Airconvaal – Big Mistakes You’re Making With Your Air Conditioner

Unfortunately, mistakes you’re making with your home AC may be undercutting its efficiency, effectiveness, and safety, experts say.

“If you have a badly maintained system, it can become contaminated with microorganisms that may be harmful if inhaled,” says Mark Mendell, a staff scientist with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Indoor Environment Group.

You Aren’t  having your AC Filters changed

At a minimum, you should be having your AC unit serviced once every three months—and as often as once a month if your system is running all the time.

Neglect this chore, and a dirty filter can lead to poor air flow or freezing up of your unit’s evaporator coil, says James Braun, a professor of engineering and director of the Center for High Performance Buildings at Purdue University.  It will also shorten the lifespan of your whole system.

You’re Setting Your Thermostat Too Low

Research shows the human body is capable of adapting to hot or cool temperatures pretty quickly—within a week or two. When you consider you’ll cut up to 3% off your AC bill for every degree you raise the temperature—not to mention the potential environmental benefits—it’s worth sweating through that adjustment period and setting your thermostat somewhere in the high 20s.

Go to www.airconvaal.co.za for more air-conditioning advice.