How to Cut Running Costs of Air Conditioner

Air Conditioners - How to Cut Running Costs

During the hot summer months we would swelter to death if we didn’t have our air conditioner to keep us cool. However, what some of us don’t realize is that some air cooling systems can cost a lot of money to keep running. They don’t have to however as there are ways to cut the costs down. 

The first thing you should do is to examine your electricity bills closely and try to figure what the cost of having an air cooling system is costing you. You might be astonished when you actually do figure out the costs. There are some areas in the world that only use their air conditioner for a few months out of the year. However, for those that live near or south of the equator, the air cooling systems could be running almost year long and if this is the case, you will definitely want to figure out exactly what your costs are.

If you are running a small air conditioning system in a large house, it might be more cost efficient for you to purchase a larger system. Most cooling systems these days are energy efficient and therefore won’t take much electricity to run. You could even consider purchasing a central air system. Central air systems are designed for larger areas and can cool down a large sized house quickly and efficiently. If you have a factory or a very large building, you might want to consider purchasing a cooling tower system. These systems generally sit on the roof of large buildings. They are not used for residential homes because the cost of them would be astronomical.

By keeping the thermostat at a steady temperature, this can help you reduce your cooling costs. If the temperature fluctuates often, this could cause the system to work harder than it should and come on more frequently. If you want to cut costs, you will want to avoid that from happening. Having the proper maintenance done on your cooling system is vital to keeping costs down as well. It is recommended to replace the filters in your cooling systems frequently. While examining your electricity bill, you may notice that it could be other factors besides your cooling system that are costing a fortune. You might want to consider having a professional come in and take a look at ways you can reduce your energy costs. Most times they will do this assessment for you free of charge.

How an Air Conditioner Works

An air conditioner is a blessing in the sweltering heat of the summer and we are all so grateful for them. However, what do we know about how one works? People might think that it actually adds cool air but what actually happens is that it removes the heat from the air in a room and this in turn makes the air cooler. The concept of having cooler air in the home began in the Ancient Roman days. Aqueducts cooled the water that ran throughout the walls and this helped to cool the walls down. Cisterns and wind catchers were used in Persia in the hot summer season to help cool down buildings. The first air conditioner as we know it was invented by Willis Haviland Carrier in 1902 in the United States.

Air conditioning units have a compressor motor inside of them. It is a pump that has an electric motor attached to it. It is very similar to the engine on an automobile. The pump is used to move refrigerant gas to the compressor through an indoor cooling coil. The liquid refrigerant cools the indoor air. It also dehumidifies the indoor air at the same time. They work much the same as a refrigerator works but they do cool down a bigger area. They do use chemicals for the process of cooling the air and these chemicals that are used were once Freon. Freon was being blamed for ruining the ozone layer of our planet so it is not being used anymore. Other chemicals have been introduced to take its place.

An air conditioner is used worldwide nowadays to cool down apartments, senior’s homes, houses, shops, shopping malls, large buildings, office buildings and automobiles. When walking into a building that uses one, you can feel the difference in temperature right away. You can feel the cold air hit your skin and you feel refreshed and cooler. Walking into a cool building helps us get through the hot summer days. It would be hard to live with them now that we have all gotten so used to having them. For people that don’t have one they should consider getting one especially if they find being in the heat bothers them. Getting heat stroke would not be fun at all and for a senior, heat stroke could be detrimental to their health. It is important that they keep the temperature in their house or apartment to a manageable level.

Is an Air Conditioner Healthy?

Some people wouldn’t dream of living without their beloved air conditioner but there are some people that just dread the thought of summer because they know that they are going to be bombarded with cold air no matter where they go. Having an air conditioning system isn’t healthy for everyone. There are people who get very ill when they are in a cool environment for too long of a period.

Infants are very susceptible to colds and illnesses because they haven’t got their immune system built up yet. If you have a newborn infant in your house, having him subjected to an air conditioned environment might not be a good idea. You can keep it on low and make sure that the infant is not in the direct current of air. It would be best to put a pair of socks on the baby and also have them wear a light sleeper. Just keep a close eye on them and if there skin is getting too cold you should move them out of the cooled environment.

Seniors are another group of people that are susceptible to colds and other illnesses. If you have a senior living with you who always seems to be complaining about cold or their arthritis is always acting up when the air conditioner is running you might want to consider turning it off or at least turn it to a more tolerable temperature. A lot of people have a bad habit of having their cooling systems turned to the lowest temperature without considering the effects of others in your household.

If you have someone in your home that has breathing problems such as asthma, you will want to make sure that you are keeping the filters changed in your cooling system because mold and mildew can be serious health problems for people with breathing problems. It might also be a good idea to use a dehumidifier because this will help reduce mold and mildew as well.

Anyone that has severe muscle or joint aches are going to suffer if the temperature is too cold for them. Their muscles will tighten in the cold and this could cause them to have severe problems in mobility. It is best to keep a close eye on anyone with severe muscle or joint aches if they are subjected to a cooled environment for long periods of time because this could be a hindrance in the healing process.