Air conditioner works best when filter is clean

Air conditioners are a godsend to beat the summer heat. Here are some tips and tricks from experts on how to keep your home cool.

Dominic Leodoro, marketing and advertising director of Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning, recommends users change the air conditioner’s filter once a month, as a clogged air filter won’t cool your home as well.

He also suggests closing all windows, blinds and drapes, as well as turning off anything that produces heat, such as stoves.

“Most air conditioners are designed, based on region, to cool homes 20 degrees lower inside than outside,” he says.

Setting your air conditioner to the lowest setting won’t cool your home faster; in fact, it will force your air conditioner to work harder, especially in extreme heat. Leodoro says this is because air conditioners are dependent on the temperature outside.

“If it’s 100 degrees [Fahrenheit] outside and you have your air conditioner to a set temperature of 64 degrees, your home won’t get that cool, due to the heat,” he says. “Once it cools outside, your air conditioner will catch up to your set temperature inside.”

Four Seasons encourages homeowners to have their air conditioners checked annually.

“You wouldn’t let your car go without an oil change, right? Your air conditioner is no different,” he says. “It’s best to get this done before the summer because the last thing you want is a broken air conditioner when it’s 100 degrees outside.”

Operations manager Mira Vasiljevic at All Temp Heating & Air Conditioning agrees with Leodoro’s advice on regularly changing filters.

She adds that homeowners should also consider adding insulation, as this helps with efficiency.

“Every house is different,” she says. “If your home isn’t insulated well, hot air can come inside even with the air conditioner on.”

Don’t worry about your air conditioner running 24/7 in hot weather. Leodoro and Vasiljevic say constant usage won’t cause any damage.

Ready, an emergency preparedness web source, recommends adding insulation and covering windows. The site also suggests using aluminum foil-covered cardboard on windows to reflect heat back outside.