To keep your home cool during hot summer months, you probably adjust the thermostat and give little, if any thought to the actual unit on the outside of the home doing all the work to make sure the indoor environment is comfortable. For the air conditioning unit to do its job, a variety of parts work together to include the compressor, coolant, condenser, etc.
The way cold air is produced is that refrigerant called Freon cycles through the various elements of the unit with the compressor raising the temperature and density of the refrigerant. From there, compressed vapor is cooled within the condenser coil along with outside air, condensing it to fluid that is then pumped into the home where it goes through the evaporator. Although all components of an air conditioning unit are critical, the condenser is one of the more important, which is outside the home along with the unit’s housing.
The air conditioner and condenser work hard to keep the interior of the home comfortable, especially if you live in a hotter region of the country. Because of this, the amount of energy consumed is tremendous. Obviously, with outside temperatures hot, you have no choice but to run the unit but you can do a few things to make your system more energy efficient, which means paying less each month on the utility bill.
For starters, make sure you have the air conditioner checked by a licensed HVAC professional annually. This person would make sure all components are in good working order and that the unit is full of Freon. That way, less stress is put on the unit, which means less energy is used for it to perform. In addition, make sure the actual air conditioning unit is shaded, whether with trees or some type of cover. Of course, you want to make sure the air conditioning unit also has good air ventilation.
If your property does not have trees planted near the air conditioning unit for shade, it would be worthwhile to plant one. We recommend you choose a fast-growing tree that does not drop a significant amount of leaves in the fall. To provide the unit with shade, which would allow it to work more efficiently, be sure to have a cover so leaves, small twigs, fruit, and other things from the tree does not drop directly onto the unit itself.
Another way to reduce energy consumption needed by the air conditioning unit is to keep the grid and coils clean. Depending on your unit and access to the coils, you may need to have them cleaned by a professional during the annual maintenance call but for the outside grid, be sure there is no accumulate of dust, degree, or pollen that would prevent airflow. For this, a soft-bristle brush or even a garden hose would remove anything that could potentially cause a problem.
Unfortunately, many homeowners do not realize that a few simple steps in caring for the air conditioning system would help reduce the amount of energy consumed. When the system is working optimally, less energy is needed and as the amount used decreased, the monthly bill received from the electric company would be less. Therefore, following these steps to ensure your air conditioner is working properly will save you money while still keeping the home cool and comfortable.
