Surprisingly, it is often the smallest mistake or bit of negligence that can result in the costliest of repairs and high energy bills. In this article, you’ll learn about some basic slip-ups you ought to avoid with regards to your air conditioning unit. By being mindful of these mistakes, you’ll start to see a superior performance of your unit and lower energy and maintenance costs.
Mistake #1: Your Air Conditioner Is the Wrong Size
The worst mistake you can make is the wrong size selection of your air conditioning unit. All units are manufactured to suit a particular size of area/home. They are made with a specific amount of “air space” to serve the purpose. Your unit could end up being completely useless if it is too little or too big for the area you need to cover.
All units have a British Thermal Unit (BTU) rating, commonly between of 5,000 to 15,000. As a rule of thumb, each square foot of room space needs 20 BTU, in addition to 600 BTU for each individual living in the room. You may need to extend it by up to a 10 percent if the room has high roofs, gets a considerable measure of daylight, and so forth.
All things considered, ensure you don’t purchase a unit that is too big either! A larger-than-average unit will continually turn on and off and won’t have the capacity to dehumidify the room. This humidity can influence a space to feel significantly hotter than it actually is.
Mistake #2: Leaving Your Windows and Doors Open
An air conditioner works by pulling in the warm air from a room and running it through a refrigerant that captures the heat from the air. The now-cooled air is blown again into the room while the captured heat is expelled from the back of the unit.
This is the reason window units should be mounted in a shut window and focal units should be mounted outside. Inside and outside air should be disconnected from each other all together for the air conditioning to work. In case your windows or entryways are open, the heat that gets removed is simply going to return right in.
Mistake #3: Running the Unit Constantly
Most people adopt the technique of leaving their air conditioner running at the same temperature. They think it is good for the unit. However, that is not true. In fact, turning off your unit while you are away and turning it on when you are back is the smarter choice. It allows the unit to rest and saves energy (and money), too.
Mistake #4: Forgetting to Clean Between Seasons
Because of all the hot and chilly air that an air conditioner has to deal with, a major problem is condensation. It’s typical to see water dribbling from the air conditioner when it’s working, but when a unit isn’t cleaned every few months, condensation can develop and result in mold and bacteria. These harmful elements go into the air you breathe and make you sick, causing medical problems such as asthma, pneumonia, mold invasion, and even Legionnaire’s infection.
Regular air conditioner maintenance is the key to keeping these issues at bay, saving cash on repairs, and preventing high energy costs. It gives you peace of mind and extra comfort. Also, you’d obviously not want your air conditioner to ditch you on a hot summer day. Contact GreenBox Home Services today to schedule an air conditioning maintenance appointment in central Kentucky.
