Don't Call The Pros - Do Routine Air Conditioning Service Yourself

Many people and home owners think that for spring and summertime temperatures that it is essential to have an airconditioner for their home or office ? Sure its a good idea , and a good idea if you have such an item to keep it tuned and well maintained. Yet there are a lot of tricks both in house construction and maintenance that can reduce or eliminate your electricity bills come the summertime when the living is easy.

First and foremost keep in mind that you can only do the checking procedures once you have turned off the cooling unit. A timer-controlled thermostat is a good feature for people who are are absent - say at work , during the daytime. If you do go away for a few days or an extended time period , or if the weather turns cool- then turn the air conditioning system off entirely.

To start with you have to know that there are two major divisions for your central cooling system, namely the exterior condenser unit and the interior unit. The exterior part actually looks like a box. And its location is such so as to prevent the gas released during the chilling process from circulating inside the house. To ensure you get the best air circulation see to it that there are no leaves near the exterior unit. If ever there are, you have to cut on them and see to it that they are at least one meter in distance. Also free it from any type of debris that can also block air flow. There can also be debris on the inside, clean this by removing the grille cover and splash it with water thru a water hose. Still inside you can see pipes that are coiled and provided with numerous metal fins. Close doors , windows and drapes during the hot part of the day. Light-colored drapes ( or drapery linings) reflect the sunlight. and can cut solar-heat buildup in half. At night, open windows and doors to let in cool breezes. Turn on a window fan or an attic fan or fans for ventilation, or use the circulating fan of a central warm-air heating system move and circulate around cool air from the basement cellar to upstairs rooms. Its actually a snap - don't let anyone convince you otherwise. In the furnace settings - usually accessed simply by removing a cover - will be a simple toggle electric switch. Turn the switch to "summer" or the position where the fan runs all the time not only when the furnace gas heater kicks in. Your electric furnace circulating fan motor is meant for continual use - and can handle the load. Your electric monthly power bill may be marginally higher - yet it will provide great benefits and reduced hydro bills by moving around that cooler cellar air from your basement. You need to keep these devoid of debris or dirt. And if there are curled part you can flatten them using a fin comb. If this is not available then you can make use of low water pressure from water hose. But make sure the pressure is well regulated since high pressure can actually destroy these fins. There are two lines made up of copper that enters the house. The bigger one should be covered with a stuffing material. So you have to constantly check on it.

The cooling system should be affixed to the ground firmly and tightly so that is rock solid. This is to avoid tremors or shakes that can actively work to destroy it. There is also a need for you to add lubricating oil into the motor of the unit. However you have to re read your user's guide to ensure the frequency of adding lubricating oil and the volume that you have to place. Whether to cover or not the cooling unit during winter will depend on your HVAC technician's advice since technicians have varying opinion on this. During the fall be sure to power off your cooling unit directly in the main switch. This is to prevent turning on the unit unintentionally. Another precaution that you have to follow to avoid destruction of the unit's compressor is turning it on only when the temperature reaches 18 degree Celsius for three consecutive days.

We start first in the exterior part of the unit. This is actually the huge boxlike container that is positioned in the external part of the house. The design is such so that the gas which is emitted in the cooling process will be easily dissipated in the environment and not inside the house. In positioning your cooling unit you have to ensure its evenness and stability. This is important because unstable and uneven position can lead to cooling line injure due to the constant tremor or shake that it can experience. To make sure your exterior condenser unit works well see to it that this is devoid from any debris like leaves and cobwebs. See to it that the tree leaves are about a meter away from the unit so that air streaming is at its best. For the debris that have accumulated inside you can take out the grille cover, then using pressured water from a water hose, clean this part. If you will check on the box interior you will see coiled pipes which are enveloped by skinny metal "fins". This design provides the unit a greater surface area for heat exchange. If you spot twisted fins you need to make these straight with the use of a tool known as comb fin. Since these pipes and fins are crucial in the efficient functioning of the cooling unit you have to see to it that it is dirt free art all times. In case you do not have the fin comb you can instead utilize low pressured water from your water hose however be careful in applying the pressured water because the fins are sensitive and you may destroy them. Also always check on the big copper line that goes inside the house. See to it that the padding material that envelopes it is not worn-out smashed or dilapidated in case you see parts that shows missing covers then you have to immediately replaced it with a new padding material. So it should be frequently cleaned or changed. Unclean filter will emit poor air. This will also augment energy consumption and decrease the functionality of the motor. Therefore filters should be cleaned or changed at regular intervals. This is most especially true if you have family members with respiratory disorders. There are however certain workups on the cooling unit that can only be performed by a certified HVAC technician. Like the cooling coils and the gas pressure.

By following the above routine air conditioning maintenance procedures you should first and foremost ensure more reliable operation of your residential cooling unit. Simple steps to make air conditioning more efficient. First of all st the thermostat on the unit as high as possible . Generally 76 degrees Fahrenheit ( equivalent to between 24 and 27 degrees Celsius) maintain both comfort and energy consumption savings. Once the system is running keep windows and doors closed. If it's cool enough outside to open the windows, you don't need your air conditioning unit or units on the go costing you cold hard cash. Or alternatively if it is really hot outside, then no doubt the warm air entering the house makes the air conditioner work hard to maintain the desired temperature and humidity. Let the unit do its job. There may indeed by times when a commercial heating or air conditioning service may be required for additional or more elaborate care and procedures. Install the thermostat away from heat generating appliances. You would be amazed at how often this simple install error is done - even by heating and cooling trades professionals. Examples of exhaust heating generation appliances such as lamps and older TV sets. Lighting fixtures too ,radiate heat, use them only when essential or necessary. Having a thermostat placed nearby heat emitting devices may serve good purpose in the winter even reducing energy consumption and furnace burner use. Yet in the summer , with air conditioning systems it will cost you unnecessarily and even leave you chilled with temps more cold than you and your guests find comfortable.


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Terry S. Vostor Furnasmans One Hour Heating One of Winnipeg's Premier Heating Trades Power Vac Winnipeg