How Does An Air Conditioner Work? — HVAC Repair & Troubleshooting Tips

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Maintaining Your Air Conditioner

An air conditioner's filters, coils, and fins require regular maintenance for the unit to function effectively and efficiently throughout its years of service. Neglecting necessary maintenance ensures a steady decline in air conditioning performance while energy use steadily increases. Check out our Energy Saver 101 Infographic: Home Cooling for more ways to help improve your comfort and the efficiency of your air conditioner.

AIR CONDITIONER FILTERS

The most important maintenance task that will ensure the efficiency of your air conditioner is to routinely replace or clean its filters. Clogged, dirty filters block normal airflow and reduce a system's efficiency significantly. With normal airflow obstructed, air that bypasses the filter may carry dirt directly into the evaporator coil and impair the coil's heat-absorbing capacity. Replacing a dirty, clogged filter with a clean one can lower your air conditioner's energy consumption by 5% to 15%.

For central air conditioners, filters are generally located somewhere along the return duct's length. Common filter locations are in walls, ceilings, furnaces, or in the air conditioner itself. Room air conditioners have a filter mounted in the grill that faces into the room.

Some types of filters are reusable; others must be replaced. They are available in a variety of types and efficiencies. Clean or replace your air conditioning system's filter or filters every month or two during the cooling season. Filters may need more frequent attention if the air conditioner is in constant use, is subjected to dusty conditions, or you have fur-bearing pets in the house.

AIR CONDITIONER COILS

The air conditioner's evaporator coil and condenser coil collect dirt over their months and years of service. A clean filter prevents the evaporator coil from soiling quickly. In time, however, the evaporator coil will still collect dirt. This dirt reduces airflow and insulates the coil, reducing its ability to absorb heat. To avoid this problem, check your evaporator coil every year and clean it as necessary.

Outdoor condenser coils can also become very dirty if the outdoor environment is dusty or if there is foliage nearby. You can easily see the condenser coil and notice if dirt is collecting on its fins.

You should minimize dirt and debris near the condenser unit. Your dryer vents, falling leaves, and lawn mower are all potential sources of dirt and debris. Cleaning the area around the coil, removing any debris, and trimming foliage back at least 2 feet (0.6 meters) allow for adequate airflow around the condenser.

COIL FINS

The aluminum fins on evaporator and condenser coils are easily bent and can block airflow through the coil. Air conditioning wholesalers sell a tool called a "fin comb" that will comb these fins back into nearly original condition.

CONDENSATE DRAINS

Occasionally pass a stiff wire through the unit's drain channels. Clogged drain channels prevent a unit from reducing humidity, and the resulting excess moisture may discolor walls or carpet.

WINDOW SEALS FOR ROOM AIR CONDITIONERS

At the start of each cooling season, inspect the seal between the air conditioner and the window frame to ensure it makes contact with the unit's metal case. Moisture can damage this seal, allowing cool air to escape from your house.

PREPARING FOR WINTER

In the winter, either cover your room air conditioner or remove and store it. Covering the outdoor unit of a central air conditioner will protect the unit from winter weather and debris.

HIRING A PROFESSIONAL

When your air conditioner needs more than regular maintenance, hire a professional service technician. A well-trained technician will find and fix problems in your air conditioning system.

The technician should:

• Check for correct amount of refrigerant
• Test for refrigerant leaks using a leak detector
• Capture any refrigerant that must be evacuated from the system, instead of illegally releasing it to the atmosphere
• Check for and seal duct leakage in central systems
• Measure airflow through the evaporator coil
• Verify the correct electric control sequence and make sure that the heating system and cooling system cannot operate simultaneously
• Inspect electric terminals, clean and tighten connections, and apply a non-conductive coating if necessary
• Oil motors and check belts for tightness and wear
• Check the accuracy of the thermostat.

Post Originally Published At: Maintaining Your Air Conditioner

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5 Quick Ways to Save Energy on Home Cooling

It’s hot out there! With temperatures reaching nearly triple digits in many parts of the country, air conditioning systems are working extra hard to keep you cool. While air conditioners provide comfort, they also use a lot of power. The Energy Information Administration estimates cooling accounts for about 6 percent of the total energy used in average American households -- costing consumers about $11 billion a year!

Here are some simple steps you can take to stay cool and save energy on hot summer days: 

1. Become a fan of fans.

For central air conditioning systems, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4 degrees Fahrenheit without sacrificing comfort. If you have a window air conditioner unit, try using a fan nearby to spread cooler air to other parts of the room and house.

2. Maintain your equipment.

When was the last time you swapped out your air conditioner filter? Routinely replacing the filter could lower your air conditioner's energy consumption 5 to 15 percent. Even with filters, your system’s evaporator coils can sometimes collect dirt. Check and clean these to help improve airflow. Here are more air conditioner maintenance tips.

3. Set that thermostat.

When it comes to home cooling, every degree matters. You could save 10 percent a year on cooling costs by turning your thermostat up 7 to 10 degrees from its normal cooling setting for just eight hours a day. The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be.

4. Seal those cracks.

Keeping warm air out is crucial to staying cool on summer days. Check for any cracks around the edges of windows and doors and apply caulk or weatherstripping to seal them up.

5. Block out the sun.

When you’re outside, shade is a welcome respite from the glaring hot summer sun. The same can be said for the inside of your home. Energy efficient window treatments like blinds can block sunlight and keep the heat out. Highly reflective blinds can slash heat gain about 45 percent when totally closed and lowered.

Check out Energy Saver for more tips and advice on how to save energy and money all year long. Also, take a trip through time and learn about the history and future of air conditioning technology.



5 Quick Ways to Save Energy on Home Cooling was first published on Energy.gov