Myths About Running Your Air Conditioner

When the summer season arrives in the Annapolis area, many homeowners will be relying on their air conditioners to provide cool comfort on the hottest days. Proper air conditioner operation is essential for keeping your monthly cooling bills manageable during the summer season.

By working with a company that offers heating and air conditioning services near Annapolis, you can learn all about how to properly run your HVAC unit. With many different sources available about AC operation, it can be difficult to discern what is sound advice, and what is simply a myth. Let’s debunk three of the most common myths about running your air conditioner.

Myth: A low thermostat setting will cool your home more quickly.

If you arrive home to a very hot house, you may be tempted to turn your thermostat down to the lowest setting so that you can cool your home fast. However, many air conditioning systems will cool indoor spaces at the same rate, no matter the temperature setting. Your best bet for achieving a cool space is to set your programmable thermostat to turn on right before you come home from work.

Myth: Air conditioners are more efficient when they are left running.

In order to preserve the efficiency of their air conditioning systems, some homeowners choose to leave their units running throughout the day and night. However, it is a myth that your air conditioner will be more efficient when it is running all day. In fact, turning your air conditioner off when you are away from home will help to extend the lifespan of your condenser unit.

Myth: Closed vents can boost the efficiency of an air conditioner.

Your central air conditioning system is designed to deliver the same amount of cool air to every room in your home. When you do not require air conditioning in a certain space in your house, you might consider closing off that vent to save energy. However, closing off a vent will not boost your air conditioner’s efficiency. The cool air that is delivered to this vent will simply become trapped in your ductwork.