Sunday, 19 February 2012

Can AIRCONcare Save You Money?

If you have spent some time and energy investigating the AIRCONcare products, watching the videos and reading the testimonials, you should be convinced that AIRCONcare works.  That is, the product does what it says and will leave you with a clean air conditioner in as little as 10 minutes.  However, you may not be convinced that cleaning your own air conditioner is the right choice for you.  After all, it seems messy and is probably a little confusing the first time around, especially if you've never looked inside your air conditioner before.  Something that might convince you of AIRCONcare's worth is that is can save you money.  Actually, when used properly, AIRCONcare will definitely save you money.

First, by employing the AIRCONcare system, you will save yourself a call to your local air conditioner repair person.  This is because if you do not clean your air conditioner yourself, you will have to have a professional do it.  This professional will use a high powered vacuum and harsh, corrosive chemicals to clean your air conditioner for you.  And they will charge you for labor.  By doing the labor yourself, you will save that expense.

Using AIRCONcare will also save you time and we all know that time is money.  Not only will doing your own air conditioner cleaning using the AIRCONcare  kit be a quicker process than a professional cleaning, but you will also save yourself the time that you would have to wait for that repair call.  Often, air conditioner repair people can have very backed up schedules and if you are calling for a cleaning, rather than a costly repair, you will likely find yourself at the bottom of their priority list.  When you clean your own air conditioner, you can do it on your own schedule, without waiting around for anyone, whenever it is convenient for you.

Finally, cleaning your air conditioner using AIRCONcare can save you money on your energy bill.  When you air conditioner is running efficiently, it will use less energy to produce the same cooling results.  And a clean air conditioner is an efficient air conditioner.

The comfort that your air conditioner provides during harsh summer temperatures might be priceless, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't try to save money on its maintenance wherever you can.  AIRCONcare can save you money, so it is worth trying.

Do You Need an Air Conditioner?

Homeownership is a dream for many people and moving into your own home can be a very joyous occasion.  However, you may not fully appreciate the many costs of homeownership until you have experienced it for some time.  An air conditioner is a necessary appliance investment for many families in many climates.  However, for others it is a luxury.  So how can you determine if this expense is truly necessary for your home and your needs?

Climate

The most obvious thing to consider when determining if you actually need an air conditioner is the climate in which you live.  Perhaps you live in a fairly temperate climate that is only truly hot for one or two months out of the year.  If you are unsure if you can afford the expense of an air conditioner and you live in this type of climate, you may want to try and make do with electric fans, ceiling fans or even a swamp cooler that operates using water evaporation and therefore is considerably less expensive.  If, however, you live in a climate with punishing summers and warm temperatures year round, you may need to find the room in your budget for an air conditioner for your home.

Family
You will also need to consider the people who will be living in and visiting your home frequently.  You may be cold natured and able to tolerate heat very well.  However, if you have young children or elderly family or friends who will be living in your home or visiting, they often do not respond to the heat well and may require an air conditioner to live comfortably and safely in your home.

Other Options
As we have already mentioned, there are also other options for cooling your home if you choose not to have central air conditioning.  For instance, you may want to consider purchasing and installing a split system air conditioner for the rooms where people most often congregate.  This can be significantly cheaper than a central system that is connected to your home's duct system.  There are also portable air conditioner options that can actually be physically moved from room to room wherever they are most needed.  Fans, both the portable electric variety and the static ceiling fan can cool many homes effectively, especially in dry climates. 

You may feel that you need an air conditioner simply because you have always had one, but it may save you a good deal of money if you take the time to consider whether an air conditioner is a necessity for your home.

Is it Time to Replace Your Air Conditioner?

Every summer for years you've been able to depend on one thing.  Not the ice cream man.  Not the neighborhood children shrieking their way through the sprinklers.  Not even your annual sunburn.  No, it's your air conditioner.

But even though you've been together for nearly a decade and you've done your best to treat it right with regular maintenance and cleaning, it's been a tough few summers and your air conditioner doesn't seem to be working as hard as it once did.  It's tough to admit, but it may be time to replace your air conditioner.  Before you rush into anything, here are some ways to tell that it may be time to get a new air conditioning unit:

If it's more than 10 years old...
If your air conditioner is more than ten years old, it's most likely time to replace it.  This isn't just because appliances like this get more inefficient and break down over time, it's also because equipment from 10 years ago is probably not the most energy efficient equipment available.  Upgrading to a more modern model can save you money while it also saves the environment by consuming less energy for the same cooling power.

If it has been needing frequent repairs...When you find yourself on a first name basis with your air conditioner repair man, it may be time to replace your air conditioner.  Even though you might look forward to your weekly chats with the repairman down at the service shop, when things start breaking frequently you are going to find yourself spending more money on repairs to your old unit than it would cost you to replace it.

If you have noticed your energy bill increasing...
Even if your air conditioner hasn't outright shut down yet, you may notice that your energy bills during the summer are increasing even though you are keeping your house at the same temperature.  This means that your air conditioning unit is getting less and less efficient and it is taking more energy to produce the same results.  It is time to consider investing in a new, energy efficient unit so you can see those bills drop while you get the same cool house.

If it is noisy...
When your air conditioner starts making weird noises, clanking sounds or rattling sounds, those are a good indication that something is not quite right with your unit. Your first course of action should be to call in a licensed repair person, especially if it's a newer unit, but prepare yourself for bad news if your air conditioner has been part of your family for a while.

A new air conditioner can indeed represent a big expense, but keep in mind that as your unit gets less efficient, your energy costs will go up which could end up costing even more in the long run.

Maintaining Your Air Conditioner in the Winter



During the summer months, your air conditioner unit is probably on your mind constantly.  You are downright grateful when it is working properly and may find yourself cursing it when it is not.  However, as soon as the first fall chill crosses the threshold of your front door, you probably switch it off and don't think about it again until things heat back up.  This temptation is certainly understandable.  After all, what could your air conditioner possibly need during the winter when it is turned off completely and not in use?

It's true that you don't need to worry too much about your air conditioner during the winter, but you will want to perform some preventative care even when you are not using it, in order to make sure it is ready to go on that first day of summer.

First, you'll want to make sure that your air conditioner is clean before you put it out of your mind.  If you have a wall unit, split system, this may mean cleaning it yourself using an at-home cleaning kit, or having it professionally flushed and cleaned by a trained air conditioner professional.  By making sure it is clean before it is turned off for a few months, you can prevent dangerous mold growth inside the unit as well as an inefficient and clogged up rotor when you go to turn it on again.

If you have a portable air conditioner that is either moved from room to room in your home or temporarily mounted in a window, you will want to store it away safely, either in its original box or using another safe and dry method.

For a central air conditioner that is located outside your home, you will still want to make sure it's clean, but you also may choose to cover it for the winter.  Covering your air conditioner is particularly important in climates that experience harsh winter weather.  Accumulated snow or rain can damage an air conditioner system easily.  Similarly, bugs, dust, dirt, and debris can become caught in the air conditioner and cause it to operate with less than its maximum efficiency.  There are many commercially available air conditioner covers that can protect your central air conditioning unit during difficult winter months.  The investment in this type of cover may prolong the life of your air conditioner, actually saving you money in the long run.

The proper cleaning and storage of your air conditioning unit during the winter can mean the difference between a comfortable and cool welcome to the hot summer or a painful and frustrating call to a repair service.

Friday, 10 February 2012

Important Air Conditioning Maintenance Tips


Though it is quite inevitable that some time during the life of your air conditioner you will need to have it properly assessed and repaired by a licensed professional, you will be able to go longer between these expensive repairs if you invest the time and energy into properly maintaining your air conditioner.  Here are some helpful tips for keeping your air conditioner running safely and efficiently during the hot summer months ahead and for years to come.



Change the Air Filters Regularly

The filters on air conditioners are designed to last for approximately 3 months, but particularly during hot months when you are using your air conditioner more frequently, you will want to check your filters regularly.  This means examining the air conditioner's air filters for accumulated dust and dirt that could affect the performance of your unit.  If you find that the air filters are visibly dirty and you have noticed poor air flow from your air conditioner, it may be time to replace those air filters.



Ensure Outdoor Air Conditioners are Clear of Debris

If you have an air conditioner that is situated outside of your home, or even a window unit that is mounted on a lower level, you will want to be sure that the air conditioner is free of debris.  Even if the area is clear when you first install the air conditioner or when you first move into your home, overgrowth can occur quickly.  If the air conditioner is blocked by debris, be it manmade garbage or simple growth of underbrush or weeds that can severely affect the performance of your unit. Before you turn on your air conditioner for the season, be sure to check that it is clear and accessible.



Check the Drain

Finally, you will want to make sure that your air conditioner's drain is clear and flowing easily.  If the drain on your air conditioning unit seems to be flowing slowly, you will want to be sure to clean it before you begin using it for the year.  This is easily accomplished with one of many at-home cleaning kits that are available for purchase.  Alternatively, you may hire a licensed technician to use a high powered vacuum in order to clean the drain.  If the drain is not maintained well, it can cause not only inefficiencies but also mold growth which can present a health hazard to your household.



When you follow these simple tips to keep your air conditioner in good working order, you'll find that you save yourself from waiting for an air conditioner repairman, not to mention save on costly repairs that can result from improper or lazy maintenance.