Keeping your home comfortable during the summer in Portland can be costly, especially if you follow some of the commonly believed myths about more efficient cooling. Here are five of the most common home cooling myths, as well as the facts dispelling each.
A Larger Air Conditioner Improves Cooling
If the system in your home was sized properly at installation, but it’s not cooling effectively, it’s likely in need of maintenance, which includes cleaning the evaporator or condenser coils, replacing the air filter and checking the coolant levels. Upgrading to a larger model will result in a system that cycles off when it reaches the set temperature, then back on when more cooling is called for. This constant cycling is inefficient, costing you more money, and leading to frequent maintenance and premature failure.
Turning the A/C Off When Leaving Wastes Money
Many people believe that it takes more energy to cool a warm home than it does to leave the A/C on while you’re away. The truth is that anytime the system is running, it’s using large amounts of energy — far more than cooling down your home when you arrive. To save money and remain comfortable, install a programmable thermostat and have it lower the temperature about an hour before you’re due home so that it’s cool when you arrive.
Lowering the Temperature Cools Your Home Faster
Turning the thermostat all the way down won’t cool your home any faster, as the air conditioner has a set amount of cool air it can generate at any time. Additionally, if you forget to reset the thermostat, you may end up wasting money.
Air Conditioners Only Cool the Air
In addition to cooling air, air conditioners also remove humidity, which makes you feel comfortable at a higher temperature.
Fans Help Cool a Room
Fans only help to circulate the air, making you feel cooler by evaporating sweat faster via the wind chill effect. Using fans in an empty room wastes energy.
For more information about these common home cooling myths, talk to the HVAC experts at Roth Heating & Cooling.
