Nothing can be more tormenting than spending time indoors on an extremely hot day and having your air conditioner malfunction. Breakdowns aside, your AC could be working but struggling to do a good job. Faulty parts or poor maintenance can mean your AC ends up consuming a lot of energy in trying to cool your home. Add this to the few days when you forgot to turn the thermostat down or left your AC on while out of town for a week, and your monthly energy bill could give you a heart attack.
Considering that heating and cooling are the biggest energy costs for Canadian homeowners, it’s paramount that everyone knows how to save on AC usage and costs. On this note, here are some tips on how to efficiently and economically use your air conditioner.
1. Clean and Replace Filters Regularly
Filters determine how well your air conditioner is running. If they’re clogged or dirty, it affects the air quality and performance of the AC. This is because, with reduced airflow from clogs and debris, the unit has to work extra hard to push warm air out. This can lead to increased bills, and in worst cases, a total breakdown.
Therefore, it is advisable to clean the filters monthly to get rid of the dust, clogs, or accumulated debris. This can be done through vacuuming or washing with soap and water. If faulty, the AC filter may need replacement depending on the type and how long it has served you. As a general rule of thumb it’s good to replace your filters every three months, though if you don’t use your AC much you can do it twice a year. Regular filter cleaning and replacement go a long way in improving AC efficiency, performance and longevity.
2. Close Doors and Windows When the AC Is On
It makes no sense to have your AC running and all the windows and doors open. If you do this, your energy bill will literally be going towards cooling the neighbourhood. If you want to keep them open, or if you know you’re going to have an afternoon where the kids are running in and out of the house and not shutting doors behind them, you should shut down the AC.
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Secondly, ensure that all the cracks and openings in the house are sealed to avoid air leaks to and from the exterior. You can do this yourself or hire an energy audit specialist. Lastly, ensure that bathroom and laundry room doors are closed when someone is taking a shower or running the dryer. This helps reduce the hot air circulating in the house.
3. Block the Sun
The sun doesn’t have to shine for your home to feel hot. However, direct sunlight can cause higher temperatures in your indoor space. This is especially true if your home is not properly insulated. As a result, your AC has to overwork to cool the home. You can avoid this by using shades as part of proper AC maintenance. This means that you need to keep your curtains and blinds closed during the day. You can open them later in the evenings to allow the heat to escape.
Another way of avoiding direct sunlight is by planting trees. Though this may take time, in the long run, it will present beautiful scenery while enhancing the efficiency of your AC. Home insulation will also block outside heat while preventing cool air from escaping through the structural surfaces. This way, your AC will spend less energy trying to keep your home cool and comfortable.
4. Program Your Thermostat
There are thermostats on the market that you can program from your phone while at any location. They also respond to temperature changes and react accordingly. These should be your number one choice if you’re thinking about an upgrade.
However, if getting a new thermostat is not in your budget, do not worry. A solution is to set your AC higher than the recommended degrees. By increasing it by 10-15 degrees, it helps you to save on energy. It is not advisable to lower the temperatures after getting back from errands. This is because it does not cool your home any faster. Besides, if your home cools to low levels you may need to raise it up again, which means increased energy usage.
5. Strategic Positioning
Where you position your AC highly influences its efficiency. This is why it is not ideal to have it near windows, in the dryer room or in an area exposed to direct heat. This is because the heat from these sources sends the wrong message about home temperatures. The AC may be working extra hard by assuming the home is hotter, which may not be the case. Choosing a suitable location for installation can help enhance efficiency.
If you’ve found the ideal spot to position your AC unit but you find you now have a new problem of exposed wiring and ductwork that looks unsightly, you can hide them behind a wall or up in the ceiling – if you need access to them you can always add a wall or ceiling access door.
6. Keep It Well Maintained
For your AC to stay in tip-top shape and ensure your home’s comfort, it has to be properly maintained. This involves a range of tasks, from regular inspection to cleaning the unit, as well as prompt repairs. Part of it also involves weatherproofing the outdoor air conditioner unit so it doesn’t suffer the effects of harsh elements such as snow and intense rainfall.
It is also essential to contact a reputable HVAC service company for regular AC tune-ups. Apart from enhancing performance efficiency and cost-effectiveness, proper AC maintenance will also help extend its life while minimizing the need for regular repairs or early replacement. Here are a few tips you can use to ensure air conditioner maintenance:
- Keep it clean
- Invest in a programmable thermostat (discussed earlier)
- Have your air conditioning vents cleaned
- Check and realign the fins if crushed or bent
- Check the condensate drain tube for clogging and unclog it
- Ensure the AC is in perfect working condition before summer
In a nutshell, it is evident that indoor cooling costs can be a pain in the neck for homeowners. From high energy bills to constant AC repairs, they can be overwhelming. This is not to mention how some AC problems impede indoor comfort and cause inconveniences.
With the above few tips, however, improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of your AC is easy. They can also help you avoid unnecessary costly repairs and early replacement, thus lengthening the lifetime of your air conditioner.
Feature image: Rafael Gonzales; Image 1: Dương Nhân
