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Air Conditioner Units and Cooling Tips
02/08/12
It might surprise you to know that buying a bigger room central
air conditioning unit won't necessarily make you feel more
comfortable during the hot summer months. In fact, a room air
conditioner that's too big for the area it is supposed to cool
will perform less efficiently and less effectively than a
smaller, properly sized unit.
This is because room units work better if they run for
relatively long periods of time than if they are continually,
switching off and on. Longer run times allow air conditioners to
maintain a more constant room temperature. Running longer also
allows them to remove a larger amount of moisture from the air,
which lowers humidity and, more importantly, makes you feel more
comfortable.
Sizing is equally important for central air-conditioning
systems, which need to be sized by professionals. If you have a
central air system in your home, set the fan to shut off at the
same time as the cooling unit (compressor). In other words,
don't use the system's central fan to provide circulation, but
instead use circulating fans in individual rooms.
Cooling Tips
Whole-house fans help cool your home by pulling cool air through
the house and exhausting warm air through the attic. They are
effective when operated at night and when the outside air is
cooler than the inside.
Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the
summer. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor
temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. Don't
set your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you
turn on your air conditioner. It will not cool your home any
faster and could result in excessive cooling and, therefore,
unnecessary expense.
Set the fan speed on high except in very humid weather. When
it's humid, set the fan speed on low. You'll get better cooling,
and slower air movement through the cooling equipment allows it
to remove more moisture from the air, resulting in greater
comfort.
Consider using an interior fan in conjunction with your window
air conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively
through your home without greatly increasing your power use.
Don't place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning
thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances,
which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than
necessary.
Plant trees or shrubs to shade air-conditioning units but not to
block the airflow. A unit operating in the shade uses as much as
10% less electricity than the same one operating in the sun.
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