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Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips
It’s really heating up outside and if you are like me, you want your home to be a respite from the heat. An air conditioner that is properly serviced runs more efficiently providing you with a cooler home for less money. You’ll ensure that you come home each day to a pleasantly cool house and that you will not tax either the unit or your budget. Here are some simple things you can do to keep your cool.
Replace or clean the filter every month
Air conditioners are outfitted with a simple electrostatic filter in the front grill area to filter the air that passes through them. If your unit has a filter you should replace/clean it once a month during the cooling season.
Inspect cooling coils for frost or ice build-up
If the temperature outside the room where the air conditioner is placed becomes cool — approximately 60 degrees Fahrenheit or lower — check the coils on the front of the air conditioner to be sure they are not icing up. If they are, turn the air conditioner off until the temperature rises. Also, make sure the filter is clean.
Don’t short cycle the cooling system
Air conditioners have a cooling system identical to a refrigerator’s. It’s important not to turn the unit off and then back on right away. Wait at least ten minutes after shutting the unit off to allow pressure in the refrigeration system to equalize once again. This will prolong the life of your air conditioner.
Store the unit in a basement or utility room, not a garage
Mice and other small animals love to nest in air conditioners. Thay can cause serious damage to the unit by chewing on wiring and insulation. Also, wasps and birds like to nest in uncovered units left in windows. Avoid these problems by storing units in a protected area, away from small animals, or by installing a cover on the part of the air conditioner that is outside.
Clean condenser coils annually
Condensing coils on an air conditioner will get very dirty over time. Dirt tends to accumulate on the inside of the coils, out of site. Remove the entire cover of the air conditioner to gain access to the coils. They can be cleaned by blowing compressed air at them or by using a soft bristle brush to wipe the dirt off. Be sure to also clean any dirt or lint build up in the bottom of the air conditioner so condensate water will be picked up by the condensing fan slinger properly.
How to Buy an Air Conditioner
It’s only June, but around here it feels like the height of summer. Everyone is discussing their air conditioning or the lack of it. If you are considering purcahsing a new air conditioning unit, we have some advice for you courtesy of the NY Daily News. You need to sure the unit you purchase is the right one for you.
The good news is that air conditioner prices have come down substantially in recent years as manufacturing has moved overseas, said P.C. Richard & Son president Gregg Richard.
“A unit that costs $99 today would have cost $149 five years ago,” Richard said.
Expect to pay anywhere from $99 for a small unit to around $1,800 for a jumbo-sized air cooler. Doing some homework before you hit the stores will help you make the wise choice.
How powerful an air conditioner you will need – power is measured in BTUs, or British Thermal Units – should be your first consideration.
A BTU is the amount of heat required to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. BTUs, which range from 5,000 to 36,000 for room air conditioners, measure the amount of heat a unit can remove from a room per hour. Generally speaking, the bigger your space, the more BTUs you will need – and the more you will pay.
Sizing it right is key. If you get a unit that’s too small you’ll regret it when the mercury soars. But a unit that is too big for a room will cycle on and off too often, using up too much energy while not dehumidifying properly.
To figure out the correct number of BTUs, start by multiplying the square footage of your room by 35, Richard said. Other factors come into play as well.
A kitchen will likely require a unit with more BTUs than a bedroom of the same size because of the heat generated by appliances. Likewise, you might want to crank up the BTUs in a room that gets direct sunlight. For help zeroing in on the right number, go to www.consumerreports.org, which offers a free sizing worksheet.
Energy Star units use at least 10% less energy than conventional models. On average, an Energy Star emblem will add about $40 to the cost of a unit.
To figure out whether your electrical bill savings will justify the bigger price tag, go to getenergysmart.org, the site operated by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, to find out how much you can save by replacing your air conditioner with an Energy Star unit.
“Buy the most energy efficient model you can afford,” advised Consumer Reports deputy home editor Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman.
Other considerations go into choosing the right model. In compiling its recent ratings, Consumer Reports tested factors like how noisy units were and how well they functioned during a brownout.
The Haier ESAD4066, which retails for $240, got Consumer Reports’ top grade among small models. The GE ASMO8LK, for $260, was the highest rated mid-sized model and the GE ASM12AL, for $350, was the cool winner among large air conditioners.
To save yourself a headache later, make sure you know where your unit will be anchored – through a wall or in a window – before making your purchase, and measure the space. If the air conditioner will be going in a window, make note of the type of window it is.
Check the electrical power supply in your room too. Smaller air conditioners will work with a standard 115-volt outlet. Units above 8,000 BTUs will require a dedicated line, though Friedrich makes a 10,000 BTU unit that does not need one, Brief said.
Units from 10,000 to 16,000 BTUs are generally available in both 115- or 230-volt models. Units of 18,000 or more BTUs will need a 230-volt outlet.
How often you will need to buy a new air conditioner depends on the quality of the unit and how often it’s used.
“Many are warrantied for three to five years,” Vandervort said.
Sometimes people will change a unit because it is noisy or when they want to change the décor of a room, Brief said.
Another reason to head to the air conditioner aisles is “when you have an old one and it’s not working efficiently. You may be using considerably more energy than necessary,” Vandervort said. Otherwise, “use it until it doesn’t work any longer.”