If your air conditioner is older or overdue for regular servicing, cleaning and other maintenance, it won’t run at peak efficiency—which means it won’t be able to blow air that is as cold as you want it to be during the warmer times of year.
How To Make An Air Conditioner Colder
If you’ve been wondering how to make an air conditioner colder, look no further. Whether you’re dealing with central air conditioning system or a window unit, we have several tips homeowners can use to make your air conditioner work more effectively. Some are basic maintenance tips and some are tricks of the trade that could make all the difference in cooling your home efficiently.
How Air Conditioning Units Work
Whether your home is cooled by a central air system or window units, your air conditioner works by pulling outside air into your home and cooling it while transferring warmer indoor air to the outside. That’s why, as it gets hotter outdoors, you have to set your air conditioner to a colder temperature. That enables your unit to transform hot outdoor air into the cool air that will make the inside of your home more comfortable.
Tips for Making Your Air Conditioner Blow Colder
If possible, your air conditioning unit should be situated on the north or east side of the home, so it will be out of the direct sun as much as possible. This applies to both central air conditioning units as well as window units. The less work the unit has to do to convert hot outdoor air into cool indoor air, the better its overall functioning will be—and the longer it will last.
Of course, if you’re using window units, placing your unit in a north- or east-facing window may not be possible. Fortunately, there are several other steps homeowners can take to make an air conditioner colder, starting with the single most important and basic air conditioner maintenance step that any homeowner can take: Regularly cleaning or changing your unit’s air filters. Dirty filters force air conditioning units to work harder, which consumes more energy and shortens the life of the unit. Keeping your filters clean enables your unit to work as efficiently as possible and use the least amount of energy, prolonging the unit’s life over time.
If you have central air, you can purchase reusable filters that simply need to be vacuumed, rinsed and dried before being reinstalled, or you can opt to use disposable single-use filters. Aim for inspecting your filters for accumulated dirt, dust and hair on a monthly basis. You may find you need to clean them every month, or they may only need four to six cleanings a year.
If you have a window unit, the filter is likely to be the reusable variety that requires regular cleaning. To clean your window unit’s filter, unplug the unit before removing the filter and cleaning it gently by soaking it in soapy water. Rinse with pure water and then drip-dry before reinstalling it in your air conditioner. As with central air units, it’s a good idea to give window unit filters a monthly inspection.
When performing your monthly inspection, you should also clean the grill that covers the filter by vacuuming any accumulated dirt and dust from the slats or brushing away debris with a toothbrush or other soft brush. Clean slats allow air to move unimpeded through the filter and into your AC, which improves the unit’s efficiency.
Other Tips for How to Make Your Air Conditioner Work Better
- Use ceiling or floor fans to circulate air in the house. Often, the simple addition of circulating air can make a room more comfortable. You may not need to set your air conditioner to such a low temperature if you add a fan into the mix. Setting your unit to a slightly higher temperature helps conserve energy since your air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard to cool the room to the desired level.
- Check windows and doors for drafts. If your windows and doors have gaps that let outdoor air into the house, your air conditioner will have to work even harder to compensate for that constant influx of warm air. New caulk and weatherstripping around windows and doors can do wonders in resolving air leaks. You can also fix air leaks at the bottom of an exterior door by installing a new threshold and/or threshold gasket along with a weather-resistant door sweep to help create a tight seal when the door is closed.
- Clean your unit’s drain tray. Both window and central air conditioners have drain trays that collect dirt and debris and these trays should be cleaned on a regular basis. Clean first with bleach and then follow up with water before wiping clean and dry with a rag.
With ABC’s Help, You Won’t Lose Your Cool
You might take your air conditioner for granted—that is, until it’s not working as well as you would like. Avoid feeling uncomfortable in your home with the help of ABC Home & Commercial Services. Our highly-trained and knowledgeable experts will go the extra mile to ensure that any issues are resolved and your air conditioner is operating at its peak efficiency.
