It’s time to question the long-held beliefs we have about our air conditioners. While some air conditioning myths may seem harmless, a few can actually be financially damaging. Separating fantasy from fiction can help us prolong the life of our units and lessen the burden on our pockets.
Humidity Will Not Decrease with a Lower Temperature Setting
When it’s hot and humid, it is tempting to try to compensate with a slower than usual setting on the A/C. Humidity makes you feel hotter than it actually is, after all. A few degrees south should make up for it, right? Unfortunately, this is not the case. It is a myth that seems logical at first but is quickly dispelled upon closer examination. The solution to the problem is not to tax the compressor with a lower setting but to deal directly with the humidity. Look for a Dry Mode button on your remote control to address it.
The reason we feel uncomfortable with high humidity is that it interferes with our natural cooling mechanisms. Our body produces sweat when it’s hot and lets evaporation work its magic to make out skin surface feel cooler. A humid environment makes it harder to evaporative cooling to occur. If you activate Dry Mode, then the fans will go slower allowing the coils to be colder. This enables them to condense the moisture in the air. It’s not going to remove all the humidity but it will help make things better without making the system work harder.
Efficiency Will Go Up If You Use Strategic Switching
Don’t be afraid to switch between on and off. We are sometimes told that it is in our best interest to keep the air conditioner running the whole day because it is more efficient than having to switch it off at one time and switch it back on the next. Yet look at what all the biggest companies are doing. They strategically switch off their HVAC systems when not needed. They know that greater efficiency can be achieved if cooling is only called upon when necessary.
Follow our blog for more information on heating, cooling, and keeping your home energy efficient.
