Quality
Faulty Air Conditioning Can Skyrocket Your Electric Bill
Having an air conditioning during the hot and sticky summer months is a big advantage over a ceiling fan and open windows. An air conditioning unit can help to cool off a room and an entire apartment, condominium or house in a matter of minutes. What many people don’t realize though is that a faulty air conditioning unit can cause your electric bill to soar sky high if it is not fixed immediately. The problems associated with a faulty air conditioning unit can be avoided with proper maintenance and a quick check of the unit before the start of the summer months.
When to Repair of Replace Your Unit
It is never easy to tell when is the perfect time to repair or replace a major appliance and figuring out when to do so with an air conditioning unit is the same thing. First things first, if you are going to repair the unit yourself always make sure that it is unplugged from the source of electricity and has completely discharged before fumbling around inside. If not, this could lead to serious electrical shock. The decision needs to be made regarding whether to repair the unit or replace it after giving it a once over. Most can differentiate between a repair and a replacement just by listening to the appliance run or by looking at its insides. Sometimes only the fan needs to be replaced or the filter needs to be changed. Other times the machine is making a constant hum that just can’t be fixed. That is a sign for needing a new unit.
Why is My Unit Using So Much Energy?
There are plenty of problems that can go wrong in an air conditioning unit that can cause it to malfunction and increase your electric bill. One of those problems is that the machine is constantly running. Once the room (for window units) or the entire house (for central air) has cooled off, make sure you raise the temperature of the unit or set it to cool saver plus. A setting such as cool saver plus will continue to keep the area of interest cool but will only make the unit pump out cool air when the room or entire house reaches a certain temperature. So, if you set the unit at 78 degrees, it will not run again until the room or house goes over that temperature mark. Another reason for a high use of energy with these appliances is an old air filter. If the air filter has not been replaced in the last two years it is more than likely clogged with a variety of dust and dirt. This causes the appliance to run more often because it needs to work harder to pump the air through the filter.
How Much Electricity Does an AC Unit Use?
The amount of electricity an air conditioning unit uses all depends on the type of unit you are using. If you employ the use of a window unit, which is a fairly small appliance, it uses roughly 500-1,400 watts of electricity. If your house has central air conditioning and it is used for a good chunk of the entire summer, your appliance will use roughly 3,500 watts of electricity to cool the entire house. So, if you are wondering why your electric bill is so high lately, maybe it is because of the air conditioning unit.
