Air conditioners have become a necessity for many homes. They provide comfort, especially during summer, and can help reduce cooling bills if used correctly.
However, using an air conditioner improperly also has huge ramifications for the unit itself and your home comfort. You’re likely to experience huge spikes in your electricity bills, or the unit might malfunction.
If you intend to invest in an air conditioner this summer, you have to make sure you understand how to use it properly. For this reason, we have compiled a list of some common air conditioning mistakes that you must avoid to increase the efficiency of the unit.
Oversizing or undersizing an AC
One of the common mistakes that people make with air conditioners is choosing an oversized unit, thinking that bigger is better. Or people with smaller rooms undersizing the AC to save money.
Contrary to this belief, undersizing or oversizing an AC has detrimental effects on how the unit works and how cool the room becomes. If it’s too large, it will cool the room too fast, leaving some hot zones. If it’s too small, it will cycle on and off without reaching the desired temperature level.
To find the right size ac system for your room, you have to calculate the cooling load to determine how many BTUs your home needs. It’s best to hire an HVAC professional who can take into account other factors, including insulation and other load-generating appliances, before recommending an air conditioner that is perfectly sized to meet that cooling need.
Incorrectly Programming the Thermostat
What’s the best temperature to set your thermostat in summer? Should you set it lower or higher? Well, it depends from one person to another and from one region to another. Some set the thermostat at one temperature while others change it depending on the outside temperature.
However, the general rule of thumb is to maintain your temperature at 78 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re at home. When you’re away, you can maximize energy efficiency by turning your thermostat off entirely.
What you must not do is set the thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. According to Energy.gov, a lower temperature setting doesn’t necessarily mean that your house will cool off faster. If left for long periods of time, it will only lower the temperature too much, creating an unnecessary cooling expense.
Incorrect AC Positioning
Does AC positioning affect its energy efficiency? If you’ve never thought about this, you probably don’t care where you place your AC.
If you walk into many homes, you’ll find a lot of people have put their units in an unused corner on the west side of the house. While this strategy does a great job of hiding the unit, it forces the machine to work twice as hard to cool your home, increasing your cooling bills.
The best position to put your device should be a shady spot without direct sunlight. If there is less direct sunlight, the unit uses less power to cool your home.
It’s important to note that other types of air conditioners require different positioning strategies. For instance, a large window-mounted air conditioner must be tilted slightly to allow for proper drainage. Portable air conditioners, on the other hand, have to be placed next to a window to allow it to be appropriately vented.