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WITH summer upon us, it's time to make sure your home's air conditioning system is in top shape.
"Air conditioners usually break down on the hottest day of the year, but by doing some simple maintenance you can ensure the safe and long operation of your equipment and save money," says Dave Walton, director of home ideas at Direct Energy Essential Home Services in Toronto.
Homeowners have two choices when it comes to air conditioner maintenance: make a few simple checks and adjustments themselves, or spend money to have their equipment checked by a professional. If you're comfortable toying with your air conditioner, consider these tips before turning on your system for the first time:
Start by making sure the winter cover has been removed from the unit, then clear away grass, leaves and debris. If shrubs and flowers are growing within 18 inches of your AC's housing, relocate them, Walton recommends.
"The outdoor part of your system is drawing heat out of your home. If the area around it is not clear, your air conditioner will need to work harder to get rid of that heat and it could overheat and shut down," he says.
Next, check your furnace filter to ensure it is not clogged with grit and grime. If it is a permanent filter, clean it every 30 days; if it is disposable, replace it now and once a month through the summer.
"Air is drawn through your duct system and re-circulated. A dirty filter would eventually cause frost to form on the indoor coil and you would no longer be doing any mechanical heat transfer work and provide no cooling. If left to run, the refrigerant in the unit will ultimately wash all the oil out of the compressor, resulting in a ruined system," Walton says.
Once the system is ready to be turned on, homeowners should make a handful of other checks to ensure it operates efficiently.
Start by closing air vents in the basement to make it easier for the furnace fan to send cool air to upper floors that are hotter in the summer, then shut doors to unused rooms and crawl spaces that don't need to be cooled.
When the system is operational, ensure all windows are closed to keep cool air in and hot air out. Leaving a number of windows open on a blistering hot day will likely increase your hydro bill by 20 to 40 per cent. And resist the temptation to reduce the temperature. Moving your thermostat from 72F (22C) to 67F (19C) will add 10 to 15 per cent to the bill.
Close blinds and curtains on extremely hot days to stop sun and warm air from entering your home. Depending on the placement of a home, this could save as much as 10 per cent on your utility bill.
Use fans rather than your AC whenever possible. Turn the air conditioner off or raise the temperature when you are away from home for prolonged periods or you'll receive a nasty surprise on your hydro bill, especially if your AC is an older model. If your air conditioner has been around for 15 years or more, consider a new, more efficient unit that, depending on its efficiency rating, could cut your energy bills by as much as 28 per cent, Walton says.
When you have a new unit installed, if possible, locate it on the north side of your home to avoid direct sunlight, which causes it to heat up and run as much as 10 per cent less efficiently than if it were in the shade.
If you're looking for a longer-term way to cut your AC costs, add insulation in your attic. Topping up your insulation to a depth of 12 inches could mean energy savings of up to 10 per cent, Walton says.
--CanWest News Service
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