Keeping your air conditioning running efficiently could save you hundreds of dollars every summer, but knowing when to call the repairman to get a tune-up or repair might seem more difficult than it actually is. This handy technique can save you from days or even weeks of wondering whether or not your air conditioner is working as well as it should be.
Find a Thermometer and Paper
The first step of this process is to get a piece of paper and find a thermometer. The piece of paper can be from a notepad or a piece of printer paper: basically, anything works. The thermometer just needs to be one that isn’t on a timer because it needs to run for several minutes without shutting off. A thermometer from the garden outside or one from the kitchen will do.
Find the Vents
Walk around the house, holding the piece of paper close to registers to determine if the air is blowing out or sucking in. The push or pull on the paper as it gets close to the registers should be strong enough that it ruffles the paper. If it’s not, then there’s a good chance that your air conditioner has a fan, blower, or motor that isn’t working efficiently.
Take Temperature Readings
When you find an intake register, put the thermometer close to it and leave it there for about five minutes. After this time, take note of the temperature. Then, find a supply register, which will be one of the vents that are pushing cold air out of it. Put the thermometer close to the vent and wait five minutes. Take note of the temperature and compare it to the first temperature that you took. The difference between these two numbers should be around 15 degrees to 20 degrees, which is also known as the temperature drop. If there’s much more of a difference, it means your air conditioner is cooling too quickly. Too much lower, and your air conditioner is likely not cooling quickly enough to be efficient.
If you need an experienced air conditioning technician to go to your house and take care of your air conditioner, furnace, or another piece of HVAC equipment, call Kayl Heating & Air of Grand Island, NE, and the surrounding areas.
