How To Be Your Air Conditioner?s Best Friend
|
There are a few things you can do to take care of your air conditioner and make its life a little longer and a little easier.
How does your air conditioner work? Simply stated, an air conditioning unit removes heat from the air and blows it outside with an outdoor fan. An indoor fan pulls room air across an evaporator coil filled with refrigerant and transfers cool air into your home. Obviously, the movement of air by fans is a big part of the system. That's why it is so important to replace the filter at least once a month.
As dust is picked up, it is trapped on the filter, and you would be surprised how quickly the dust accumulates. Trying to pull air through a clogged filter just makes the fan work harder, raising your utility bill.
The same is true for the fan in the outdoor unit. Make sure the outside of the unit is away from shrubs and other vegetation growth, and keep the unit as clean and free of leaves and dirt as possible. Provide at least five feet of clearance at the top and two feet on all sides of the unit.
When using your air conditioning, the best method is to leave the temperature setting at one comfortable spot. The more you move the temperature up and down, the more work your system must do. If you must move the temperature setting, make the smallest movement possible.
Another way to prolong the life of your air conditioning unit is to operate your other appliances wisely. Dishwashers, washers, dryers and stoves all generate heat and humidity indoors. Try to schedule laundry and cooking during the mornings or evenings to avoid taxing your air conditioner in the heat of the day. Use an exhaust fan in the kitchen, and vent your clothes dryer outside to give your air conditioner a hand.
Sunshine is also an enemy of air conditioning. Keep drapes and shades pulled to prevent sunlight form streaming into rooms. Over 20 percent of your bill can be due to sunlight.
Also, make sure the drain your condensation drips into is clear. Pour a cup of regular laundry bleach down the drain once a month to kill algae and mold and keep the drain running smoothly.
Scott Ethridge is a senior air conditioning consultant with R.S. Andrews in Atlanta, Georgia.
|
|
|
Which Water Purification Systems Are Best? - A Comparison Of The Three Most Common Technologies
Fresh water is essential to our health and comfort. Not only do we rely on it to stay hydrated, we use it in many other ways including bathing, cleaning and cooking food, and laundering our clothes. Fresh water has long been a concern of both public communities and private individuals, and several different water purification systems and treatment technologies have been developed to help ensure that tap water is safe for human consumption. But how do these different technologies compare?Whether you get your water from a well or a city system, water sources can become contaminated by bacteria, runoff, and improp...(related: Home Improvement)
The Advantages Of Pre-engineered Steel Buildings
Steel is a remarkable material that has been steadily increasing in popularity for construction. It is 66% recyclable, which offers both environmental and financial benefits, and is especially strong and durable. There are a number of options available for building with steel, and one of the most innovative of those options are pre-engineered steel buildings. They are planned, designed and almost pre-built at the factory itself. They just have to be assembled after they reach the building site. They are pre-drilled, pre-cut and pre-welded and just need to be bolted together. This can often ...(related: Home Improvement)
Flooring: Installing Ceramic Tile
Ceramic Tile brings a texture, richness and color to a room that Linoleum has yet to truly mimic. Tile floors can be installed in any room, however they are most frequently seen in Bathrooms and Kitchens. I particularly like them in entryways, where they serve as a transition point from the outside to large carpeted or hardwood floored rooms. They make for easy clean up and are impervious to water damage.Tile TypesCeramic tiles come in two basic types. Glazed and Porcelain. Glazed holds up the best for heavy traffic areas and porcelain works well in bathrooms. Porcelain is typically more expensive, so consider your budget and the size of the area you want to tile. Tiles also come in many shapes and sizes. For flooring, however, I would suggest using larger tiles up to 12" x 12"....(related: Home Improvement)
How Stained Glass Can Add Elegance To Your Home
If there is one way to throw a new light on your home, it'sthrough the stained glass you put in your windows. Whetheryou want to enhance old windows by replacing some of thepanes, or are complementing the new Pella windows you'veinstalled, stained glass can lend an air of grace and quietelegance to a room.Where and how you incorporate stained glass into a windowtreatment depends a great deal on the style of windows youhave, and what you want to spend to achieve that multi-colored glow.In an older home that has wood framed windows...(related: Home Improvement)
Employ Passive Solar Energy And Start Saving Electricity Today
1. Orientation, layout and positioning of your house on the landOrientate your living areas to the south side of the house, which receives most of the sun throughout the day (north if you live in the southern hemisphere).2. Insulation and draught proofing<...(related: Home Improvement)
Help With Buying A New Ceiling Fan
When you are choosing a new ceiling fan there are a couple of things that you really need to think about before you go out and...(related: Home Improvement)
How To Build A Home Sauna - Three Important Questions To Answer Before Building
Considering that home saunas are believed to produce numerous health benefits and provide a relaxing spa experience, it's no wonder than more and more people want to know how to build a home sauna. The answer to this question depends on several factors, including your budget, the space available, and how handy you are. There are three important questions to answer before you begin building your home sauna.What Will You Use For Heat?The first factor to evaluate when planning how to build a sauna is your heat source. Will you use electricity, gas, wood or some other type of energy? Many people consider the wood-burning sauna to be the top c...(related: Home Improvement)
Chiminea ? Buy It For The Versatility Of Enjoying Both Fireplace And Grill!
I recently visited friends who served me a dinner of grilled salmon and baked potatoes, done to perfection in their chiminea. The sun was setting and it was cooling down but overall a wonderful summer evening. We wanted to converse and eventually, eat our meal outdoors. The bonus: the chimin...(related: Home Improvement)
A Look At Steel Building Kits
Steel building kits are a comprehensive set of all the parts required to assemble a steel building. They contain everything right from pre-drilled holes to the bolts for joining the individual components together. These components are designed using advanced technologies, with astounding accuracy. As 70% of steel buildings are constructed at the manufacturing site itself, all that is required is the assembly of the various parts in the kit through a step-by-step process. When the whole steel building...(related: Home Improvement)
An Overview Of Aluminium, Plastic And Timber Conservatories
Conservatories remain a popular accoutrement and attachment to homes throughout the United Kingdom and the world in the 21st century. Around for over three hundred years, conservatories work to provide a lovely transition between the main residence and the natural surroundings abutting the home. In this article we look at the thee main types of materials used for conservatories ? pvcu, aluminum and hardwood.PVCuThrough the years, many different types of materials have been utilized in the construction of conservatories. Stone, brick and wood have all been popular mater...(related: Home Improvement)
Kitchen Remodeling Guide
A kitchen can make or ruin a family life. A badly designed, ill-equipped and cluttered kitchen is likely to affect the peace of mind of an otherwise happy couple. A functionally efficient kitchen makes cooking a pleasurable activity instead of drudgery.Kitchen remodeling improves the usefulness of the home and adds value and equity to both older and newer homes. Almost every kitchen has a design flaw or something that can be changed to make the space more workable.With kitchens increasingly becoming the center of social and functional activities, kitchen remodeling has gained importance in the life of many families....(related: Home Improvement)
Repairing Your Faulty Upvc Double Glazed Windows And Doors
It is an amazing fact that uPVC double glazing was sold by the industry as a maintenance free product. While i...(related: Home Improvement)
Strapping A Ceiling
Prior to hanging sheetrock to ceiling joists it is important that strapping first be installed.Strapping helps prevent cracks from showing up later in your home's ceiling, as well as provides more surface area for securing the sheetrock to the ceiling.Strapping typically consists of 1"x 3" boards that are nailed perpendicular to the ceiling joists. Strapping can be purchased at any home improvement center as individual sticks or in bundles of 10, and comes in lengths from 8 to ...(related: Home Improvement)
site-map - Copyright © 2007 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved | Free Articles and Information | Home Improvement