The Truth about Air Conditioning

During the summer months, keeping yourself cool and comfortable becomes an active task. This is even truer for those living in tropical and humid areas. Aside from comfort, keeping cool is also necessary for good health. Dehydration is a serious problem, which is aggravated by hot temperatures because the body loses more water through sweating.

The sad truth is that there have been too many rumors and myths regarding air conditioning use for years. Before heading out to seek HVAC repair Spokane, it’s time to find out which ones are factual and which are just figments of fiction.

Do fans make the temperature cooler?

The truth lies in the motion of fans. They move the air around inside a room, which causes a chill-like effect. Technically, it does not change the temperature in the room. However, when this moving air hits you, the heat on your skin is transferred to the air. Additionally, this wind assists in evaporating the sweat on your skin more rapidly. These all create the feeling of being cooler.

Using a fan while the air conditioning is on doesn’t decrease room temperature, but the movement of air against your skin can be a good solution if you want instant cooling gratification without adjusting the thermostat.

The only function of air conditioners is… well, air conditioning.

This is a futile effort at best. While, yes, air conditioners do condition the air (hence their name), they do so by removing excess humidity in the room. In fact, a lot of A/C units are designed with dehumidification features.

The bigger, the colder

Think of the A/C like a car. If you get a car that’s just the right size and right fuel economy, you can get to the places you want to go to. Both medium and large cars can do the trick, but the larger one will consume more fuel (thus, more money). The same applies for air conditioning.

A/C units condition room air at a specific rate. When the unit is too large for the room, it won’t detect that the space is too small for it – even if it has a seal of the highest efficiency rating. What happens? It keeps conditioning the air, as it would do if the room was bigger – this consumes more energy while creating the same effect as an A/C unit that is the right size.

Thermostat adjustment significantly cools the room quickly

A/C units work in a set, consistent rate to reach your desired temperature. When you lower the thermostat to frosty-low temperatures, it won’t cool the room faster – instead, it will cool it at the same rate, thus wasting energy.

You save energy when turning the A/C off when leaving the house

If you leave home for a long period, then, yes, this is true and recommended. However, if you turn it off to go to work during a really hot day, go back home, and then turn it back on, the unit has to work twice as hard to cool the home, consuming more energy.

If you do want to save energy, a better thing to do is to set the thermostat around 10 degrees warmer than your usual setting (when you are home). Some units have programmable features, letting you set the time for it to adjust the thermostat (when you go off to work, and when you are about to go home). This automatically raises and lowers the temperature for you, so when you get home, it’s already set in the comfortable temperature that you prefer. At the same time, you save a lot of energy.

Air filters have no use

Think of air filters like your kitchen sieve. They let air pass through, trapping dust and dirt in the process. With a clean air filter, the unit draws air in with minimum effort. As more debris accumulates, it needs more effort to draw clean air in to keep the room cool. You need to change filters as recommended by the manufacturer to reduce energy being wasted (which can go as high as 10%).

Only contact an HVAC professional when you know something is wrong

This is a huge mistake. You need to call HVAC repair Spokane not only when the system has broken down. At least once a year, you have to get your units checked and maintained. This will keep them in top shape and running at maximum efficiency. If there are any existing problems, you will also learn about them sooner than later, which means that you avoid bigger repairs (bigger expenses). You treat the problem earlier, saving you energy and money. Air conditioners are investments – by keeping them healthy, you avoid losses and control your energy expenditures.

During the summer, cooling bills tend to skyrocket. By keeping your units maintained and serviced, you make the most of your energy while keeping your home comfortable. Find out more about air conditioning maintenance and upkeep by calling your professional HVAC repair Spokane. Remember, even in air cooling, prevention is better than cure.

Now that we’ve established which rumors are true and which are just myths, here are some sure-fire tips to help you do your part at home:

• Adjust your thermostat about three degrees lower during the night since heat loss is greatest at this time. This helps save energy costs.
• If you can, invest in a unit that has programmable thermostat. As discussed earlier, this will automate thermostat adjustment when you leave for work and return home. This can cost an added $100 to $250 initially, but the long-term savings are a lot bigger.
• Change air filters every one to two months. If using permanent filters, use mild detergents to clean them every one to two months.
• Keep your unit tuned-up once a year. Call for Air Design HVAC repair Spokane for maintenance and assessment. This gives you peace of mind that your equipment is in top shape and works at the highest efficiency possible.
• If you notice leaky ducts, immediately call Air Design servicemen to seal and insulate them properly. This allows the airflow to be distributed correctly.
• During the spring, be sure to open foundation vents if there is a crawl space under your home. Remove any debris like grass and shrubs which can block the flow of air, compromising air conditioning efficiency.
• Protect your units from direct sunlight, this will only make them work harder.
• Have a professional from Air Design look for the best location for your air conditioner if you’re having one installed. Where it’s located determines efficiency. More often than not, he will recommend a well-shaded area in your home.
• Save energy during hot days by closing your unit’s fresh air intake. Having to cool warm air from the outside requires more energy than re-cooling the air that already has been cooled and is circulating inside the home,
• Attic temperatures can go as high as 150 degrees during summer. Improve the ventilation in this area to lower the entire home’s temperature. This will make the A/C unit work less, saving energy. For instance, you can have an HVAC repair Spokane professional install an attic fan to exhaust hot air.
• Save as much as 3% on energy costs per one degree of your thermostat that is raised during summer, depending on how big the room is. For example, raising it from 72 to 77 degrees means that you can save up to 15% in your total cooling expenses.

Whatever your concerns and needs are when it comes to cooling, air ventilation, or heating, know that Air Design has the most cost-effective solutions for you. Consult their professional team of HVAC repair Spokane to get estimations and expert advice.