We have years of experience working with air conditioners during the spring and summer in Minneapolis-St. Paul. During those years, we’ve run into many misunderstandings people have about air conditioners, how they run, and how to best take care of them. These various air conditioning myths have been around as long as residential air conditioners have been common. But unfortunately they can spread faster because of the Internet, and they’re harder to stamp out with truth from knowledgeable professionals.
But we’re going to try to stamp out a few myths as best we can. At least we can offer our customers a debunking of the three myths that can be most destructive to an air conditioner. Whenever you need professional assistance with your air conditioning system, contact us and we’ll take care of everything.
Myth #1: The AC air filter only needs to be changed once a year
We’ve gone over the topic of HVAC filters before: these filters are designed to protect the interior of the HVAC cabinet from dust and other debris. As the filter traps more and more debris, it restricts airflow, creates efficiency trouble, and can even lead to damage to the air conditioner. And this process can take only 1 to 3 months! You need to change the filter regularly over the summer to ensure peak performance from the air conditioner.
Myth #2: Shutting vents to empty rooms will save money
People often think that closing the shutters on room vents to prevent conditioned air from flowing to a room that doesn’t require cooling will save money. The problem with this is that the blower of the air conditioner still works at the same power level, drawing the same amount of electricity, no matter if the vent is open or not. Worse, when vents are closed, it causes an increase in air pressure inside the ventilation system—and that can make the blower run longer than necessary. In other words, closing room vents can cost you money, not the opposite. High air pressure may also lead to leaks in the ductwork, and even frozen evaporator coils.
Myth #3: Regular maintenance isn’t essential
No misunderstanding about air conditioning is more dangerous to comfort and long-term performance than the idea that an AC doesn’t really need annual maintenance. “Why not just have maintenance now and then?” people ask. The truth is that maintenance is the best way to ensure an air conditioner will enjoy a long service life with as few repairs as possible, and hopefully no abrupt breakdowns. The wear and tear an air conditioner suffers over only one summer season is enough to begin to affect its efficiency and put it in danger of needing repairs. If you stick with annual maintenance, you’ll save money and enjoy better comfort.
We strongly recommend you arrange for your air conditioning maintenance in Edina, MN through our Freedom Club. To find out more details about it, contact our offices and we’ll be glad to go over the many benefits of the Freedom Club.
Freedom Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. serves Minneapolis-St. Paul and the surrounding areas.