Your air conditioner has one job–to turn on and then cool the air inside of your home. This is a no-brainer and something we’d expect every air conditioning unit on the planet to do. However, there’s another hidden job that your air conditioner has, which other homeowners might not be as aware of.
Your air conditioner needs to also run as efficiently as possible while cooling your home. This means it needs to do the job of cooling your house by consuming a minimal amount of electricity. This is what makes turning the system on a sensible choice because a skyrocketing energy bill will quickly cause customers to stress out and turn their systems back off.
So, how do you better understand this secondary, hidden job of your air conditioner? Follow along below for some tips to evaluate the efficiency of your air conditioning in Cedar Rapids, IA.
Pay Close Attention to Your Energy Bills
First of all, you need a baseline to evaluate just how efficient your air conditioner is. Sure, you’ve got the SEER2 rating (likely plastered on the unit itself in your basement or crawlspace) but this is a measurement from when the system was initially purchased. Over time, your air conditioner is likely to degrade from wear and tear, hopefully not too much, but it’s not going to have the same efficiency as it did brand-new.
Don’t worry, with seasonal maintenance your system can work almost as efficiently as it was when you got it. But you’ll still want to look at the realistic efficiency of your air conditioner, which can be monitored by paying attention to your bills.
All of the electricity that your system consumes will be paid for on your utility bill. If it’s using too much energy, you’ll notice the absurdly high cost on your bill. Take note of what a regular season of energy prices looks like, especially after maintenance, so you can address problems that might cause the bill to increase due to inefficiency.
Any Problem Can Decrease Efficiency
Does your air conditioner have a problem, but it still works at least? This is good news when the weather is hot, but it’s not good news for your system’s efficiency. Even the smallest, most minute issues can cause serious issues in terms of efficiency.
You might think you’re saving money by waiting to get repairs done later, when in actuality you’re spending more money month after month on a less efficient air conditioner that is struggling due to internal issues.
Old Age Can Ruin Your System’s Efficiency
Once an air conditioner reaches its 10-15 year lifespan, we recommend getting it replaced. Even if it works perfectly fine, you’re still losing out. That’s because the efficiency of an old system is a lot lower than that of a newer one. Also, newer systems get improved with technological advancements that cause them to run a lot more efficiently.
Basically, old age can do a serious number on your efficiency, which is a good reason in general to invest in a replacement.
At Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces, Inc., your comfort is our promise! To set up an appointment in the Cedar Rapids area, give us a call at the number above, email customerservice@daltonphc.com or schedule an appointment online.