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How to Clean Air Conditioner Coils

These days, air conditioners are more or less common place. They can be found in many homes and offices and are almost necessities in malls and other enclosed public areas. As they are not exactly cheap appliances, air conditioners must be well maintained and taken care of so that they may continuously be used in the different areas they can be found in. For this reason, the importance of knowing how to clean air conditioner coils cannot be more stressed.

Many air conditioner owners, especially those that have them just in their homes or apartments, are not even aware of how dirty an air conditioner can get. Although air conditioners can stay relatively clean-looking on the outside, they can get very dirty on the inside. Regular checks and clean-ups are necessary in order to keep an air conditioner working properly. As dirt and filth build up inside the air conditioner, these diminish the air conditioner’s ability to absorb and manipulate air, causing a number of subsequent problems to follow. These problems could include the air coming from the air conditioner to be room temperature or even warm, or the air conditioner could begin using up greater amounts of electricity.

The first step in learning that involves removing the outermost grill. Depending on the air conditioner model, one may simply slide the grill off or use screwdrivers to remove it. Make sure to study one’s air conditioner grill before attempting to remove the grill in a certain way as the wrong kind of force might damage it. Next, one must carefully remove the filter in order to expose the air conditioner coils. Dust or other foreign materials resting on the coils must be thoroughly removed and a vacuum cleaner could be a good job for this. If one does not own a vacuum cleaner, a rag or a feather duster can also be used to clean coils. Make sure to be very careful not to bend or undo any of the air conditioner coils during this process.

Next, one can straighten out bent or misshapen air conditioner coils using a comb. Combs for this job are usually available at nearby appliance or hardware stores. Lastly, when everything has been thoroughly cleaned and aligned, all the pieces of the air conditioner must be put back into place. The regularity of cleaning one’s air conditioner should depend on the amount of use the air conditioner is put to. For example, if the air conditioner is used on a daily basis, a monthly cleaning would be recommended. Make sure to pay close attention to how one’s air conditioner is working and when it might need a good clean. With proper maintenance, one’s air conditioner will surely be in good shape for a long time to come.

air conditioning

Saving On Electricity

If your electrical bills are skyrocketing every month, then maybe it’s time that you should start finding ways on how you can lower down your electricity bills. This is the right time for you to cut those budget draining bills, save extra bucks and at the same time save energy. Here are some tips that you can follow for you to have the savings that you need.

First thing that you can do is to change your light bulbs fo your desk lamps. It is more economical to use compact fluorescent bulbs compared to those 75-watt bulbs. The latter is manufactured targeting a life span of 1,000 to 2,000 hours while the former can last up to 8,000 hours. The energy that is being used up by the 75-watt bulb can reach up to 75,00-150,000 watts compared to the compact fluorescent twist bulb that will only make use of 23 watts energy. See the difference and the savings that you can get by choosing the right Led light bulb to use.

If you have older freezers, you may want to update them into newer and more cost-effective freezers that you can find at appliance stores. Although newer freezers may cost you much, if you calculate your electricity usage for a year, you may then end up saving more than the cost of your purchase for the newer freezer.

If you would need your computers all throughout the day, it would be better to leave the computer on the whole day. This would save you the energy that the computer would use up when powering it on and booting. All you have to do is adjust for the screensavers and for sleep mode. You can put the computer on standby when not in use, and you can also use this technique when it comes to printers, faxes, or scanners.

During the winter season, you can just turn your heater on to 65 degrees. You can purchase a ceramic heater, a device that you can make use of that would require minimal electricity for your own use. This is the device that would let you save on the wattage that you can use when using your heater and you will see how your electrical bill will be reduced thus saving you bucks that you can use for other important things.

Determine which of the appliances that you have uses most of the electricity. You can do this by making use of a small meter that will let you see the watt usage of a certain electrical appliance that you have. You will then know which of the appliances in your home use excessive energy. Replacing it or having it repaired will give you the long-term savings that you would need. These are just some of the saving techniques that you can make use of to help you save on energy and money. This is one way of saving your money while protecting the environment, thanks to methods of saving on energy usage.

air conditioning

Choose the best Air Conditioner

Air conditioners let people stay dry and cool in even the hottest weather conditions. There are air conditioners that cool a room faster than others, though some certainly last longer than others. Air conditioners perform at its best if they are placed in the proper room. It is important to choose the unit of air conditioner with cooling capacity that can handle the room where you desired to place it. A small unit is adequate to cool a room. On the other hand, an oversized air conditioner will cycle on and off, increase electric bills, waste energy, strain the unit, and do a poor job of removing excess humidity from the air inside the room.

To have an air conditioner that can cool the room, multiply the length by the width to get the square footage. In addition, if you choose an AC unit, match the room size with the BTU rating, which is printed on the packaging box. Room air conditioners consume at 5,000–24,000 BTU’s per hour. Small room air conditioner operates at 5,000–7,000 BTU’s per hour and can adequately cool 100–300 square feet while mid-sized models may run at 7,000–8,000 BTU’s per hour. Moreover, they can cool a room of up to 550 square feet. An 8,000 BTU Fedders room air conditioner retails for about $170 and the 10,000-BTU LG window unit sells for about $250. The amount of air conditioner always depends on its brand name. Examples of these brands are Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Condura and Lennox, Carrier, Coleman, American Best, Xenon, etc.

Before you purchase an air conditioner, you must know the following:
• You should know where you want to install the air conditioner so you will know what the size you need is. Measure the square feet of your room and the room window because you have to purchase an air conditioner efficient enough to supply and circulate air. It is significant to measure your selected room or rooms carefully. 90% of your decision-making must involve the size of the room, which is the one you want to keep cool. If you are not sure in your first measure, measure it again until you get the right one. Measure the window where you want the unit to be placed. It will also help you to save energy with the air conditioner you choose, the most appropiate is the size of the machine according the size of the room, the most energy you will save.

• You can measure the room air conditioner’s efficiency by the energy efficiency ratio or EER. The EER shows the ratio of cooling capacity to the power input. If the EER rating is higher, the more the efficient the air conditioner is. It is a requirement that room air conditioner should have an energy efficiency ratio of 8.0 or greater. When you are buying a new room air conditioner, do not forget to look for units with an EER of 10.0 or above. Check the Energy Guide label for the unit, and look for room air conditioners with the ENERGY STAR label.

Do consider the given tips above to help you determine the best air conditioner fitted to your preferences. You can also choose a portable air conditioner if you live in a small flat and you do not want to spend lots of money.

air conditioning

How to Install an Air Conditioner?

Summer is great… with lots of sunshine and clear sky days to look forward to. What’s not so great about it though is the extreme heat you experience round the clock. According to movie flicks, extreme heat can drive a man into hallucination. In reality, it can drive any man into profuse sweating and gigantic headache. As much as heaters can be found in countries with mild to extreme winters, air conditioners are very popular in tropical areas and places with extreme summer heat. During summers, you’ll find malls and various shops turning on the cold blast to keep off the heat from outside. In some instances, people just tend to stay indoors to avoid excessive heat from the sun. These days, air conditioners are now becoming more and more a necessity rather than a luxury.

If you don’t have an AC yet, what are the facts that you should know? It is very important that you choose the right size air conditioner to cool the room temperature. An oversized or undersized unit may not effectively work for you since it could leave you either feeling quite damp or still too hot. An effective rule of thumb is to determine the actual cooling capacity of the unit measured in BTU rating and taking into consideration the room size, number of windows and number of occupants in the room. Every John and Jane can learn on how to install an air conditioner. Mounting kits for the AC are included in most models including easy-to-follow instructions in installation. The following is just a quick guide:

• Choose the air conditioner that fits the requirements of your room by measuring the room size and size of AC unit you will need. You may want to check also the electrical requirements, voltage and power supply in the room.

• Determine where you want the unit installed and check if the unit can fit the window opening or area designated for the AC. The dimensions should fit the perimeter of the body so you can slide the unit in. Often the front part is bigger than the body’s 2-dimensional measurements.

• Install the sill brackets that came with the unit following the instruction manual from the manufacturer. The brackets should hold the body of the AC firmly and securely, supporting the whole weight from outside of the room when you slide it in. It should hold 90% of the whole AC itself. With the remaining 10% fronting the room.

• Seal in the gaps between the AC and the opening by using a piece of foam or insulation sheet.

• Attach the drainage hose to the outside of the air conditioner. Depending on the model and size, the manufacturer usually includes this in the kit. The user’s manual should clearly indicate where to attach it. Some manufacturers provide side panels also to ensure airtight fit in the window or your AC opening. Make sure this one fits also.

• Lastly, make sure the unit is properly installed and clear of any debris before you plug it in.
A must-remember is that all air conditioners operate more efficiently when the area to be cooled is well insulated. Close drapes and shades to keep off the heat from the sun or at least reduce it. Use a kitchen ventilator fan or exhaust fan when cooking to draw out heat generated from the stove. This way the cooling capacity of your air conditioner is maximized and optimized.

Also we present you here a list with links regarding air conditioner maintenance:

Tips about cleaning the air conditioner duct
Tips on how to save energy with the air conditioner
Tips about portable air conditioners

air conditioning

How to Save Energy with Air Conditioner

‘Big’, this word often frustrates women when it comes to electric bills. Electricity is in a business deal with your appliances. Electricity will keep them running for you to be more convenient and depend on them. Now, appliances depend upon the availability of electricity that you will pay for. Everyone gets what they need, appliances get their juice, users get their convenience and electricity is just happy with the thought of being needed and that you would pay anything for it so just not to ruin that cool feeling while watching your favorite show and re-heating a pizza at the same time.

So with everyone’s wants and need fulfilled, everyone must be happy right? Well, not really because when the electric bill comes, that big smile of yours will slowly turn to a frown while our eyebrows forcefully meet each other. Each day, people activate several appliances and gadgets – TVs, radios, home theaters, computers, ovens, fans, refrigerators, air conditioners and many more. Even just by a turning these appliances on and off, you are already given consuming much power. One of the appliances that eat up too much electricity –thus contributing greatly to your bill- is the air conditioner. But even if the with the huge bills, you still would not want to replace your air-conditioner with a hand fan. With all these taken into consideration, we strongly suggest that you utilize these cool tips on how to maintain and save energy with air conditioners:

Proper use of the air conditioner remote control

• First thing to consider make sure that there are no leaks and that the air conditioner ducts in the system is fully insulated and sealed properly. Leaks cause around 30-40 percent of the energy to be wasted.
• Automate your air conditioner. If your machine does not have this feature, try to install an electronic setback thermostat. This allows you to program when the air conditioner should start. Hence, you do not have to turn it all day until you go back home.
• If it is possible, try to find a proper spot for the air conditioner without exposing it to too much sunlight. This insures that less energy would be needed in running it.
• In winter, set the room temperature between 18-21oC while in summer, put it at around 23-26 oC. Due to lack of humidity in summer, 23-26o C should feel cooler. And try to close the curtains on a hot summer day or cold winter nights.
• Pre-cool the room by turning the air conditioner before the day turns hot.
• Close the windows and doors when using the air conditioner.
• On summer days, adjust the air flow towards the ceiling. It would be the other way around if it is winter. Note that hot air rises while cool air subsides lower.
• Make a habit of cleaning your air conditioner. Refer to the manufacturers’ manual.
• If you have the budget, replace your old air conditioner with a new and more efficient unit. This is a long term investment in which you can save tons of money from your bills.

air conditioning, Cooling systems

How to clean your air conditioning duct

Air conditioning ducts are simple metal sheets or tubes that transport hot and cold air through all parts of your home. Some these air ducts spread through all parts of the house in order to give appropriate ventilation. Hence, when your portable air conditioning ducts are experiencing problems, it can produce health hazards the result to major problems concerning your complete air conditioning.

As part of routine maintenance for air conditioners, its air ducts should also be cleaned. When you have a residential system of air conditioning, it is always you how cleans all the air ducts. Nonetheless, air conditioning filters of businesses or large-scale places, ductwork is very complex along with a maze of air pipes. It is appropriate to hire an air conditioning duct cleaning service for the prevention of future problems. These entities all have air conditioning duct cleaning materials to clean the whole ductwork. This commonly costs from $400 up to $1,500 and depends on the size of ventilation you have with air conditioning systems. Cleaning air ducts pertain to air conditioner cleaning involving the fan, filter, and air conditioning ducts inside a simple unit.

Commercial and residential areas with cooling systems use mazes of pipes that results to a large hassle when cleaning your own air conditioning unit. This makes hiring an air duct cleaning service very wise that will maintain the good working condition of your air ducts.

Here are some of the aspects you need to observe in order to determine if your air conditioner needs cleaning:
• When you observe for any molds or when you recently discovered a mold growth from past cases, which has not yet disappeared.
• When these is an insect or rodent present already infesting your air conditioner outside or inside air ducts.
• When you air conditioning system is clogged because of dust buildup when you haven’t cleaned your ductwork or air conditioning filters for a long period.

Considerably, you can have your air conditioning ducts cleaned because it is logical to think that it will accumulate dust and other particles. This means occasional cleaning. During the debate on the importance of regular duct cleaning, no evidence says of such cleaning to be dangerous or detrimental when cleaned properly.

Nonetheless, when the service provider fails to observe proper procedures for duct cleaning, this can multiply indoor air complications. For instance, insufficient vacuum system of collection can release more dirt, dust, and other pollutants that damages cooling, heating, and duct capacity. More likely, this increases heating and costs for air conditioner repair or it may even become difficult and costly for replacements and repairs.

air conditioning, Cooling systems

Portable air conditioning tips, maintenance and equipment

No matter where you are or where you live, portable air conditioning provides the answers to your desire of efficient air circulation and cooling and heating system for your home. It can be carried from one place to another without the need of too much effort on your part. It can also be used as an ornament to cover up for oddly–shaped windows. It also offers the wonderful solution for people who don’t want to go through the trouble of putting up holes or nails as required in the set–up of outside air conditioning component.

They also assure people that unusually–shaped windows at their homes will obtain adequate air circulation. An air conditioning system is similar to a portable air conditioning in the sense that they both provide the same air conditioning and heating, however the amount or the region it cools or heats is lesser and targeted. Ideal rooms could be transformed office space, basements, attics and even your garage. Portable air condition is also ideal for maintaining a suitable temperature for your computer hardware. Its easy-to-change carbon air condition filters also make it ideal for individuals who have allergies. These filters help in the removal of common allergens such as bacteria, animal dander, pollen and dust.

Portable conditioners are mostly mistaken with a portable air cooler. While the portable air cooler utilizes water and the process of evaporation to chill, portable air conditioners utilize Freon to chill. Portable air conditioners are more efficient in cooling rooms while maintaining the humidity at a minimal level. They are more expensive than window fans or evaporative swamp coolers; however portable air conditioning provides the atmosphere of central air conditioning with the benefit of generally minimal air conditioning maintenance.

Removing dirt from the air conditioner filter is very simple and effortless. You just have to use a supple, damp cloth in wiping the filter clean and you just have to do it every two weeks. Using a portable air conditioner does not just provide us the advantage of its feature of being moveable, but it also allows us to save money. We do not have to spend on its installation unlike an air conditioning system that needs to be attached to our homes.

Portable air conditioning cooling and heating

When choosing the type of air conditioner to use at your homes, you also need to consider a few factors such as room size and power consumption. Although portable air conditioners do have a lot of advantages, it also has disadvantages. They produce more sound than fixed air conditioners since a portable air conditioner’s condenser is just inside your home unlike the fixed air conditioner which has its condenser outside. Some portable air conditioners also necessitate the manual removal of water from its drain bucket, instead of automatically trickling the eater outdoors.

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