![\"high-efficiency-ac-unit\"](\"https:\/\/www.acguyoftampa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Air-Conditioning-300x271.jpg\")
Did you know that the first air conditioner built in 1902 was actually designed to dehumidify? The fact that it could cool the air was only a secondary consideration, as Willis Carrier simply needed a system that could help with humidity problems at a printing company.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s likely a lot you don\u2019t know about your air conditioner. To be honest, you really don\u2019t need to know very much about the ins and outs of central AC. Technicians have the proper training to deal with these components, and they\u2019re the only people qualified enough to provide service. We do think, however, that it\u2019s important to clear up a few common AC misconceptions. What you think <\/em>you may know about air conditioning could be harmful in the end\u2014at least for your wallet.<\/p>\n You may think the air filter within your air conditioner is just fine if, for example, you haven\u2019t noticed your allergies acting up lately. Something you should know is that the air filter was not actually designed to clean up the air of allergens. That\u2019s just a nice bonus! Rather, your air filter is meant to block out particulate from damaging the AC unit.<\/p>\n A clean air filter protects the AC system from damage, but a dirty one can do a lot of harm. It can block airflow from getting through to the unit, which means the system cannot function in the way it\u2019s supposed to. While you may only notice a small drop in cooling quality, the long-term effects for your air conditioner can be much worse, as the system may becoming overworked and coils may freeze.<\/p>\n This is an easy mistake to make. It seems as though shutting the vents in parts of the home that are not currently occupied would cut costs. After all, the air conditioner won\u2019t have to work so hard to cool fewer rooms, right?<\/p>\n Unfortunately, this isn\u2019t the case. See, your air conditioner was specifically sized for the amount of space in your home when it was installed. As such, it is designed to cycle for steady periods of time to cool a large space. When you shut vents, the space requiring cooling is suddenly cut, which can force the air conditioner to short cycle. This wears down components of the system faster.<\/p>\n Many people assume that refrigerant (also known as Freon) needs to be refilled from time to time. However, if you\u2019re doing this regularly, it indicates a problem. Refrigerant is not a fuel. In other words, it\u2019s not something that gets \u201cused up\u201d as you use your air conditioner.<\/p>\n The refrigerant line is designed to keep refrigerant in so that it can keep you cool. If you run out of refrigerant, it\u2019s because there is a leak in the line. Having this leak sealed up should resolve the issue.<\/p>\n\u201cI don\u2019t really have to change the filter that often\u201d<\/h3>\n
\u201cI should shut the vents in rooms I\u2019m not using\u201d<\/h3>\n
\u201cHaving refrigerant refilled from time to time is part of owning an AC\u201d<\/h3>\n