Is your air conditioning working harder than it needs to? Making sure that your system can do its job well without extra stress not only ensures it’s working well, it also keeps it running for longer.
No one wants to turn on their aircon only to find that it won’t turn on or isn’t working properly, especially when the weather starts to heat up. This is why it’s important to know how to get the most out of AC, keep it working correctly and reduce how hard it has to work.
Keep It On For Longer Periods
It might be tempting to try and blast cool air into a room over a short space of time and then turn your air conditioning off, but this won’t really do the trick. It’s much better to leave your air conditioning running at a higher temperature to allow it to cool the room more gradually and then keep it at that temperature.
Blasting cold air for short periods will mean it has to work twice as hard each time to cool your room. This can overwork your system and mean it doesn’t work as well after a while or breaks completely.
Instead of turning on your air conditioning once you get home and lowering the temperature for a quick blast of cold air, program your system to turn on half an hour before you get in the door. Alternatively, if you can control your air conditioning with an app, use this to turn it on before you get home so it has already reduced the temperature and hasn’t had to overwork.
Allow For Good Airflow
Just as blocking your radiators can top warm air from circulating, positioning things in the way of your air conditioning units can mean they aren’t able to effectively cool your room. Your units need to have plenty of free space around them to allow them to distribute cooled air.
If you block the units with furniture or curtains, they’ll only cool a very small area. The result will likely be you reducing the temperature further, making the aircon work harder but not actually making much of a difference.
Regularly Change Your Filters
If you’re using your air conditioner frequently, you should get into the habit of cleaning or replacing your filters once a month. This will ensure the air going through your system is adequately filtered, which can improve the air quality of your home, and that your air conditioning isn’t having to work harder.
Filters can get blocked over time, which obstructs airflow. Good indications that you need to clean or replace your filter include:
- The air conditioning unit is getting too hot
- The air isn’t cold enough
- Your aircon system is using more power
- Your allergies are getting worse
- There is more dust near the vents
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Team It With A Fan
If you have a large room, want to cool your space down faster without blasting the AC too much or are trying to cool other rooms as well, you might want to team your air conditioner with a fan.
While air conditioning systems are designed for different sized spaces and we provide advice on the best option for your home, there are ways to give them a helping hand so they aren’t getting overworked.
As fans move cool air around rather than cooling, placing one near your air conditioning unit could help speed up the cooling process and help to get the cold air to move further. You can also make sure the cold air is reaching you without having to sit right under the AC unit.
Keep The Sun Out
If you’re trying to cool a room, closing the curtains, shutting the blinds or using reflectors on the windows will help. Allowing the sun to shine into the room will heat things up so your air conditioner will have to work continuously to maintain the temperature.
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