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Central
air conditioners are the most common cooling system used in the
U.S. Central units consist of two parts: the inside evaporator coil
and the outside condenser. Heat inside the home is removed and cycled
through the unit with a chemical refrigerant to the outside condenser,
with cool air pumped in to replace warm air. Before purchasing a
central AC system, homeowners often rely on contractors to provide
accurate calculations of the space and cooling capacity to determine
the most appropriate central air system for their home.
Although
central AC units require relatively low maintenance, a homeowner
should take precautions to prevent problems with their air conditioners.
Homeowners are well advised to purchase filters with the smallest
pore size possible to keep allergens and other irritants out of
the home and to clean and replace filters as needed. Pleat-sized
filters with a MERV II filtration rating have been recommended
for use with central AC units.
There
are steps that can be taken to reduce the costs of central ACs.
Proper maintenance can also be a huge cost saver, including cleaning
or replacing air filters as needed and keeping trees and shrubbery
at least two feet from condensers. It’s useful to note that
a homeowner can also save energy costs by placing condensers in
shady areas within the conditioned space and not in attics. Leaky
ducts should be identified and replaced or repaired ASAP since
they are often responsible for wasted energy of up to 25%. Installing
ductwork inside the home could cut energy bills by an estimated
25 – 33%. Owners of central AC systems should keep in mind
that after the first year, some central air conditioning units
lose up to 15% of their energy efficiency due to a lower level
of refrigerant. Service companies can be hired to adjust the refrigerant
amount to avoid decreased energy efficiency.
Another
cost reduction strategy is the use of electronic programmable
thermostats that can cut costs by as much as 20%. Electronic programmable
thermostats work by automatically raising or lowering the temperature
by 5 to 19 degrees at night or during the homeowner’s absence.
In addition, electronic programmable thermostats include other
helpful features such as automatic reminders to change filters,
touch screens and full memory saves that can preserve stored temperature
settings even after a blackout.
There
are two different types of models: (1) weekday/weekend models
that supply different temperature schedules for the week and the
weekend and (2) seven day models that allow a homeowner to program
a different temperature schedule for every day of the week. The
seven-day models are generally more expensive with prices that
can be more than twice as much as the weekday/weekend models.
Although installation of these thermostats may require a homeowner
to program certain basic information such as date, time and scheduled
temperature presets, the actual installation can be relatively
easy for the do-it-yourself owner, in some cases requiring the
installation of only two low-wattage wires.
Finally,
there are seasonal adjustments that can be made to your central
AC unit to extend its life and maximize its efficiency. At the
end of the cooling season, for example, a homeowner can turn off
the power source at the circuit breaker or through the unit’s
electrical disconnect. This effectively discourages small animals
from using the unit as a home during the winter months as it turns
off the crankcase heater that’s encased within the unit.
In the spring, a homeowner should ensure that the coils and fans
within the unit are clean and the tube used to drain water from
the ductwork pan is clear.
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