Residential Real EstateKeeping Cool: Getting Maximum Mileage from Your Air Conditioner
The only time most of us consider the maintenance of our air conditioning
units is when they begin to rattle loudly, prompting your next-door
neighbor to make a polite phone call and bring the problem to your
attention. In a case like this, you"re going to have to replace your entire
unit, which represents a major expense and usually occurs at precisely the
time when you need the unit most (July or August) and you"re also facing a
large stack of household bills.
So we resign ourselves to the expense, write a fat check to the serviceman
and install a new unit, which we"ll ignore unit that old familiar rattle
occurs again. What many homeowners don"t realize, however, is that they can
lengthen the lives of their air conditioning units considerably with a
little ongoing maintenance requiring minimal effort on their part.
Home improvement experts and air conditioning manufacturers agree that
homeowners should, at minimum, clean the filters in their air conditioning
units each month; however, it"s probably preferable to replace the filters
monthly during your warm season(s). When your filters begin to collect dirt
and other deposits floating in the air, your air flow is compromised. What
ultimately happens is that your air conditioner continues to work just as
hard as usual -- if not harder -- but you have to wait much longer for your
home to cool down. If you live in the desert Southwest, you can plan to
replace those filters almost every month of the year. The good news is that
filters are relatively inexpensive and can, if replaced periodically,
lengthen the life of your air conditioner and delay an expensive unit
replacement.
To get the most mileage from your air conditioner, you"ll also want to have
the unit inspected and/or serviced annually by a qualified service
representative. Again, it"s an expense, but it"s far less money than the
cost of replacing a poorly serviced air conditioner.
To experience maximum air flow, make sure your air vents aren"t being
blocked by drapes or by shelves, sofas or other furniture. If your smart
cat has a habit of parking himself in front of the vent to keep cool, the
fur he sheds during the summer months could also be cutting off some of
your air flow (not to mention your cat"s well-fed body).
The same goes for the unit itself. If your air conditioner is surrounded by
an entanglement of ivy, shrubs, weeds or other growth -- or, if an
inattentive neighbor"s "trash" tree is causing a build-up of leaves in your
unit, it"s time to do something about it. Either get out your trimmers and
prune the obstruction around the box, or work up the nerve to politely ask
your neighbor to do something about that tree. If his tree is affecting
your unit, the odds are that you"re not alone. Other neighbors within close
proximity are probably being affected, as well, and some of them may not
even realize it. So put on your diplomat"s hat, and see if you can"t come
up with a solution that works for everyone. Keeping the unit clear is
important for more reasons than one. Your air conditioner is responsible
not only for sending cool air into your home, but also pushing the warm air
out of your home. The unit cannot perform this dual role without
unobstructed passageways.
In the heat of the summer, it"s hard to resist the urge to scoot that
thermostat down just one degree more. It"s difficult to realize the impact
that just one degree will have on your monthly energy bill or on the life
of your air conditioner. If it"s hard for you to live in a home that
doesn"t resemble Antartica, buy yourself a few oscillating fans. You"re
going to save money both now -- on your monthly utility bills -- and later,
because your air conditioner won"t be working as hard and will therefore
last longer.
Take a trip up into your attic, and check to see that it"s adequately
ventilated. If not, the accumulation of heat could be causing the rooms of
your home to heat up, as the heat travels from the attic through the
ceiling. If vent on your clothes dryer is releasing heat into your home,
either limit the use of dryer to the evening or early morning hours when
the temperature is at its lowest; or call a professional to have your vent
lead outside your home.
Neglecting regularly scheduled maintenance on your air conditioning unit
can lead to an estimated loss of 5 percent efficiency per year. Air
conditioners that have been tended to on a regular basis, however --
meaning the periodic changing of filters and an annual inspection by a
professional -- remain resillient, maintaining approximately 95 percent of
their efficiency at the time of original purchase. It"s a responsibility
you can"t afford to ignore.