With warmer weather just around the corner, we've put together a list of easy, no-cost ways to improve air conditioning efficiency in your home to help you get the most from In this article, however, we are highlighting the eight best, no-cost suggestions for air conditioning maintenance.
These tips can help keep air conditioning systems healthy as the weather gets warmer and homeowners will begin turning on their units longer or more often.
- Clean around outdoor condenser unit. Your outdoor unit will work most efficiently if it is clean and clear of debris. A more thorough, in-depth cleaning should be performed by a professional. The unit should be level when installed, so that the inside drainage system and other mechanisms operate efficiently. If possible, install the unit in a shaded spot on your home’s side. Direct sunshine on the unit’s outdoor heat exchanger decreases efficiency by as much as 10%. You can plant trees and shrubs to shade the air conditioner, but do not block the airflow.
- Vacuum indoor vents and keep vents unblocked. You can vacuum dust and any debris away from indoor supply vents to help maintain steady airflow from your system. Also, keep items like blinds, furniture and toys away from blocking the vents.
- Increase your thermostat by a few degrees. Typically, adjusting temperatures 5 – 8 degrees can help save money and energy. With a programmable thermostat, you can automatically adjust the temperature for different times of the day or during times you are going to be away from home for several hours.
- Keep lamps and other heat producing appliances away from your thermostat. Having heat producing appliances near your thermostat will tell it that the air in your home needs to be cooled more, causing the system to run longer and work harder than it may need to.
- Keep curtains and blinds closed in the heat of the day. When direct sun hits the windows in your home, keeping your curtains or blinds closed can keep some of the heat from warming the inside of your home.
- Clear your drain line. There is a drain by the indoor cooling coil. If you flush one cup of chlorine bleach down your air conditioning drain and rinse it with a gallon of water, you can keep your drain clear. Keeping your drain line clear can save your room from taking on water if the drain becomes blocked.
- Check your unit’s air filter once a month and clean or replace filters as necessary. Keeping the filter clean can lower your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 5% to 15%.
- Avoid opening and closing your doors and windows too much. While it may be nice to enjoy a summer breeze, the way an A/C unit works is by sensing the ambient air temperature and cycling on and off to get the air to match the settings you selected. If you’re constantly opening and closing windows and doors, the temperature inside your home rises or falls accordingly, and your system has to work harder to consistently adjust.
- Seal any openings that may let cold air escape. A tire with a slow leak constantly needs more air, and the same principle applies to cooling your home. If your walls, doors, or windows have any cracks or gaps that allow air to escape, your A/C has to pump more cool air out to compensate for the air that is escaping through those faults. Make sure you apply caulking, weather stripping, and insulation as needed to prevent cool air loss.
- Let the unit rest while you’re not home. There’s been debate around whether it’s better to keep your A/C at a consistent temperature all the time or to set it to a higher temperature while you’re not home. The answer is that you save the most money and energy if you maintain a consistent temperature while you’re home, but let your system rest while you’re away.
- Utilize your ceiling fans. Using fans may allow you to set your thermostat a degree or two warmer than you may have been able to stand otherwise—especially if you rotate the blades clockwise, which directs airflow downward and prevents hotter air from rising up and signaling the A/C unit to kick on.