In hot and humid climates, homeowners rely on their aircon units to save them from the high temperatures and humidity in their region. But do they know how their machine works?
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In modern times, air conditioners are a common and fairly affordable home appliance. However, there are still lots of misconceptions about the way they operate. To help you distinguish the myths from the facts, we’ve compiled a list of 10 aircon myths that we’re going to debunk.
#1 – Bigger Aircon Units are better
To be honest, bigger aircon units are indeed better. But that’s only if they’re used in larger rooms. In other words, before purchasing an aircon system, you have to properly size it to your room where you’d want it installed. Otherwise, you risk hurting your pocket with repairs due to unnecessary wear and tear.
While buying an air conditioner rated for a smaller space will result in the system working too hard to cool the room, purchasing a bigger one will make your unit constantly turn on and off. In both cases, your air conditioner will wear itself out over time. In turn, paying attention to capacity will help you pick the perfect-sized aircon for your room or home.
#2 – Ceiling Fans Will Cool You Down
Ceiling fans can be a great way to circulate the air around. The breeze simulation is an easy and smart way to create an indoor “breeze” during the hot summer. But don’t think a ceiling fan alone will reduce the temperature inside.
Instead, the circulating air increases the amount of evaporation from your body, thus helping you cool off. Ultimately, you’ll be able to set your thermostat settings at a higher temperature while enjoying the comfort of your fan.
#3 – Cleaning and Changing Aircon Filters is Unnecessary
There is a common misconception that air conditioners don’t need any maintenance. Lots of homeowners either believe in this or haven’t even thought about it. Unlike most home appliances, air conditioners require frequent maintenance checks, including regular filter cleaning or replacement. Ignoring this can create lots of unwanted trouble.
In the least, it will greatly reduce your aircon unit’s performance. Let’s not talk about the health hazard that dirty air filters pose to the residents of the home. Changing or washing the filters every month or two will ensure yours is working smoothly without any obstructions.
#4 – Calling an Aircon Technician Only When There’s a Problem
Another common misconception is scheduling maintenance only when there’s a problem. Similar to the habit of changing and cleaning the filters, scheduling regular maintenance checks is a must. It will save your aircon system and its components from permanent damage in the future. Besides, it will ensure it operates at peak levels at all times, without sacrificing energy consumption.
#5 – Higher Temperature Setting Saves Energy
Since most aircon units have a programmable thermostat, setting your aircon to a higher temperature while you’re away for a couple of hours is definitely a good energy-saving solution.
However, nothing can compare to turning your system off completely. If you think about it, your machine won’t take too long to cool your home as you may believe. So, turning your unit off will maximize the amount of energy saved while you’re away.
#6 – The Location of the Thermostat Doesn’t Matter
Some homeowners believe that the location of the aircon thermostat doesn’t affect its efficiency. On the contrary, installing it in the wrong place in your home can be a huge mistake in the long run.
Putting the thermostat close to sources of airflow will cause it to turn off prematurely before the larger part of your room gets to the pre-set temperature. During winter, it will cause the system to work longer and harder. Either way, you’ll pay a lot more that you’ve expected.
#7 – Closing the Vents in Unused Rooms
Air conditioners are all about balance. Having this in mind, closing the vents in the rooms you’re not using will ruin the optimal function conditions of your machine. Central air systems move a certain amount of air regardless of the number of opened and closed vents. Ultimately, closing a few vents will reduce the amount of air circulated by the blower, thus affecting the aircon unit’s overall efficiency.
#8 – The Lower the Temperature, the Faster it Will Cool
This is probably a big no brainer, but your aircon won’t start working faster just because you’ve set the temperature a few degrees lower. The only thing you can do by pushing the temperature way down is to make your air conditioner run longer to reach the desired temperature. In the end, you may end up wasting a lot of time and money on your electricity bill.
#9 – The Evaporator Coils and Fins are “Immune” to Getting Dirty
Cleaning your system’s air filters is surely a must. But the process of heat transfer can also be impeded by excess dirt and dust, so it also has to be taken proper care. Checking your evaporator coil from time to time and having it cleaned will make sure your system is working without any obstructions.
While aircon filters are easy to maintain without the help of an aircon technician, cleaning the evaporator coils and fins may require a more professional approach to ensure the best results.
Final Thoughts
Don’t compromise your comfort for a bunch of gibberish. After all, the only thing that will truly benefit your aircon is a timely maintenance check carried out by a professional aircon technician.
Speaking of professional help, Subcool offers high-quality aircon servicing in Singapore at reasonable prices. Regular maintenance plays a major role in the way your air conditioner performs, so don’t waste time and schedule maintenance now.
Subcool is a Singapore-based aircon servicing company that specializes in all aircon services, including:
Our list of procedures includes a thorough inspection of all units and parts of your system. Accompanied by a chemical washing procedure, the company’s technicians will make your machine as efficient as new in no time. Contact us for aircon servicing today!