THINGS YOU MUST NOT IGNORE WHILE USING YOUR AIR CONDITIONERS

Everyone has a weather preference, and it might differ according to the environment. Some people prefer getting tanned in the summers, while others prefer the sweet breeze of the spring and the flowers that come with it. In autumn, the trees wilt and the leaves fall, but many people love it due to the contrasting colors it brings to our surroundings. You will be surprised though that few people love winters too, mainly owing to the harsh long summers they have to face for many months. One thing that the people do have control over to have their preferred weather all year long. Well, they shouldn’t since one stop seeing the value of events if they become too frequent.

Though you might love summer, it is not everyone’s favorite season. On the one hand, it does come with the blessing of perpetual sunshine filling up the Vitamin-D coffers in our body. It would help if you had vitamin-D since it regulates the amount of calcium and consequently strengthening your bones. However, too much sunshine might even give you sunburns. Sunburns are, however, the least of anyone’s worry as summers come with heat and humidity that makes life tough.

However, the most prevalent solution to the heat is nothing other than our favorite home appliance, the air-conditioner. Whether it is the car, our room, or our office, we do like an escape from the heat by getting a breath of fresh and cold air. Sometimes you might even think about taking a moment out of your life and thank the person who made summers bearable by inventing this ingenious device. However, owning an air-conditioner does come with many other unwanted things, such as getting a higher power bill and regular maintenance. It is like any other machine that might break down one day if not taken care of timely. Sometimes you might have to replace the Glasfloss Filters or blow the dust out of your AC, but it is not as simple as it seems. In this article, we will talk more about the things to look out while servicing your air-conditioner.

• UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR AC WORKS

The first step in maintenance is to understand how everything works. Without this essential knowledge, you will never know what to do while dealing with your AC units. Most ACs have two parts, the outdoor unit or the compressor, and the indoor unit also called the evaporator. As the names suggest, the outdoor unit is outside your house or office, releasing the excess heat. On the other hand, the indoor unit releases the fresh air to your rooms hence bringing down the temperature.

• RISING ELECTRICITY BILL

It is usual for your power bill to fluctuate throughout the year, and as the summer approaches, it will go further due to the increased usage. On the other hand, your supplier might change the tariff, which will have some effect on the bill. However, being a user, you should keep track of your usage pattern and the resulting power bill. If your bill increases suddenly, that’s an anomaly to look for since your AC unit might not be performing as efficiently as it should. Multiple factors contribute to your AC’s efficiency decreasing and not servicing it on time is one of them.

• STRANGE NOISES

Your AC makes typically either no sound or a very gentle sound, and that means it is running very smoothly. But sometimes it might start producing some annoying sounds such as hissing, screeching and grinding, etc. Such tones translate to several problems in the motor, electrical, or leaking mechanism, and you must look into it before further damage happens.

• CONDENSER DRAIN

Due to the transfer of heat and cold air, the AC goes through condensation internally that it must remove, or it will damage the units. Usually, a thin PVC pipe is attached to the outer unit of the AC that drains out the excessive condensation for the smooth operation of the AC. This condensation sometimes produces bacteria that result in the formulation of slime hindering the pathway. If you do not see it dripping water outside, that means that the condenser drain is clogged and needs to get cleaned as soon as possible. If you do not do so, your AC might even stop operating, and that should give you an idea about how grave the situation is.

• FILTERS

Since air-conditioning involves releasing air into your room, it filters it to avoid reducing the room’s air quality. AC and HVAC units employ cleaners for this purpose, which get dusty as the time passes. The dust also settles when the AC units remain unused for a significant portion of the year and require cleaning. Without cleaning these filters, the AC might not perform as efficiently as it should. It will reduce the cooling and increase your power bill while nullifying any advantage that the AC provides against the heat. So, you must periodically check for cleaning these AC filters, or even replace them if needed. Researchers believe that the accumulation of dirt reduces the AC’s performance by up to 50%. HVAC units also have blower filter units that require replacement at least twice a year before the cooling season and before the heating season.

• PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT

Though ACs have their thermostat units, they might not be that useful for you. Getting a programmable thermostat helps you efficiently manage your room temperature that also prolongs the life of your AC. If your AC is turning on and off with variable times, you could know that there is something wrong with its thermostat and get it checked. It might also need a maintenance service to restart its normal operations.

• THE FINS

AC outer units have aluminum fins that facilitate the airflow to the surrounding. Any reduction in this airflow reduces the efficiency of the AC as it might heat up while cooling your room. Sometimes, it gets clogged with dust or debris, and you must clean it with a brush after detaching the unit from electricity. Other times, the fins get bent, and that also affects the airflow; hence you must straighten them with something like a knife to improve the AC’s efficiency.

CONCLUSION

Servicing an AC might sometimes be an additional headache, but it is necessary if you want your AC to perform efficiently. Without servicing, your AC’s efficiency might reduce that will increase your power bill and reduce the cooling. In the worst scenario, ACs that go without servicing for a longer time might even stop working altogether, causing you a severe financial loss. Periodically checking your AC for servicing is only for your benefit, and obviously for that of your AC unit.