3 Things Everyone Should Know about Air Conditioning Systems

The average person does not understand how their air conditioning system works and what they can do to ensure it performs well. Some people think that it is a matter that should be left to professionals. However, it is ideal to have a basic understanding of your cooling system, and you can certainly leave repairs and maintenance to the professionals. The following are a few things you may have misunderstood about your cooling system.

Setting your thermostat to the lowest setting does will not cool your home faster.

Some people mistakenly think that setting their thermostats to the lowest setting will cool their homes faster because they are thinking about the temperature setting. However, it is important to note that setting your cooling system to lowest setting will not emit stronger gusts of colder air from the vents. The same amount of air flow will come out of the vents as well as the same temperature of cool air. What you achieve by setting it to the lowest temperature will likely be a higher energy bill. This is because your AC will continue to run until your home reaches the thermostat setting. 

Ice on your AC unit is not normal.

Ice is a sign of a developing AC repair issue. If it is not treated as an emergency, it can damage your AC system. Ice is usually the result of a leak in your AC. The ice forms as a result of leaking refrigerant. If you do not get the leak repaired, your system will continue to lose refrigerant. Another culprit for ice on your AC unit is the evaporator coil. This can happen if there is an issue with heat absorption. If you simply allow the evaporator coil to thaw and resume using your AC, you might end up damaging the compressor.   

AC units do not create cooled air.

Since people rely on air conditioning to keep their homes cool, it is easy for some people to misinterpret what an AC actually does. Some people think that their AC systems "make cool air," but AC systems are heat pumps. They pump out hot air from homes resulting in cooler interiors. The remaining cool air is circulated throughout homes via air vents. 

An HVAC contractor is a good resource to use to better understand the specifics of your cooling system. They can also educate you on the issues that can be signs of your system needing repairs. You can also check out http://www.capefearair.com for more information.