Air conditioning season is here

Time to prepare your central or window air conditioning unit for the warmer weather.

• Inspect the air filter, clean or change, if necessary
• Clear the area around the outside condenser coil
• Check the outside condenser coil regularly to ensure it's clean and not blocked with leaves, pollen, grass, dirt, etc.
• Ensure that the return and supply registers in your home (if you have central air) are unobstructed or that the window unit is not blocked by furniture or drapery
• Direct the vents upward to blow the cool air up; it will drift naturally down to floor level
• Ensure that the drain line from the coil within the home is clear and unobstructed (central air systems)
• Caulk and weather strip around windows and doors to prevent the cool air from leaking out and the heat from leaking in
• During operation, keep windows closed and draperies drawn on windows facing the sun
• A central air conditioner with a SEER of 13 will save $10-$20/year compared to an older unit with a SEER rating of 10
• Book your central air conditioning contractor for an annual cleaning and inspection (this is a good time to check your furnace too!) The service should include cleaning of the outside condenser coil, inside evaporator coil, inside fan assembly, filter replacement, inspecting all other components and checking that the system is operating correctly.

A central air conditioner should be sized between 80 per cent - 125 per cent of the total cooling capacity required for your home according to national standards.  Having a central air conditioner larger than this is more expensive to buy, and not necessarily better than a small one.  A properly sized unit will run continuously on a hot, humid day, steadily condensing out moisture on the cooling coils and lowering the relative humidity for a far more comfortable condition.  Your contractor should perform a heat gain calculation to determine the size of air conditioner that is right for you.

For additional advice on saving energy you can visit www.hydro.mb.ca