A/C Tips For A Healthier Longevity To Your Hard-Working A/C Unit

We know how hot it's been here in SoCal. Unbelievably hot!!! So what happens when it gets this hot? People crank up the A/C. They also turn it off when they leave for the day because they know that by the end of their electrical billing cycle, they are going to see one ginormous bill. So they mistakenly believe that turning off their A/C all day and turning it back on to freezing temperatures when they return home for the day, will save them oodles of money. NOT!!! Talk about setting your A/C up for failure---of the mechanical nature, that is.

As a hairdresser for more than 20 years, I have had the pleasure of speaking with many different people in many different occupations---one being plumbing, heating and air conditioning. These guys would tell me that they are constantly fixing air conditioners in the summer because people will shut off their air during the day and then blast it when they get home by putting it down to something crazy like 30 degrees, thinking that it will cool the place off quicker than if they set it at 70 degrees. It won't cool it down any quicker but rather the unit is in a constant state of running, which can burn out the motor. The harried repairmen would tell me that the units freeze over and shut down because the demand for power is too much at once, which is taxing on the unit. A few times of playing the up-and-down thermostat game is not appreciated by Mister A/C.

The answer: Set your A/C on a desired temp, such as 70-75 degrees, then when you go out for the day and you're not at home---OK, increase the thermostat to 80-85 degrees, so when you get home and you arrive to a hot house you can lower the thermostat back down to 70-75 degrees and your A/C unit won't have to work so hard to catch up. Also, this will help lower your electrical bill because it won't be requiring as much energy power at once to lower the temperature. Some folks don't believe it will lower your electricity bill, but I can just tell you that our bill has been lower since following the practices set forth in this infomercial post that I humbly share with you. At any rate, you will save yourself a lot of money, time and headache not to mention on your pocketbook, by not getting a new A/C unit prematurely by sending yours to its electrical grave, AKA the landfill, before it's full life span.

The most efficient way to have your thermostat adjust to the comfortable temperatures you want is by having a programmable thermostat, that way you can set it to the desired time you want the temperature to be at a desired setting rather than having to manually do it daily, all day long.

Also, having ceiling fans or additional floor fans helps to circulate the cool air your A/C is cooling your place down with. Note: During the summer, ceiling fans should be blowing the air in the downward direction, but in the winter, the fans should be blowing in the reverse upward direction at a much lower speed.
 
And use common sense---

• Close all the outside doors and windows when your A/C is running. Even if it's not running, you don't want to let in oven-hot air in your humble abode.

• Close shades, drapes and blinds. You know, make your house dark and cool.

• Avoid placing appliances that give off heat such as lamps or TVs near a thermostat.

• Make sure you are cleaning the filter of the A/C at least every three months. 

The more the A/C is run the dirtier the filter gets and the more often it needs to be clean. Keep a log taped to the door where your filter is located and note the date you changed the filter. It's not always something you remember you did last---change an A/C filter, that is--- but paper never forgets.

For more information, click on the energy saving tips for air conditioners, link.
http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/tips-air-conditioners