Is my A/C working? Does it work to it’s potential? Why isn’t my house as cool as I have the thermostat set? There are so many questions and they usually come up right around this time of year. Let’s debunk some myths and hopefully answer those questions.
1 – Bigger isn’t always better – systems are designed to move/condition air at a certain rate. If you have a unit that is designed for a bigger home than you have, it will work like it’s conditioning air in a bigger home which consumes more energy. Basically you will get the same result that you would from a properly sized unit while using more energy.
2 – If I significantly lower the temperature it will cool my house faster – A/C systems cool at the same rate. They do not speed up to reach your super low temperature. Your home won’t cool faster, it will cool at the same speed and waste energy.
3 – I will save energy by turning off my system when I’m not home – It’s great to want to save energy, and if you will be away for an extended period time, this will accomplish your goal but just being out for the day will have the opposite effect. Think about it this way; your home is comfortable when you leave for work at 9 am, you turn off the A/C to “save” energy. When you get home at 5 pm you turn it back on but it’s now significantly warmer in your home. Your A/C will now run constantly until it gets you to your desired temperature, using more energy. The way to save energy would be to raise the desired temperature by 10 maybe 15 degrees while you are away from home, then when you get home put it back to your desired temperature. It will not have to run as long to get there. If you want an easy way to accomplish this, a programmable thermostat can be set and it will adjust to your specifications without having to be told everyday.
4 – I don’t need to change my air filter – The dirtier and more clogged your air filter is, the harder your system has to work to get air to move through it. Best practice to keep your unit at it’s most efficient would be to change the air filter as the manufacturer recommends.
5 – I must have a dehumidifier – When air is conditioned is cools the air and removes excess humidity. Some units have specialized functions to accomplish this. It’s good to ask your HVACR tech about your unit.
6 – My ceiling fan will make my room cooler – Unfortunately, that is not the case. Your fan moves the air around the room and the breeze it provides can make you more comfortable when the temperature in the room is warm but it does not in fact cool the room.
7- I only need to service my A/C when there is something wrong – The truth of the matter is that if you have your system serviced every year it may extend the life of your unit. Having it checked and cleaned each year allows your HVACR tech to find issues when they are an easy, not expensive fix. It’s like going to the doctor every year, you feel fine but you get your annual check-up so you catch potential problems early so they don’t become bigger problems. Same idea with your A/C system.
8 – If it’s 95 degrees in my house I can get the temperature to 70 degrees – A/C systems are designed to reduce the temperature in your house by about 20 degrees. It’s best and most energy efficient to not try to push your system to get to a temperature that it’s just not designed to get to. It’s best to keep your temperature within that 20 degree range to ensure the most efficiency. It is also important to note that a system that has not been maintained or had it’s yearly cleaning may not be able to even reach that 20 degree difference in temperature.
Be smart to stay cool!!!