Older units are not energy efficient, but higher than average bills indicate problems. The most obvious checks are your home insulation and weather, with humidity being the main problem. If these are not the case, then your A/C’s refrigerant could be low, or there’s a slow leak in the system.
Often dirt can lodge in the expansion valve of the condenser, and interfere with the proper working of the cycle; this causes icing up of the coils and puts a strain on the system – consuming unnecessary power.
Dirty filers and ducts can also affect the performance of the whole system and cause the compressor to work overtime.
Other simple things to keep your system performing well:
- Clear the outdoor unit of debris, shrubs, weeds etc. Keep unrestricted airflow around the unit
- Check for damage to the evaporator – avoid bumping into it with your lawn mower.
- Watch the weed whacker around the coils and cables. Broken insulation can cause shorts and can interfere with the efficient operation of the temperature control.
Your best bet is to call for service. The tune up cost will be recovered very quickly at today’s energy rates. If your system is old, it may be time to investigate an energy efficient A/C unit.
Call us for an energy audit of your home and a free estimate, we can help you save on your energy bills this season.