Tips for getting the most out of your air conditioner. Post your ideas.
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As the temperature outside rises, so does our electric bills elevated by all those fans and air-conditioners. To minimize their elevation, prepare your air conditioner for the cooling season.
Tip 1. Clean the condenser coils on your window or through the wall units. Remove the cover to gain access to the coils, and clean them with a soft bristle brush. While you're in there, clean out any lent build up, and oil the motor if it is equipped with oil ports on the sides
Tip 2. Outdoor compressors for whole house units could use a good cleaning, too. Remove sticks, leaves and those fluffy seeds with a hose sprayer.
Tip 3. Protecting your outdoor compressor or your window unit from the hot direct sun can help increase its energy efficiency.
Tip 4. Don't forget to clean or replace your air conditioner's filter.
Thank you for posting the information, Jim! Wow, that is good to know.
My a/c contracter confirmed what you said and by the way, the house IS cooler with the off and on set.
Jennifer
Northern Virginia
I confirmed this with my heating and air conditioning company before passing it on. I have an oil furnace. Check with your own provider to confirm.
When you turn your central air on, turn the fan on to run continuously, this keeps the cool air circulating. The company said it is less stress on the motor running full time, than cutting on and off.
I have central air with the outside compressor. When I tried running the fan nonstop, it didn't seem the house was as cool as before? I don't know ... but that is why I switched back to the off and on cycles.
Thanks!
Jennifer
Northern Virginia
Leaving your air conditioner fan on all of the time is a BIG mistake!! When I moved into my house, we noticed the air was very cool at times and stifling hot at others times when the outside condenser was off. It didn't take me long to discover the fan wouldn't turn off.
I called an a/c repair company. He replaced a part that regulates the timing of the fan going on an off with the outside compressor. He explained to me, when the outside compressor turns off, the inside condensing unit is loaded with water that it has captured from the inside air. Normally, when the outside compressor turns off, so does the inside fan which allows the water on the inside condenser to simply fall to the bottom of the pan and into the drain hole that goes outside.
If the fan stays on after the outside compressor turns off, the fan will blow back into your house all of this collected water on the inside condensing unit, thus making your house feel hot and sticky..
Take this info from someone who has been there and done that!! Please - please - please LEAVE YOUR FAN ON AUTO, not ON (running all the time)!!
JIM
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