Guide for taking care of air cond
1. Change your air filter every 3 months.
Changing the air filter is as important for your air conditioner as changing the oil is for your car. Put in a new filter at the start of summer, and then at least once every 3 months after that. If you live where it is windy or there is construction, or if you have allergies, you might need to change it more often.
When you replace the air filter, there’s an arrow on the side that indicates which direction to place the air filter. The arrow shows the way the air flows through the filter into the unit.
2. Buy pleated filters.
Spend a couple of dollars more to buy pleated synthetic filters, not the cheapest fiberglass filters. To get a good filter for a good price, Doug recommends the True Blue pleated air filters at Home Depot with a Filter Performance Rating (FPR) of 5. (He thinks the filters he saw at Lowe’s are overpriced.)
3. Check to see if your air conditioner is cooling efficiently.
You can measure if your air conditioner is working the way it’s supposed to by comparing the temperature of the air blowing out of the vent to the temperature of the air going back into the return air vent. There should be 15 to 18 degrees (F) difference between the two temperatures. A higher difference might indicate an issue such as a clogged air filter. A lower difference could mean a problem like your AC is low on Freon. Either way, it’s using a lot of extra electricity when it’s not running efficiently, and it’s time for maintenance.
4. Set your thermostat at a normal temperature.
Don’t turn your thermostat all the way down. That won’t help your house cool down faster; it will just make your AC work longer.
5. Protect your ducts.
If you’re doing home renovations and knocking down walls like we did, tape temporary air filters over the return air vents on the wall. This will prevent dust from getting into your ductwork. (The filters in the photo above are the cheap fiberglass air filters, not the kind you should buy for your unit, but they were fine for this.)
