21 Quick Tips for How To Get The Most Out Of Your Air Conditioner
Make sure your air conditioner is making as you cool as it can, lasting as long as possible, and keeping your electric bill down with these 21 simple tips.
Read MoreWhen the house starts getting too warm as spring turns into summer, the soft whirr of the air conditioner turning on is a promise of cool air to come.
Stress melts away under the cool air coming from the vents. But when that steady drone of the AC doesn’t stop, it becomes a lot less calming. Is there something wrong with my air conditioner? Is it supposed to be running this much? Most importantly, how much money is this costing me?
Even though you don’t want your air conditioner to run constantly, there are a few reasons it might be working overtime. The AC needs to do more work if it’s very hot out. If it isn’t, you might need to change the filters or clean the coils. Check out this guide to see what to do!
Even though factors like airflow, outside temperature, and air conditioner age can have a major effect on this, the ideal amount of time your air conditioner should run is about 15-20 minutes at a time.
This doesn’t mean that you need to panic at the 21 minute mark!
If it’s hotter outside, chill out.
The AC has more work to do. Or if you’ve been away and the home’s gotten hot, the air conditioner needs time to cool the place down, not just keep it cool. However, if your air conditioner is constantly running longer than 20 minutes at a time, it’s time to look into why.
Pay attention to whether your AC is always running or if it’s turning on and off over and over.
It isn’t only running overtime that can be cause for concern. If your air conditioner is running less than ten minutes at a time, it can end up costing you a lot of money. This process is called short-cycling, and is usually the result of your AC being too big for your home. Bigger isn’t always better, and when your air conditioner is too powerful, it can cool down the air too fast. Even though this sounds good, what that actually means for you is that you’ll feel hotter.
As air conditioners work, they dehumidify the air. That helps us feel cooler, because our body’s cooling system relies on the evaporation of sweat. Moist, heavy air doesn’t have as much room for water vapor, making it harder for us to cool down. This is a problem with a short-cycling air conditioner, because it doesn’t have the time to dry out the air. Even though the house might get cooler faster, it won’t be as comfortable for us.
Worse, with an oversized air conditioner, the cooling and warming cycles will happen faster. Instead of keeping your house at a steady temperature, the unit will be forced to keep turning on all the time, but only for a few minutes. This constant on and off can wear out the machinery a lot faster, costing you much more much sooner. If you’re facing a short-cycling air conditioner, it’s time to call in a local technician to perform a heat-load calculation and see what size unit you should really have.
If your air conditioner is worrying you with its constant activity, take a deep breath.
There are a number of reasons why this could be, and it doesn’t always mean an expensive repair is in your near future. In fact, by catching this now, you might be able to avoid the wear and tear this problem could cause in the long run, saving money. There are a few major possibilities:
As long as your AC is pumping out cold air and isn’t making any unusual noises, running all day won’t cause any disaster. In fact, a constantly running air conditioner is a healthier air conditioner than one that has to start and stop over and over again. Turning on and off causes extra wear and tear. However, the twenty-year lifespan of an air conditioner assumes that the AC gets a rest now and then. When it’s really hot out, you might have to leave it chugging away all day, and that’s ok. Just give it a rest when you can.
If your AC is running, but no cold air is coming out of the vents, that’s a sign you should turn it off. Something isn’t working right. Check the filter and coils and call a professional. A little discomfort now can save you big in the long run.
No matter what, running the air conditioner will never be the cheapest part of our lives. Together, heating and cooling make up half of the average American energy budget. However, there are some ways to alleviate the burden, other than just doing without.
There are a lot more techniques than this to keep cool and keep smart. Check out our guide on getting the most out of your air conditioner here.
An always running air conditioner isn’t necessarily a sign of bad things to come. If it’s the right size for your house, it’s probably just working hard because of an easy to fix clogged filter or a hot spell. This is the kind of issue worth looking into, but you’re probably going to be just fine. If you can’t narrow down the cause with this guide, call in a professional, and they’ll be able to help you keep it from turning into a big problem.
Thank you for checking out this article! If you have time, consider looking at some of our other articles on air conditioners! Enjoy your cool air, and the confidence that you know how to keep it flowing!