Given the high heat and humidity in the Coastal Bend area, your cooling system may be the most important appliance in your home. When you take note of certain things to avoid doing to your air conditioner, it’ll run more efficiently and dependably.
Skipping Professional Maintenance
As much use as cooling systems experience in this climate, annual professional servicing is a must. Without professional attention, dirt builds up inside the equipment that’s inaccessible without specialized tools. Air conditioners and heat pumps also create vibrations as they run, and as the parts loosen they lose efficiency.
Service visits should also include cleaning and adjusting the electrical parts, deep cleaning the outdoor condenser and checking the ductwork for leaks. Leaking ducts waste energy in proportion to their size.
Although the refrigerant is in a closed system, leaks can occur. When cooling equipment loses refrigerant, it increases its energy usage and may set the stage for part failure. The evaporator coil in the air handler can freeze when refrigerant is low, and if the A/C doesn’t shut off, it can burn out the compressor.
Not Changing the Air Filter
Once a month, check the air filter for the air handler. When it gets dirty, the airflow through the air handler slows, increasing the time it takes to cool your home. The dirt entering the air handler can also settle on the blower motor and the evaporator coil, further reducing energy efficiency and setting the stage for premature part failure.
Change Temperatures Often
Constantly turning down the thermostat is one more thing to avoid doing to your air conditioner. It will have to work too hard, causing excess stress on the cooling system. Instead, select the temperature at which you and your family are comfortable and install a programmable thermostat. You can program the device to handle four different temperature settings daily and when you’re away routinely, you can turn up the system to save energy.
For more tips on things to avoid doing to your air conditioner, contact CCAC. We’ve provided South Texas homeowners with outstanding HVAC services since 1979.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air conditioners and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “GSPhotography/Shutterstock”
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