How to Optimise Your Central Air Conditioner

Before the hot months of summer arrive, you should take some time optimising your home's air conditioner. This will help you get it clean and maintained and address any current issues before you need it most. It is also going to help lower your monthly energy bills. Here are some tips for optimising your central air conditioner.

Improve Your Home's Insulation

You can start optimising the central air conditioner by improving your home's insulation. If you have poor insulation, your air conditioner has to work harder in order to achieve the temperature you have programmed in the thermostat. This is not only hard on the air conditioning unit, but causes your energy bill to be much higher than necessary. Have an energy assessment done to find out exactly what level of insulation you have. Check all windows and doors, looking for gaps that need to be repaired. Also check that you have sufficient insulation in your attic.

Keep the Filters Clean

You also need to make sure the AC unit's filters are kept clean. These filters are meant to keep dust, debris, and dander from entering your home's air supply through the vents and registers. However, this also means the filters quickly get filled up. If they get clogged, it can reduce the efficiency of your central air and heating. To remedy this, check your filters every few months, at least. If you have reusable filters, you will need to clean them and make sure all debris and dust is removed. It might be easier to get disposable filters, which can be thrown away and replaced with a new one.

Clean the Coils and Fins

To clean the air conditioning system a little more, head outside to the air conditioning unit. You need to clean the condenser coils and fins, both of which help your home to have clean, cool air when you need it. You first need to make sure the unit is turned off. When you know there is no power going to the unit, open it up and find the fins, which are metal blades that go around the entire unit. Use a microfiber cloth and water or vinegar to clean them thoroughly, ensuring no dirt or dust is left on them. Be very careful not to bend the fins. Next, open up the unit and find the metal coils, which are the condenser coils. Clean these in the same manner.

Get the System Inspected

A professional should also inspect your central air conditioning unit and heater about once a year or so. If you don't have any problems, once a year should be frequent enough. They will look at the unit outside, make sure it is clean, and look for signs of leaks or bent fins. They will also go inside the home to inspect the vents, registers, and thermostat.