Revised:
April 13th, 2023
Air conditioners are a staple in modern homes, but many homeowners misunderstand several common concepts regarding air conditioning equipment.
Hi, I’m Luke from Fire & Ice. As a residential sales professional, I have helped thousands of new Central Ohio homeowners navigate the complexities of their home’s HVAC system. At Fire & Ice we believe in giving our customers as much information they need, in this video, we’re going to debunk the most common AC myths. So let's get started.
Myth: When it comes to air conditioners, bigger is better.
HVAC contractors should perform a Manual J Load Calculation when they first visit your home to determine the correct size air conditioner. More size, referred to as tonnage, will not equate to better cooling or reduced energy bills, and may in fact be worse in both of those areas due to starting and stopping more frequently.
Myth: Air conditioners only cool the air.
Air conditioning is an effective humidity removal system, which in turn affects your overall comfort. The evaporator coil in an A/C unit absorbs moisture and transmits it to the outdoor air conditioning unit. From there, it’s expelled into the air. As a result, running your air conditioner can reduce and control humidity levels in addition to keeping you cool.
Myth: SEER Rating is all I need to worry about for efficiency.
The SEER (which stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) is a good gauge of potential efficiency, but it’s far from the only factor. A bad installation compared to a good installation is a far bigger differentiator of efficiency and expected lifespan than the SEER Rating. Additionally, many other factors contribute to efficiency, including the maintenance of your equipment, how clean or dirty the ductwork is, and if your filter is clogged enough to inhibit airflow in the system.
Myth: My refrigerant has been banned, so I need to replace my air conditioner right away.
The R22 refrigerant that is common in many systems has indeed been banned by the federal government, but only for new production and installation. If your existing system uses R22, you’re under no obligation to replace it immediately. That said, since there is no new production of the refrigerant in the country, “topping up” your system with R22 will get increasingly expensive in the coming months and years.
Myth: Maintenance is only important when I’m having problems with my air conditioner.
This is one of the more dangerous myths we encounter, because it’s easy to believe when everything seems to be going well. But air conditioning should receive yearly maintenance regardless of its operational status. The reason for this is that maintenance is, and should be, proactive, not reactive. To wait for problems is to react instead of prevent, and it will cost you comfort and money.
Myth: Setting the thermostat lower will cool the house more quickly.
If your home’s temperature is 80 degrees and you set your thermostat to either 72 or 70, your air conditioner will cool the house to 72 degrees just as quickly in either case. Setting it to 70 just means it will stay on longer to reach 70 degrees.
Myth: The thermostat can go anywhere and will work the same.
Exposure to things like airflow and sunlight can drastically affect a thermostat’s readings. Furthermore, you want to place it in an area that will be representative of the temperature throughout your home. If you’ve ever had a cold basement at the same time as a hot upstairs, you know the importance of even cooling throughout a home.
Myth: Closing vents can save money on cooling costs.
Since the cool air from an air conditioner is mixing with the warm air in your home, all closing some vents does is create hot and cold spots.
What are the next steps?
I hope by now you have a better understanding of AC myths and why you can’t always believe what you’ve heard. If you’d like to schedule a service appointment for your system, click the schedule service button at the top of the screen. Thank you for watching and we look forward to making your day better.
