For your air conditioner to work optimally you should take good care of it. This calls for you to avoid making mistakes that might reduce the efficiency of the machine. To help you out, here are some of the air conditioning mistakes you should avoid making as given by AC repair companies:
Failing to maintain the appliance before the cooling season
Before you get into the cooling season, it’s important that you thoroughly inspect the unit and ensure that all parts of the machine are working optimally. This is to have peace of mind that the unit won’t develop issues or increase your cooling costs. While this is the case, some people don’t do it, which is usually problematic.
When you don’t inspect the air conditioner before the cooling season begins, a lot of things can happen. Your air conditioning bill can rise to astronomical levels, the air conditioner might not cool the house as well you might want it, or it might fail altogether.
For you to be on the safe side you should always inspect and fix any issues that your unit might be having before the cooling season begins. If you have the skills you can inspect the air conditioner by yourself but if you have never done it before, hire an expert to help you out.
Ignoring the air filter
The purpose of the air filter is to get rid of dust, allergens and other air particles. Since the air filter is always exposed to dust, it accumulates dust particles that clog it over time. A clogged air filter not only increases the volume of dust that gets in the house, it also greatly decreases airflow and efficiency of the air conditioner.
Most homeowners don’t give priority to the air filter which results to the air conditioner spending a lot of energy to cool the air. The air conditioning unit also doesn’t cool the air as effectively as it’s supposed to.
Do you want the air conditioner to function optimally? You should keep the air filter as clean as possible. For ideal results, clean it at least once a month. If damaged, replace it.
Failing to upgrade or set the thermostat
The thermostat controls the temperature at which the AC cools the air in the house. When you set it incorrectly, you risk failing to cool the house as well as you should. An improperly set or old thermostat doesn’t control the air conditioner properly.
For you to have peace of mind that the air conditioner is working properly, you should properly set the thermostat. If the thermostat is old, consider replacing it with a new, modern model.
To have an easy time using the thermostat, go for a programmable thermostat. The unit is not only more accurate thus making it easy for you to control the temperature, it also allows you to control the temperature virtually.
Placing the air conditioner in the wrong place
Did you know where you place the air conditioner has a great impact on the working of the air conditioner? Putting the air conditioner on the west side of the house in a hot area makes the air conditioner work much harder than it should.
The best way of going about it is finding a shady spot, away from direct sunlight. When placing it in a shady area, ensure that it isn’t blocked by shrubs or other objects. This is to ensure that ample air gets to it.
Keeping the air conditioner running the entire day
There is no problem letting the air conditioner run the entire day, right? Wrong. In addition to the unit consuming a lot of energy when you keep it running the entire day, it also tends to work harder than it should, thus putting it at the risk of breaking down.
To save energy and also ensure that the unit lasts for a long time, switch off the appliance when you aren’t using it. For example, turn it off in the morning when you are leaving the house. You also should turn it down or switch it off altogether when you are sleeping.
While it’s good to switch off the unit when you aren’t using it, AC repair companies Huntington recommend that you avoid keeping it shut all the time, especially when you are away from home for days or weeks. In such a scenario, you should set it to run a few minutes every day.