Common Air Conditioning Mistakes

We're going to cover common errors that impact your comfort during the warmer months. Common air conditioning mistakes are simple to avoid when you know about their pitfalls:

1. Problem 1 – too much fresh air: This first of the common air conditioning mistakes is enjoying the outdoors too much. Many of us love to open up a bunch of windows and doors and bask in the warm weather. But as the day warms up, the outdoor air floods our home and we are left with a hot and stuffy house. As much as we love the "fresh" air, most of us don't want the indoors to be as warm as the outdoors. 
2. Problem 2 – too much savings: For many years we have been told to set our thermostats back when we aren't home to save money. While this is true, setting it more than 5 degrees from your desired temperature will make your ac unit work very hard to restore the temperature. 
3. Problem 3 – too little maintenance: Air conditioners are quite remarkable machines. They take heat from your house and deposit it through a process of superheating and then cooling refrigerant. Yet, sometimes we take these mechanical marvels for granted. You wouldn't drive your car for 6 months, park it for 6 months and then drive it again without proper maintenance. So, don't do this to your air conditioner.
4. Problem 4 – too much dirt: The filter on your unit is responsible for catching any dirt or debris that might make it into your home comfort system. Most people do not change these filters nearly enough. A dirty filter can cause your unit to freeze up, among other things. It seems impossible that your outdoor unit could turn to a block of ice in 90 degree temperatures, but IT HAPPENS! We can't even fix it till that ice melts – which could take up to 24 hours.
5. Problem 5 – too much expectation: On those hot summer days when the temps hit the high 90's or even 100 degrees, we get lots of calls from customers complaining their house is hot even with the thermostat set at 65 degrees. Unfortunately, your house is not a refrigerator, and your air conditioner will struggle to get more than 20 degrees below the outdoor temperature.