That Will Keep You Cool This Summer
Posted on: 15 July 2014
When the temperatures rise, keep your cool the way the pros do. These insider secrets will keep your air conditioning performing at its peak, and keep you from having to call out your air conditioning repair man.
Size Matters
Big houses require big air conditioners, or you are going to notice a serious lack of cool air in your home. There's a reason why different sized air conditioners are available: they are each designed to cool different sizes of rooms. Your air conditioner has to dehumidify the hot air in the room in order to cool it down. If your unit isn't sized right for your room, you won't feel the cooling effects the way you should.
In order to determine the right size of air conditioner for your home, determine the square footage of the area you want to cool. Multiply the length times the width of the room to get this figure, then multiply your square footage by 25 BTU (British Thermal Units). This will tell you the total BTU of the air conditioner you need to buy. The standard of 25 BTU is a general figure that will keep rooms cool in rainy, moist weather or sunny, humid temperatures.
You can also visit Energystar.gov for a chart of common AC sizes based on room dimensions.
Location Is Important
Even if your air conditioner is the right size for your home, if it is located in direct sunlight, in overgrown weeds or in a place that has limited airflow, it will not work properly. These outside units need to be kept in cool, shady places with plenty of airflow in order to work most efficiently.
Routine Maintenance Works
It's too easy for most homeowners to forget about regular maintenance on their air conditioning units, but by the time the AC has started to falter, it could require a costly repair. Simple things such as keeping the condenser coils clear and keeping debris out of the unit can extend its life and prevent loss of cooling. Some manufacturers may refuse to honor a warranty for failing parts if you haven't maintained your unit at least annually.
Routine maintenance doesn't have to take long and should be carried out once a year. Consider it a checkup for your home's heating and air unit. Keep it healthy, and it will repay you by keeping you comfortable.
Freon Doesn't 'Run Out'
Freon, the refrigerant used to chill the air inside the condenser, never 'runs out'. If your unit ever becomes low on freon, it's because you have a leak somewhere in the system. The Freon changes from a liquid to a gas and then back to a liquid during the cooling process, but it should remain inside the AC unit indefinitely unless there is a leak. Even a very small leak can cause you to lose Freon, but you won't be able to detect this yourself. Your HVAC service technician will have the equipment needed to detect and repair the leak, and refill the air conditioner with Freon as necessary.
Spending Money On AC Can Help You Save
Okay, so this last 'secret' isn't really a secret, and in truth, many people still think it sounds counterproductive, but consider this. An air conditioner's energy efficiency rate is known as its SEER rate (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). Older air conditioning units have SEER rates of up to 10, while those made after 2005 are required by law to have a minimum SEER of 13, and some have a rating as high as 23.
The higher your air conditioner's SEER rating, the more energy efficient it will be. You can even determine your estimated savings online using a calculator that compares your current SEER rating to the one that you are going to buy.
Don't find yourself hot and bothered when the temperatures start to soar. Just use these insider secrets to keep cool, just like the professionals do. Air conditioning repair is important and necessary but these tips will help you limit the amount that you have to worry about it.
Share