Air-conditioners are expensive. But let’s be honest – they are also undeniably a necessary evil in any household in humid, kill-me-it’s-so-hot Singapore.
Here’re 9 tips to better care for your air-conditioners so they last longer – so that you’ll be getting your bang for your buck!
1. Working with a competent contractor
A qualified contractor will tell you what kind of aircon will be most suited for your needs and your unit, and where to place it in the house. A proper and accurate installation is one of the best ways to have a well-functioning aircon that is durable and last you years.
2. Service it often
And by often, we mean don’t leave servicing it till it actually breaks down and you’re crying from sweating so much.
A good frequency in how often you should service it would be around six months – and yes, regardless of usage.
3. Give the aircon a break
Needless to say, that your air conditioner needs a break every once in a while much like you do. The more you use it, the faster it wears down, the more likely it is to overheat and go kapoot.
Sure, it may be tempting to leave it on while you’re out and return home to a cool house that’ll melt the sweat instantaneously, but not that great for preserving your air-con.
4. Get yourself an aircon with a smart thermostat
https://www.consumerreports.org/central-air-conditioners/best-setting-for-central-air-conditioning/
The best kinds of air-conditioners come with a smart thermostat that can be programmed to only keep your house cool when it is hot, and switches off automatically once the optimal temperature is reached.
That way, you’ll be able to return back to a cool house without putting too much strain on your air conditioner – double win!
5. Keep it cool
Air-conditioners hate the sun as much as we do, apparently. Try to place your air-conditioner away from the direction of the sun, as heat from the sun will heat up the air-conditioner, which means that when you turn it on, it’ll have to do double the work.
Double the work, double the wear down.
6. The moment you sniff out a problem, nip it in the bud!
Even minor, can-live-with-it problems like issues with airflow and minor leakages should be addressed right away.
Why? When there’re leakages in the air ducts, the conditioner has to work extra hard to cool the home and increase its rate of wear and tear – which also leads to the problem worsening over time.
7. Keep dust away from your air-conditioner!
The air-conditioner, while magical in its cooling properties, isn’t quite so magical when it comes to self-maintenance, unfortunately.
Which means that when dust accumulates, the air-conditioner sucks it up as well, which in turn results in the air-ducts getting clogged up and boom – airflow problems, and an unhappy sniffing family.
The solution to this? You may be no aircon expert, but you could at least periodically clear out the dust that collects on the panels on the aircon – or really, anywhere accessible to you (without dismantling it) that also isn’t dangerous.
This extends to your rooms as well – keeping it dust-free will ensure that your air-conditioner remains efficient and clog-free for a longer period of time.
8. Don’t overwork your aircon
And by this, we don’t mean switching it on for too long periods of time, but for fiends out there who absolutely have to have their air-conditioner put on the lowest temperature all the time.
We’ve emphasized this previously, but the colder the temperature, the harder your aircon is going to have to work for it – which means wear and tear will also happen at a much quicker rate.
Sure, a cold room is great – conducive even, when sleeping. But not that great in the long run. Plus, it dries out your skin like crazy.
9. Replace the air filters regularly
Dusty and dirty beyond repair that no cleaning can possibly help even the slightest? Change the air filters entirely! As emphasised many times, a clogged filter equates to an aircon that needs to work even harder, which reduces the life span – now, you don’t want that, do you?
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