Your air conditioner can do a lot for your home. It can offer cooler temperatures, improved indoor air quality and lower humidity levels. However, your air conditioner does have some limitations. It is important to understand these limitations so you don’t push your air conditioner too hard and cause extra wear and tear on the system.
When you schedule air conditioning service in Bellevue, WA with our team, we can take a look at your air conditioner and give you an idea of if there is too much strain on the system. Then we can offer tips for how to lighten the load and give your air conditioner a break. In the meantime, you can keep reading to learn more about what you can expect your air conditioner to do based on its limitations.
Temperature Limits
When it comes to cooling your home, your air conditioner has the ability to lower the temperature by about 20°. This means that if it is 90° outside, you can reasonably expect your indoor air temperature to reach 70°. If it is 100° outside, you can reasonably expect your indoor air temperature to reach 80°.
If you set the thermostat lower than 20° on hot days, your air conditioner will work harder than it should. No matter what you set the thermostat to, your air conditioner is going to try to accomplish the task. Even if you don’t ever see the results of a much lower air temperature, your air conditioner will continue working around the clock. This can cost you more on your monthly energy bills and also shorten the lifespan of your unit by wearing parts down faster.
Indoor Air Quality
Your air conditioner has an air filter that helps to remove some dust, dirt and contaminants from the air. But the filter can only do so much. Even if you invest in a high-quality HEPA filter, you’re still going to have some contaminants in the air. Your air conditioner was not designed to eliminate particles like bacteria, viruses, and odors from the air.
But you can invest in an indoor air purifier that not only offers you extremely high indoor air quality, but also lightens the load on your AC unit so that it can work more efficiently. Even though these particles are microscopic, they can have a big impact on how well your AC operates. When you install a whole house air purifier, it can lower the cost of your energy bills and even extend the life of your air conditioner.
Humidity
As part of the cooling process, your air conditioner does remove some moisture in the air that contributes to humidity. However, your air conditioner can only do so much. If humidity is a concern of yours, you may want to look into a dehumidifier or a humidifier, depending on what your needs are. Keep in mind that dry air naturally feels cooler. So, in the summer you want to have lower humidity levels, but in the winter you want to have slightly higher humidity levels.
Impacts of Pushing These Limits
We already talked about wear and tear above, but it is worth reiterating. The harder you push your air conditioner, the more wear and tear that it takes on. This could mean that our team has to do more minor repairs during our maintenance appointments. It can also mean that your air conditioner experiences larger repair problems as the system ages.
Connecting you to comfort. The WSB HVAC team is here to help. Schedule an appointment today for AC service.