How To Improve Air Conditioning Efficiency

House heating and cooling can easily add up to a significant part of your monthly utility bills. Estimations from the Department of Energy show that maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature can cost more than 50% of all utility expenses.

This means that Canadians spend a lot of money for the energy required to use their central air conditioning systems.

This article aims to provide you with a series of easy and almost free methods to improve the efficiency of your air conditioning system, in order to enjoy a comfortable indoor temperature while also keeping tabs on the expenses.

Here are the top right no-cost tips for air conditioning maintenance.

Thanks to this advice, you’ll be able to keep your air conditioning system healthy even during the hottest period of the year.

I should start of by saying, it’s very important your central air conditioner system is properly sized from the get-go. If the system is over or undersized then you have a much more complex issue at hand. But let’s assume it is sized properly, here are some tips.

Keep your outdoor condenser unit clean.

This unit will perform at its best when it is clean and free from debris. If you don’t know how to clean the condenser, click here to see an explanatory video that will teach you everything you need to know to do this by yourself. Should you need a more thorough, in-depth cleaning of your outdoor condenser, you’ll need to hire an air conditioning repair service professional.

Vacuum the indoor vents and keep them clear from any obstacles or debris.

By vacuuming dust and dirt from indoor air supply vents, you ensure a steady airflow through your air conditioning system. Also, make sure that no toys, blinds or any type of clutter are blocking those vents.

Set your thermostat a few degrees higher during summer (and lower during winter).

HVAC Thermostat Settings

Even as little as 2 – 3 degrees Celsius in temperature adjustments can help you save a lot of energy, and therefore lower your monthly bills (this applies to both summer and winter). If your system has a programmable thermostat, you’ll be able to automatically adjust the temperature for different times of the day and situations.

When you know you’re going to be out for half day, you want to adjust the temperature by several degrees in order to save energy.

Never place lamps or other heat sources nearby the thermostat.

Should its sensors detect hot air, it will understand that your home needs more cooling, and therefore it will instruct the system to work harder and for a longer time than it actually should. Keep curtains and blinds closed during the day to prevent the heat from the sun from warming indoor air. If you don’t really need a lot of light, there’s no point in allowing direct sunlight to enter your home.

Make sure your drain line is always clean.

The indoor cooling coil features a drain. Most often, this drain is located above the furnace in your basement. Keeping it clean throughout the whole summer is an easy thing to do. All you need is to flush one cup of chlorine bleach down the drain and then rinse it with plenty of water. Keeping this drain clean prevent blockages that might result in your basement taking water.

If possible, avoid using your oven or your dryer during the hottest time of the day.

These appliances will add warm air into your home, and therefore cause your air conditioning system to work harder to keep a constant temperature.

Properly insulate any exposed ductwork and make sure it always stays properly sealed.

This is how you can prevent conditioned air from leaking. If you notice leaks, try to fix them with UL 181-rated sealing tape, but make sure you hire a professional to fix them properly by the time of the next maintenance inspection.

You don’t need to spend a small fortune to keep your air conditioning system in perfect condition. All you need to do is to understand how it works and what the role of each of its parts is. The above tips can help you make the most HVAC efficiency out of your investment in a reliable air conditioning system. They can also help you decrease your maintenance costs and save money in the long run.