Studies show that many homeowners make plenty of mistakes with their air conditioners and this not only results in them spending a lot of money on air conditioning, it also puts the air conditioners at the risk of getting damaged thus you have to hire an AC repair professional every now and then. To help you out here are the common air conditioning mistakes made by most homeowners:
Failing to change the AC’s air filter
The air filter is like a sieve that traps dirt and debris preventing it from getting into your house. When you don’t regularly clean your air filters you don’t get fresh air. The air conditioner also tends to work harder thus spending more energy. This translates to high air conditioning bills. HVAC contractors recommend that you change your air filters every 2-3 months; however, you should consider doing it more often if any of these things apply to you:
- Your air conditioner runs 6 months a year or the entire year round
- You have a pet or a number of them. If you have a pet there is always pet dander in the air that needs to be regularly removed thus you have to regularly change your air filter.
- You or other people smoke indoors
- There are many people living in the house. More people means more dirt, debris, and dust
- There is construction in your home or in the neighborhood
- You regularly use a wooden fireplace
Letting the Air conditioner run the entire day
It might seem sensible to let the air conditioner run all day and night especially when the outdoor temperatures are too high but it’s not right. In addition to wearing out the air conditioner fast, letting the AC run the entire day also results to you spending a lot of money cooling your house. For your unit to have a long life and spend less on air conditioning you should set your temperature to be high at night. You should also set the temperature high when aren’t home.
Failing to run your air conditioner
You might think that it’s wise to switch off the air conditioner when on holiday or business trip. While you will save money doing so, you will be doing a disservice to your house. If you switch off your AC during summer you will be turning your house into an oven. This has a great impact on your doors, cabinets, and flooring. AC contractors recommend that you turn down the thermostat but you shouldn’t turn it off.
