Life Hacks: Keep Your Air Conditioner Working Perfectly For Longer Time

Air conditioners have transformed themselves from an engineering marvel to a ubiquitous appliance that can be found in all homes, offices, shopping malls, etc. Ever since the original inventor of what is now known as the modern air conditioning, Willis Carrier has set a path for one of the most used appliances in today’s world. Air conditioners have become a necessity and the functions that they operate have also expanded. Whether it is temperature, humidity or simply moving the air around, modern air conditioning can handle and manipulate all aspects of the air environment. This is crucial when it comes to today’s fast-paced working environment combined with turbulent weather conditions. An employee that is not comfortable at his or her desk is unhappy and unproductive. Air conditioners come in various forms, shapes and sizes. They have become quite a bit more intricate over the decades along with their advanced features and performance. With all the chemicals and the moving parts, air conditioners do require a bit of maintenance and there are some usage recommendations that go along with their longevity. Let’s go over some of the considerations for making the most out of our air conditioning appliances in terms of longevity and performance.

Positioning

The positioning of our air conditioner unit has a great impact on its performance, energy efficiency and performance. Depending on the type of unit in question, both the internal and external components need to be placed in a strategically sound position. One of the most common mistakes people make in offices and private homes alike are to place it in an unused, remote corner somewhere. This is generally a bad idea. The reason is that the appliance needs to work harder in order to achieve the desired environmental effects that we have put in. Instead, it needs to be placed in a shady spot somewhere where there is the least amount of sunlight. Providing that colder air is the desired effect, it will have to work much less to achieve the desired results. Wall-mounted air conditioners, the ones that come in a single unit, need to be tilted slightly back, towards the outside. The reason for that is the drainage needs to be directed in that direction. Another thing to consider is any possible obstructions. This also goes for both the internal and external part of the appliance. The external unit should be clear of any bushes, shrubbery or other objects that might interfere with its operation. These units are often unsightly but leaving them in the open so that they can breathe (exchange temperature and humidity with the outside) will improve their performance and durability. Finally, we come to the thermostat. It needs to be placed in as neutral immediate environment as possible. Any heat-generating appliances surrounding it can interfere with the readings and can make the entire system not perform as intended. The thermostat is the control unit of our air conditioning unit and it needs to be as unbiased as possible.

The best fit

Air conditioning comes in many shapes and sizes. One might think that we should get the biggest one we can afford but bigger rarely means better. Oversized units will constantly click on and off, which can be quite distracting, especially in an office environment. This will manifest itself in the forms of power inefficiencies, noise and sudden, sharp and uncomfortable temperature changes. Not to mention the wasted money and performance that we are missing on. On the other hand, undersized units have their own sets of problems. Insufficient heating, cooling and dehumidifying capacity will make the unit wear itself out much faster. The reason is that it will constantly be working at its maximum capacity to reach certain conditions that it is not meant for. Some small units are meant to handle a few square feet, while others are equipped to handle entire office floors. Either way, failing to properly assess the demands an air conditioning unit will have to meet will lead to costly maintenance and repairs down the road. Air condition repair in Sydney is a common occurrence since it is located in a hot and humid biome and these appliances are used virtually all the time. At the very start, it is recommendable to have your contractor do a complete load calculation. This will determine exactly how much management capacity the room in question needs. The best fit for anyone individually relies on a multitude of factors. The area, layout, insulation, load-generating appliances, etc. all factor into the equation. A professional can make sense of these factors and come up with a solution that will serve us the best.

Usage

Air conditioning is power-hungry. This means that it uses a lot of energy for which we have to pay at the end of the month. Running it at its maximum the entire day will obviously negatively impact that bottom line. Nor is it good for the longevity and performance of the unit. If the space in question is going to be empty for a significant amount of time, it falls onto us to use these devices efficiently. They need to be turned off when the office closes and there is no one in there. Also, when we leave home it will serve us greatly, in the long run, to put our air conditioning to sleep. The thermostat is our friend here and we need to communicate with it regularly. Air conditioners typically need a few minutes to heat or cool their designated home or office space so not much comfort is sacrificed. But maybe we are way too busy to remember these things. There is a solution to that as well as we can always have programmable thermostats installed. With these, we would only need to set the automated programs once and they will adjust accordingly further on. We have determined that shutting off our air conditioning as much as possible when not needed is a good idea. But what about it being inactive for extended stretches of time? If an area is to be uninhabited for a prolonged period of time, that does not mean that the air conditioning unit will be working when someone finally decides to activate it. There are plenty of factors like mould, dust and insects that can find their home inside a unit. Again, this is where programmable components can help us. By activating the unit just a few minutes every day will help greatly in its longevity, reliability and performance. Do not forget the filters. This is the most neglected aspect of all air conditioning systems is the fact that the filters need to be changed every year or even sooner. It will affect air quality and performance greatly.

The way we take care of and employ our air conditioning systems will determine its longevity and efficiency. It is not a one-man job and requires the entire team to take care of it. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and with a little information like such we have just covered, we can make the most out of it in the summer and winter alike.