Air Conditioning
Air conditioning can greatly enhance the comfort of your home, but if it is used improperly or inefficiently, it will result in wasted energy. These hints and suggestions are provided to help you maximize your air conditioning system.
How It Works
Your air conditioning system is a whole-house system. The air conditioning unit is the mechanism that produces cooler air. The air conditioning system involves everything inside your home including, for example, drapes, blinds, and windows.
Your home air conditioning is a closed system, which means that the interior air is continually recycled and cooled until the desired air temperature is reached. Warm outside air disrupts the system and makes cooling impossible. Therefore, you should keep all windows closed. The heat from the sun shining through windows with open window coverings is intense enough to overcome the cooling effect of the air conditioning unit. For best results, close the window coverings on these windows.
Allow Time to Cool
Time is very important in your expectations of an air conditioning system. Unlike a light bulb, which reacts instantly when you turn on a switch, the air conditioning unit only begins a process when you set the thermostat.
For example, if you come home at 6:00 p.m. when the temperature has reached 90 degrees F and set your thermostat to 75 degrees, the air conditioning unit will begin cooling, but will take a while to reach the desired temperature. During the whole day, the sun has been heating not only the air in the house, but the walls, the carpet, and the furniture. At 6:00 p.m. the air conditioning unit starts cooling the air, but the walls, carpet, and furniture release heat and nullify this cooling. By the time the air conditioning unit has cooled the walls, carpet, and furniture, you may have lost patience.
If evening cooling is your primary goal, set the thermostat at a moderate temperature in the morning while the house is cooler, allowing the system to maintain the cooler temperature. The temperature setting may then be lowered slightly when you arrive home, with better results.
Once the system is operating, setting the thermostat at 60 degrees will not cool the home any faster and can result in the unit freezing up and not performing at all. Extended use under these conditions can damage the unit.
Routine Maintenance
Adjust Vents
Maximize air flow to occupied parts of your home by adjusting the vents. Likewise, when the seasons change, readjust them for comfortable heating.
Keep the Condensing Unit or Compressor Level
Maintain the air conditioning condensing unit or compressor (the outside unit) in a level position to prevent inefficient operation and damage to the equipment. If you suspect that the air conditioner is not level, please contact either Classic during the Limited Warranty Period or the Homeowners Association ("HOA") to schedule an inspection.
Coolant
The outside temperature must be 70 degrees F or higher for the contractor to add coolant to the system. If your home was completed during winter months, the charging of the system was probably not completed at that time and will need to be performed in the spring. Although we check and document this at the Final Walkthrough/Orientation, please contact us in the spring to schedule the charging.
Humidifier
If a humidifier is installed on the furnace system, turn it off when you use the air conditioning; otherwise, the additional moisture can cause a freeze-up of the cooling system. Classic does not install humidifiers and is not responsible for any damage that results from the installation or improper usage of a humidifier.
Manufacturer's Instructions
The manufacturer's manual specifies maintenance for the condenser. Review and follow these points carefully. Since the air conditioning system is combined with the heating system, follow the maintenance instructions for your furnace as part of maintaining your air conditioning system.
Temperature Variations
Temperatures may vary from room to room and floor to floor by several degrees Fahrenheit. This is due to such variables as floor plan, orientation of the home on the lot, type and use of window coverings, and traffic through the home.
Troubleshooting: No Air Conditioning
Before calling for service, check to confirm that the:
- Thermostat is set to "cool" and the temperature is set below the room temperature
- Blower panel cover is installed correctly for the furnace blower (fan) to operate. Similar to the way a clothes dryer door operates, this panel pushes in a button that lets the fan motor know it is safe to come on. If that button is not pushed in, the furnace will not operate
- Air conditioner and furnace breakers on the main electrical panel are on. (Remember, if a breaker trips you must turn it from the tripped position to the off position before you can turn it back on)
- 220 switch on the outside wall near the air conditioner is on
- Switch on the side of the furnace is on
- Filter is in a clean condition which allows air flow
- Vents in individual rooms are open
- Air returns are unobstructed
- Air conditioner is not frozen from overuse
Even if the troubleshooting tips do not identify a solution, the information you gather will be useful to the service provider you call.
Related Topics
Warranty Coverage: See Air Conditioning Standards for coverage details.