Come summer and every air-conditioner user has a list of to-dos and aircon trivia to share with a group of friends. Saving power consumption and maximising benefits is the ultimate aim of every user. Everything we hear and pass on, however, may not necessarily be true. So, we have put together a set of commonly shared aircon myths and burst some surprising misconceptions to make life simpler for you and your loved ones. Read on for some revelations!
Myth: The location of the air-conditioner doesn’t matter in the room as long as you have one
This couldn’t be more untrue. There are too many considerations that go into choosing the optimal installation location. Make sure the outdoor unit is not exposed to direct sunlight. That’s going to overwork your aircon and shorten its life. It’s best to not have any plants or shrubs around the outdoor unit lest they block airflow. Never install a thermostat close to any electrical appliances or lighting units. The heat emitted by these can cause inaccurate measurements of the room’s temperature by your aircon. Don’t set up your aircon facing the exit/doorway of the room. That’s unnecessary seepage of cool air every time the door opens. Windows are good solar heat collectors and hence its best to avoid directing your AC unit to a window and waste cool air on it. Trust us experts at Subcooled to guide you through the installation process
Myth: Maintenance is unnecessary expenditure and your aircon will work just fine without it
We cannot possibly stress how far from the truth this is. Invest in a good maintenance cycle with a service provider to eliminate dust and debris collection in your air conditioners vents that are going to reduce air quality and pull in more power. Any faulty part is only going to increase stress on other parts and generate a larger replacement bill when the aircon breaks down. Any wiring issues or wear and tear can pose as serious deterrents to cooling. We swear by preventive maintenance! Do you?
Myth: Set the lowest temperature to cool your room faster
Sorry guys, there’s no truth in this one. Tuning your thermostat to a lower temperature will get the power bills soaring higher and nothing else. Ideally, maintain a temperature of 21 degrees to 23 degrees for optimal comfort as well as low power results.
Myth: Get yourself the biggest possible air-conditioner you can afford for maximum results, irrespective of the room size
Not true at all. The thumb rule is to choose an air-conditioner that complements your windows and the directions they face, roof characteristics, room structure, air leakage, the direction of your doors, insulation and of course your budget. Remember, air conditioners don’t just cool the air, they also dehumidify it. Hence, the size of the machine is only limited to complementing the size of your room, and cannot be the single most important factor in achieving good results. Subcooled would love to help you figure out what’s best for you.
Myth: Air conditioners are only meant for summers
While this may have been true in the past, modern technology has given us the luxury of aircon units that have specialised modes for winters too. Hence, your aircon can be your buddy through all seasons. The monsoon mode helps seep out humidity from the air, while heat modes can warm up your room during winter months.
Myth: Spending too much time in an air-conditioned room can make you sick
Not true again. Common colds or fevers are caused by viruses and not by cold temperatures. If this were true, the entire population would be sick during winters due to exposure to low temperatures. While accumulated dust and mold in the vents can aggravate allergic symptoms, air-conditioned air certainly can’t make you sick no matter how much time you spend in the room. Keep the vents and filters of your aircon clean to ensure healthy clean air.
Myth: Leaving the ceiling fan on can keep your room cool
All a ceiling fan does is circulating the air in the room. While it makes the people in the room feel cooler due to the wind effect against their body and evaporation of sweat, it does not lower the temperature in the room at all. Turn off the fan the next time you step out of a room and watch your power consumption bill dip.
Myth: It is better to let an air conditioner run until it quits
Don’t make the mistake if running an air-conditioner that’s outlived itself. Slugging along your 10-12-year-old air conditioner is going to cost you more in terms of electricity consumption and repairs. You would rather invest in a new, more energy efficient machine with superior technology and watch your power bills drop.
Myth: It is more energy efficient to leave your AC running when you leave home than come back and re-cool your home again
While you’re away, it makes little sense to leave your aircon on and keep replacing cool air with more cool air repeatedly. Your unit and its compressor are going to be operational for 8-10 hours while you are away, and of course continue to be on when you’re back, leaving it with no downtime. It makes better sense to use a programmable thermostat and set a timer for your air-conditioner to turn on thirty minutes before you are home.
Now that we’ve got most of the myths out of the way, we hope we’ve cleared the air (pun intended) and helped you with your air-conditioning woes and doubts. One last tip to leave you with – turn off the main switch when your aircon is not operational. It definitely deserves a complete shutdown once in a while. For any concerns with your aircon, drop us a note and we’ll be glad to help. Happy cooling!