Eight Huge Mistakes You're Making With Your Air Conditioner

1. All-time summer heat records keep giving in the weight of increasing global temperatures-- a trend that strikes home, literally and figuratively, when you get your regular monthly air conditioning expense. Regrettably, mistakes you're making with your house A/C may be damaging its effectiveness, efficiency, and security, specialists state. If you have a terribly kept system, it can end up being polluted with bacteria that might be harmful if inhaled. Common symptoms are asthma problems and allergic reactions. Here are 8 of the most typical mistakes individuals make when it pertains to house Air Conditioner, and some basic adjustments that can save your lungs and wallet. # 1. You Aren't Altering or Cleaning Your Air Conditioner Filters At a minimum, you should be changing the filter on your main Air Conditioner unit once every 3 months-- and as typically as once a month if your system is running all the time. Overlook this task, and an unclean filter can cause bad air flow or freezing up of your system's evaporator coil, states James Braun, a teacher of engineering and director of the Center for High Performance Buildings at Purdue University. A dirty filter might include 5% to 15% to your Air Conditioner bill, and will shorten the life-span of your entire system. Fortunately, replacement filters are pretty cheap-- usually less than $10. If you have ductless "split" Air Conditioner units, there should be a removable panel on your unit that will allow you to clean off the filter with a rag-- no replacement essential. # 2. You're Not Having Your System Serviced Every Year You could search for online video tutorials about cleaning your Air Conditioning unit's coils and fins-- required maintenance operations that keep your system up and running effectively. You might also bring in a pro to service your system once a year. The U.S. Department of Energy offers some suggestions when browsing for Air Conditioning service specialists. # 3. You Don't Have a Programmable Thermostat Perhaps you are among those super-humans who constantly keeps in mind to adjust the thermostat before leaving the air conditioning service edmonton home. If you're like the rest of us, a programmable thermostat can conserve you hundreds on your annual A/C expense by immediately raising the temp at those times of day when you're at work or away from home. More recent phone-controllable "clever" thermostats make programs even simpler. # 4. You're Setting Your Thermostat Too Low

2. Research reveals the body is capable of adapting to hot or cool temperature levels pretty rapidly-- like within a week or more. When you consider you'll cut up to 3% off your AC costs for each degree you raise the temperature-- not to discuss the potential ecological benefits of reducing your Air Conditioning use-- it's worth sweating through that change period and setting your thermostat someplace in the high 70s (or higher if you can handle it). # 5. You're Not Making The Most Of Fans Any kind of fan, but especially ceiling fans, can help keep one's cool air distributing throughout your house. That eliminates a few of the burden from your Air Conditioner system. Just be sure your ceiling fans are turning counterclockwise during the summer season, which promotes higher air circulation. # 6. Your Thermostat and/or Vents Are Inadequately Placed If the sun or a nearby light blasts your thermostat for huge pieces of the day, that might throw off its readings and trigger it to crank your Air Conditioning even though your location is pleasantly cool. Specifically if you're away throughout the day, you might not understand your system is working overtime due to a lost thermostat. Blocking A/C vents with furniture or curtains can also restrict air flow. Unless you invest a great deal of time huddled under your sofa, you'll wish to make sure your Air Conditioning vents are unobstructed. # 7. You're Cooling Empty Spaces If Air Conditioning vents are open in every room of your home, you're chilling a lot of realty that may not be in usage on a daily basis. Walk and close those Air Conditioning vents that open onto empty rooms. Closing closet doors makes sure those areas aren't swallowing your cold air. # 8. You Don't Have Blinds Or Curtains Intense sunlight is your Air Conditioning system's bane. By closing blinds and sliding curtains to block the sun's rays, you'll also shield your area from the sun's heat, professionals say.