Increasing the Efficiency of Your Air Conditioner

Any air conditioner, whether it's a single room unit or central AC, made after 1990, will typically have what is called a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating) or an EER (Energy Efficiency Rating). These ratings are going to be printed on the unit's ID tag. Any units that have the SEER of 12 or more, or for units that have an EER of 10 or more, are considered to be Energy Star ranked. If you are looking to improve the efficiency of your air conditioner there are a few. Here is a brief overview of a few steps and tips to try.

Things You Will Have to Have:

• Hose

• Metal duct tape

• Air filter

• Programmable thermostat

• Vacuum

To begin with, ensure the system's air filter gets changed out with a new one. This should be done each month. For AC units that are single room, you should wash the filters under hot water or in the bath tub. After it's rinsed, shake any excess water out and ensure it's completely dried out before you place it back into the unit. When you are doing this or dealing with the filter area, ensure the unit is turned off.

If you see any dust or other dirt built up, vacuum it. Look by the coils and inside the coils as well as areas when changing the filters. Dirt, dust, and other debris tend to build up over time, and can affect the efficiency of your air conditioner. It blocks coils and restricts them from working efficiently.

Use the duct tape and seal all areas that are exposed in the open near the ductwork. This tape is designed to stick well to metal housing, ensuring it seals effectively.

With a hose, clean outside coils as dirt and other debris accumulate and can get on the units fins of the coils. By always ensuring the coils of the air conditioner unit you can ensure that it will not have to work so hard to cool your home. You are also going to help increase air flow throughout the unit and reduce how hard the actual unit has to work.

Consider installing a thermostat that is programmable, as this helps to reduce how often the AC kicks on during the day. This is true when everyone in the home is gone for vacation or when you are at work. You might want to have a professional help install it as it's often going to be tricky to do on your own. This can also depend on what type of central AC unit you want and currently have. When you aren't in a room, turn off your window units or other AC devices.

Make sure that you have the proper size of AC unit for your needs and based on the amount of space you want to cool. You need to have a unit that is going o cool your desired sq. footage, and in some cases, especially when using a portable air conditioner, you may need to have a few units. Having a nair conditioner that is smaller or even too large is going to reduce its efficiency.