Did you know that the first air conditioner built in 1902 was actually designed to dehumidify? The fact that it could cool the air was only a secondary consideration, as Willis Carrier simply needed a system that could help with humidity problems at a printing company.
There’s likely a lot you don’t know about your air conditioner. To be honest, you really don’t need to know very much about the ins and outs of central AC. Technicians have the proper training to deal with these components, and they’re the only people qualified enough to provide service. We do think, however, that it’s important to clear up a few common AC misconceptions. What you think you may know about air conditioning could be harmful in the end—at least for your wallet.
“I don’t really have to change the filter that often”
You may think the air filter within your air conditioner is just fine if, for example, you haven’t noticed your allergies acting up lately. Something you should know is that the air filter was not actually designed to clean up the air of allergens. That’s just a nice bonus! Rather, your air filter is meant to block out particulate from damaging the AC unit.
A clean air filter protects the AC system from damage, but a dirty one can do a lot of harm. It can block airflow from getting through to the unit, which means the system cannot function in the way it’s supposed to. While you may only notice a small drop in cooling quality, the long-term effects for your air conditioner can be much worse, as the system may becoming overworked and coils may freeze.
“I should shut the vents in rooms I’m not using”
This is an easy mistake to make. It seems as though shutting the vents in parts of the home that are not currently occupied would cut costs. After all, the air conditioner won’t have to work so hard to cool fewer rooms, right?
Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. See, your air conditioner was specifically sized for the amount of space in your home when it was installed. As such, it is designed to cycle for steady periods of time to cool a large space. When you shut vents, the space requiring cooling is suddenly cut, which can force the air conditioner to short cycle. This wears down components of the system faster.
“Having refrigerant refilled from time to time is part of owning an AC”
Many people assume that refrigerant (also known as Freon) needs to be refilled from time to time. However, if you’re doing this regularly, it indicates a problem. Refrigerant is not a fuel. In other words, it’s not something that gets “used up” as you use your air conditioner.
The refrigerant line is designed to keep refrigerant in so that it can keep you cool. If you run out of refrigerant, it’s because there is a leak in the line. Having this leak sealed up should resolve the issue.
Schedule service for your air conditioner in Palm Harbor, FL with The A/C Guy of Tampa Bay Inc.