Ways To Improve Your Air Conditioner Efficiency

Your air conditioner efficiency might not be working efficiently, and this is one of the reasons your bills are getting high during summer. It’s important that you improve the efficiency of your air conditioner.

You might be searching for a way to improve air conditioner efficiency and reduce your costs. Unfortunately, this may be easier said than done. You can follow Fischer Heating's most useful tips to make your air conditioner work better.

Check For The Signs Your System May Not Be Running Efficiently

At some point, you may be wondering how to tell when your air conditioner efficiency has dropped. Some signs your system is experiencing this problem include:

Cooling Is Costlier

One of the most common signs of air conditioner inefficiencies is if your utility costs are going high. When the Air Conditioning is not working efficiently, it needs power energy.

If you see a rise in your usage and costs, it will be better to check the system once. The Fischer professionals can help you get rid of these high costs and make your air conditioner work effectively.

Frequent Cycling

The thermostat is known as the "brain" of the air conditioner system. If the turning on and off schedules become too frequent, then it may be an indication of replacing the thermostat to make your air conditioner work better.

The compressor can be another reason your system may be cycling frequently. Calling a professional to check the issue will be the best option you can have.

Ice On The Compressor

Ice on the air conditioning unit is a sign of the need for professional repair. Ice can begin to build up due to a leak in the coolant line.

A dirty filter may also cause this problem. If there is ice, you can feel confident that your unit isn’t operating as efficiently as it should.

Unusual Sounds

Every appliance in your home has its own unique sound about which you know. If you hear an unusual sound, then it’s better to shut down everything to prevent any issue from getting worse and book a service call.

Now you are familiar with the signs of inefficiency; it’s time to get into what you can do about it.

Effective Ways To Increase Air Conditioner Efficiency

Improving your air conditioner efficiency can help you save money and extend your home cooling system's life.

Increase Your Air Conditioner Efficiency With Retrofitting

In the first line-up of Air Conditioning Efficiency Tips, we are going to look at Retrofitting. Retrofitting is a great way to maintain your air conditioner efficiency. Your air conditioner might need to be retrofitted, meaning you may want to look into adding some new technology or features to your older air conditioning system.

You’ll want to look into retrofitting if you are sick of fixing your old unit or moving to a new location and don’t see the point of investing in a new system since you’re leaving soon.

You might also consider retrofitting if you need to buy time before you can invest in a new system or if you’re looking to increase your HVAC energy efficiency and get better overall comfort.

Your system can get retrofitted if it’s energy-intensive, well maintained, and it’s a big system that gets a lot of use. The Department of Energy has discovered that you can save 35% a year in energy costs if you increase your HVAC energy efficiency when you add or replace parts.

When you retrofit, your total upgrades can improve your comfort with temperatures that are consistent. You can retrofit both your air conditioner and heating equipment.

Reduce Heat Gain

If you are thinking about how to make your air conditioner work more efficiently, then Reducing the Heat Gain can be another way. To improve your air conditioner’s efficiency, reduce the heat gain. Here are some easy ways to reduce your AC’s heat gain.

Seal Air Leaks

If your house is leaky, it’s difficult for the air conditioner to work effectively and cool it. If your house is older, there’s a good chance it’s never been air-sealed. Air sealing your home will help your heat gain problem, especially if there are leaks on your ceiling because heat rises.

Add Insulation

Speaking of the attic, that’s the first place you want to check for insulation, as that’s where the highest temperatures are. If your attic insulation is less than a new home should have, then you’ll want to add more insulation.

Make sure you don’t insulate your attic until you’ve sealed the air leaks in your attic first.

Spread Out The Insulation

If your attic’s insulation wasn’t put in uniformly or it’s been disturbed, you can make a reduction of your heat gain just by spreading it out.

Keep The Sun out

If your home is getting direct sunlight, that can really affect your cooling loads. So make sure you shade your windows, especially if they are getting east or west exposure. It’s best to shade your window from the outside, but indoor shading also works.

Get More Efficient Lights & Appliances

Electric appliances and lights are great, but they also waste a lot of heat that gets added to your home. Take incandescent lights, for example, these lights convert almost 90% of the electricity used into heat.

Or if you’ve been holding on to your old fridge, if you replace it with a newer model, you will save a ton on your electricity bills.

Move Appliances To Other Areas

Suppose there is a room in your home that is already overheating due to perhaps too many west-facing windows; that might not be the best place to put your new IT appliance. The heat in that room could become unbearable, so relocate those appliances to cooler areas.

Programmable Controls & Thermostat

Do you often forget to turn down your thermostat? It happens to the best of us. Don’t worry; you can increase your HVAC energy efficiency by having an automated system. This system can control your thermostat and even your lights.

You also can easily adjust your system so your air conditioner goes off and on at your schedule.

Invest In Energy Efficient HVAC Equipment

You can double and even triple your return on investment when you replace a system that is at least ten years old. Newer air conditioner models have high SEER ratings. This means these newer systems are more HVAC energy efficient.

Today’s air conditioner’s SEER ratings are usually around 14 to 18. This is a huge improvement from the units that were made a decade ago.

You also might want to look out for Energy Star-rated models. These models follow strict guidelines and are incredibly efficient.

Improve Air Conditioner Efficiency

Just as it’s important to reduce heat gain, you also want to make efforts in your home to improve your heat removal. Here are a couple of easy steps you can take to help remove heat from your home.

Please note that these steps only work if your air conditioner is already properly functioning.

Replace Dirty Filters

When something is wrong with your Air Conditioning Unit, and you call an HVAC service technician, the first thing they will check is the status of your filters. So you might as well do this on your own frequently as a good maintenance habit.

If your filters are dirty, then airflow is reduced, which means there’s less cooling happening in your home. Dirty filters can even reduce your airflow so much that it freezes your air conditioning coil which can damage your compressor.

You can avoid this problem altogether if you keep an eye on your filters and clean or replace them when they get dirty.

Keep The Vents Clear

You’d be surprised what some people put over their air conditioning vents. Everything from dressers to dog beds and piles of clothes that are either partially or completely covering vents in homes.

When you choke off your airflow, vents increase their pressure in the duct system, and then airflow is reduced throughout your home. You want to make sure that all return and supply vents in your home are able to move air easily.

You also want to check to make sure all your louvers are open. Don’t close vents in rooms you’re not using. That only creates a problem.

Look For Duct Air Flow Problems

Your air conditioning equipment isn’t the only thing that’s getting your house cool. Central air conditioners distribute air throughout your house through ducts.

Sometimes, air doesn’t get where it needs to be if the duct is disconnected. This usually happens in attics and crawl spaces. Often, the airflow can be reduced because ducts are being restricted.

Preserve Airflow

Looking for how to maximize air conditioning efficiency? You can help your HVAC energy efficiency by keeping your units clean and clear of leaves, dust, and debris. You also want to make sure that your vents are not getting blocked by any objects or furniture. When you preserve airflow it’s important to the efficiency of your air conditioner unit.

Be Vigilant About Maintenance

When you regularly maintain your air conditioner (before there’s a problem), this keeps your equipment running efficiently and maximizes your HVAC energy efficiency. You want to keep seasonal maintenance appointments at the beginning and end of the heating and cooling season. You will also save money this way from expensive repairs.

Tweak Your Thermostat

Chances are you won’t notice when your air conditioner goes up or down one degree Fahrenheit. People usually aren’t aware of small changes in temperature. Your AC can be a lot more efficient if you adjust the temperature closer to the outside one.

If it’s hot outside, an HVAC that is set to 75 degrees will use 18% more energy than one set that is set at 78 degrees. When you set your system to 72 degrees, then 39% more energy is being used than if it was set to 78 degrees.

You’ll want to turn your air conditioner up more when there is no one in your home. This is why, again, programmable thermostats make controlling the temperature of your home super easy.

Change Air Filters

This is worth repeating since blocked air filters commonly cause HVAC energy efficiency issues. If a filter gets clogged, then your equipment uses more power and runs longer. Filters trap dust before it can damage parts when it enters the system.

When your filter gets clogged, dust can get collected on motor parts and fan blades which slows down your unit and wastes electricity.

Power Down Electronics

When you’re not using electronics like computers, machinery, media systems, and exercise equipment, you’re going to want to turn them off. Not only will this save you energy, but these electronics also generate a lot of heat. This means your air conditioner will use less energy to cool down your space when these items are turned off.

Even when you’re not using electronics, these devices can draw a lot of energy simply by being plugged in. The US Department of Energy found that constantly plugged-in devices account for five to ten percent of total residential energy use.

Improve Your Home Air Conditioner Efficiency With Our Tips

Now that you know how to improve your air conditioner efficiency, start making these changes today. Some of these changes are small but can make a huge difference and save you a ton of money in the long run. For more homeowner resources, be sure to check out our blog.

Contact us for any additional questions you may have, or give us a call today at 206-202-9499.