Do you think your air conditioning unit is ready for the Summer season? This is the season when you will be using it a lot. You do not want to have it break down in the midst of a very hot day. This is why you need to make sure that it will be functioning efficiently for you and your family.
Tips to maintain efficiency for your air conditioning unit
Fortunately, there are several tips that will help you take care of your AC unit. Here are 7 of the most simple, yet effective tips that you can use.
- Set the thermostat. If you do not have a programmable thermostat, try to buy one as soon as possible. You can set it to the desired temperature and leave it at that. If you can get control for every room, it will also help you with energy efficiency.
- Check the filter and make sure it is clean. It will help your air conditioning unit function efficiently. It will also ensure the quality of the air circulating in your home.
- Keep the doors and windows closed. This is obvious but some people still forget to do it. This will make your air conditioning unit work harder to cool your home. Make sure all the doors and windows to the outside are closed. If you think the weather is not that hot and you want the air from the outside flowing through your home, turn the AC unit off before you open the window.
- Take care of any leaks. This can be from under the door, attic, the windows, etc. Just like the open windows and doors, this can compromise the ability of your AC unit to cool your home.
- Allow airflow around the condenser. Remove any plants, shrubs, or other things that can compromise the airflow surrounding the condenser. There should be at least 2 feet of clearance all around.
- Put a shade on your condenser. Apart from isolating the condenser, put it under a shade. This will make it more efficient. Just make sure the shade will not restrict the airflow.
- Never forget about preventive maintenance. Schedule regular maintenance to ensure that your air conditioning unit is always working properly.
Energy efficiency tips for your AC unit during the summer
Since you will be using your air conditioning unit more this summer, you might want to pay attention to some tips that will help you be more energy efficient.
- Make sure you have the right AC unit. A small unit cannot cool a big room. Ensure that the size of the room is taken into consideration when you are getting the right air conditioning unit.
- Keep the temperature 12 degrees below the temperature outside. While it is tempting, do not set your temperature very low. It should just be enough to keep you cool without making you suffer the drastic change when you step outside.
- Get an inverter unit if you plan to use it continuously. This will help you save energy even if you leave it on the whole day. In fact, it is more energy efficient to keep it open instead of letting it restart several times a day.
- Turn it off at night. If the nights are not too hot or humid, you can opt to turn it off. You can actually set it at Sleep Mode so it will make the room very cool and then turn off – letting the temperature settle into a comfortable temp.
- Do not use appliances that will heat the home during the warmest time of the day. It will only add to the heat that the air conditioning unit has to work on.
- Put some shade on the windows to keep the heat from entering. If you do not have trees big enough to give shade, at least use shutters or heavy curtains.
Turn off the air conditioning unit in places where you do not go to. If there are rooms that you do not use during the day, you do not need to cool these areas.
