Air conditioning refers to the process of eliminating moisture and heat from enclosed areas in domestic and commercial spaces in order to improve the comfort of the occupants. It is definitely going to be its scorching best this summer. Hence, it is all the more important to hand-pick an air conditioner whose capacity is right to obtain appropriate cooling for your room at the best price.
If you are on a lookout for information regarding air conditioning systems, then, you are at the right place. This article contains all the basic information one needs to know as an end user. Scroll till the end for a comprehensive guide.
DEFINITION OF A TON OF COOLING
Tonnage has got nothing to do with weight. One ton of air conditioning can eliminate 12,000 BTU’s of air in an hour. Depending on the airflow, windows, and ceiling height air conditioning most homes need one ton of air conditioning for every 1000 square feet. Higher tonnage means a higher amount of money spent on electricity. Air conditioner adds up to a heavy electricity bill, hence consider buying an AC that meets your requirement and also consumes lesser power. The energy star certified air conditioners are most efficient and all AC warehouses have them.
REGULAR MAINTENANCE
The filters, fins, and coils of an air conditioner demand regular maintenance for the AC unit to operate efficiently and effectively round the year. The debris and dust that accumulates on the critical areas of the unit can be problematic and ensure a decline in its performance increasing your electricity bills. An AC unit entails maintenance at least once every year and ideally twice or three times a year based on the climate and its hours of usage. Hiring a technician ensures that your AC operates at its highest performance and saves a lot of money on your electricity bills.
LIGHTEN THE WORKLOAD
Your Air conditioning unit works better when the size of the job it has to do is decreased. This can be done by decreasing the loads generated internally. There are two ways to reduce the load of your air conditioner one is to lighten the actual load and the other one is to improve your home. Minimizing internal loads is easy. Turn off unused electrical equipment and lights. Swap the use of dryers and washers to the cooler times of the day when you are not using the air conditioners. Using exhaust fans to remove the heat and humidity indoors may also help. Evaporative air conditioners can provide a considerable amount of cooling in dry climates, where the load can be lightened by bringing in outdoor air. These systems are called ‘ventilative cooling’.
CHANGE THE FILTERS AND FIX THE LEAKS
The efficiency of your air conditioner is terminated by dirty filters. So clean or change the filter regularly to prevent the indoor coil from debris. Filters become a source of air pollution by themselves if they are too dirty and if they are not changed regularly by reducing the airflow making your unit inefficient. Almost 30% of airflow is lost through leaks and the window air conditioning units are very difficult to seal. In case you detect water leak from an outdoor pipe, it probably means there is a problem and that the water is moving through the emergency drain. It’s then, time to call for professional help.
REPAIRS ARE OFTEN ELECTRICAL
The most common problems are blown capacitors, tripped breakers at the main electric panel, and blown fuses in the service panel. Keeping a check on these can help you with the basic knowledge of what could be potentially wrong. An AC unit will mostly hint you before it completely shuts down. Have a keen eye at the copper lines for ice or frost. If you see this, it means that your unit is signaling that something is wrong and needs maintenance check before it completely closes down.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Summer means hotter times for a greater part of India. Along with turning your Air conditioners on around this time, it is crucial to use them efficiently. The most important and easiest things one can do if your AC is not cooling are to clean the outdoor condenser and change your filter. Call for maintenance if these two things don’t provide any remedy for the problem. Air conditioning uses complex science but is a simple system and the basic knowledge is sufficient to avoid certain mistakes. These points will surely help the users by making them more knowledgeable about the air-conditioning systems and will be able to use the AC units well.
