Bad Practices That Will Cause Damage to Your Air Conditioning System

You should reexamine the way you use your air conditioning unit if the system is not cooling your Northern California home as it used to. The way you use an air conditioner will have a significant impact on its efficiency, performance, and condition. You should avoid these five bad habits if you do not want to damage your air conditioner:

Adjusting the Thermostat Frequently

The most difficult process in an air conditioning cycle is starting up and shutting down. Your equipment will result in frequent cycle changes if you keep changing the temperature settings. Your air conditioner, as a result, will undergo increased wear and tear.

You should consider installing a programmable thermostat to stop this from happening. Smart thermostats turn off the entire system or increased/lower the temperature automatically when no one is at home.

Not Replacing the Air Filter

The air filter in an AC serves an important function of maintaining indoor air quality. The air filter can become clogged and dirty and restrict air flow. This may cause the air conditioner to work particularly hard for maintaining a comfortable temperature within your home.

The additional strain can cause your equipment to become vulnerable to mechanical troubles besides increasing your utility bills. This may reduce your air conditioning system’s longevity. You should make it a point to replace the air filter once every 90 days if not earlier. You may need to change the filter more often if you have pets in the house.

Closing Air Conditioner Registers

Registers are closed in certain parts of the homes by many homeowners in a bid to save energy. However, this is not the way things work. Your air conditioning system is designed to cool a particular volume of indoor space. When you close registers, it makes your air conditioner behave as if improperly sized. This causes several problems, such as:

• Frozen evaporator coil
• Longer run times
• Shorter lifespan
• Higher utility bills

You can control temperatures by adjusting the registers in different areas of the house. However, you should never close them or block them by way of furniture.

Carrying Out DIY Repairs

You should refrain from repairing your AC system on your own even if you are handy with DIY tasks. Mechanical and electrical issues in particular should always be addressed by a trained and certified HVAC technician. You may make a mistake and cause further damage to the system if you try to repair it on your own.

DIY repairs can also void manufacturer’s warranty. You should know exactly the kind of HVAC maintenance tasks that can be repaired on your own and the kinds that should be left to a service technician.

Not Scheduling Preventative Maintenance

You may get tempted to forego preventative AC maintenance in an effort to save a few dollars. However, this may just end up costing you more in the long run. Preventative maintenance is important to reduce energy bills and extend the service life of your HVAC system. This is different from routine maintenance. It involves a thorough inspection of the system and identification of all parts that require repairs. Existing and potential problems are detected by service technician. These are fixed before they can turn into major issues.