How to Use Your Air Conditioner In Winter- Sunshine Coast
June 4, 2024HOW TO PROPERLY PREPARE AND USE YOUR REVERSE CYCLE AIR CONDITIONER THIS WINTER
When the temperatures drop on the Sunshine Coast, it’s important to make sure your home stays warm and comfortable.
One way to do this is by using your air conditioner effectively during the winter months. With a few simple steps, you can ensure your air conditioner is clean, keep your family safe, your energy bills low and your home cosy all season long. Here’s what you need to know.
The start of Winter is a great time to get some maintenance completed on your reverse cycle air conditioner.
- Inspect and Clean over Your Air Conditioner
Before using your air conditioner during the Winter, it’s important to clean and inspect it to ensure it’s working properly. Start by turning on the unit and checking for any unusual sounds or leaks inside and outside. If there is, please call your local air conditioning technician. Then you can turn off the power to the unit and remove any debris or leaves that may have accumulated on or around the outdoor unit. Inspect and wipe over the indoor and outdoor units exterior with a wet cloth (no need for chemical sprays). This will allow you to inspect if any mould has formed and keep any dust away. You should also regularly wipe or dust your vents and ducts in a ducted system to get rid of unwanted hair, skin, dirt, dust or mould.
- Clean Your Air Filter
One important step in preparing your air conditioner for Winter use is to clean or change the air filter. A dirty air filter can reduce the efficiency of your unit and increase your energy bills. It can also lead to poor indoor air quality and aggravate allergies or respiratory issues. It’s recommended to clean your filter every 3 months if you have someone suffering from allergies or asthma in your home, otherwise twice yearly – generally at the start of Winter and Summer.
- Schedule Professional Maintenance
To ensure that your air conditioner is running at its best during the Winter, it’s a good idea to schedule a professional service. A professional HVAC technician can inspect your unit, clean the coils and filters, check refrigerant levels, mould or other issues. This will not only ensure that your air conditioner is running efficiently, but it will also extend the lifespan of your unit. Don’t wait until something goes wrong to call a professional – schedule maintenance before the winter season begins.
How to Use your Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner Efficiently in Winter
In order to use your reverse cycle air conditioner efficiently during Winter there are several things you should keep in mind.
- Adjust Your Settings and Thermostat
Firstly it’s important to change your setting to ‘Heat’, move the louvers downwards and try to keep the fan speed on low to medium. Another important step in preparing and running your air conditioner for winter is to adjust your thermostat. During the winter months, you’ll want to set your thermostat to a warmer temperature. As a general guide the best temperature is between 18-22 degrees celsius. This will help you save money on your energy bills while still keeping your home comfortable. You can also invest in a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature for you.
It’s really important not to increase the temperature too much as it will generally not be as effective and you will have wasted energy. It will force your air conditioner to work harder and use a much larger amount of energy and therefore increase the running costs. Keep in mind that every degree you increase the temperature, will usually increase the energy cost by 10%.
- Timer Function
Most reverse cycle air conditioners have a timer function which allows you to heat your home gradually before you need to get out of bed. This will save you energy and expense compared to getting up and increasing your temperature to 28 degrees in powerful mode!
- Configure your Air Conditioner Zones
If using a Ducted system only configure the air conditioner to work in the rooms you are using and if using split systems, close off areas nearby that aren’t in use.
- Programmable Thermostat
Advancements in technology means you can use a Programmable Thermostat or Ducted Air Controller to set your air conditioning to perfectly suit your family’s schedule. For example, set your timer to automatically heat certain rooms on a higher temperature at the coolest time of day, and then adjust itself back to the regular Winter setting for the remainder of time your family will be in the house. Programmable thermostats also allow you to control your system from your smartphone or mobile device for added flexibility. The Cool Shop can provide you with a smart zone control system and upgrade your current zone system if desired.
- Close Vents in Unused Rooms
If you are using a reverse cycle ducted system, it’s also a good idea to close the vents in rooms you aren’t using so conserve some energy for heating.
Other Ways you can Keep your Home Warm
If you are going to be investing in using your reverse cycle air conditioning on The Sunshine Coast during Winter, then it’s important to keep that warm air inside your home!
There are several other areas you can adjust around the home that will work in conjunction with your reverse cycle air conditioning and trap the heat more effectively. This will ensure your Air con doesn’t need to work harder, your energy bills remain affordable and you stay cosy all Winter long.
- Let nature warm up the house by letting the sunshine in when possible. Open up curtains during the warmer part of the day.
- Use heavy curtains to then stop the heat from escaping through the windows once it gets colder. Pelmets can also be installed at the top of curtains to cool air further.
- Seal gaps in walls and doors to ensure there are no cold drafts coming through the house and your heat is not escaping.
- Install Insulation – if your home doesn’t already have insulation, then it is well worth the investment in the long run as it can save energy costs from heat loss by up to 45%.
- Close the doors to any room that is not being used in the home.
- Change the setting on your ceiling fans so the blades turn anti-clockwise. Warm air rises so this pushes the warm air back down to the floor.
If you notice any excess condensation on your outdoor unit don’t be alarmed, it is perfectly normal when the air conditioner is running in heat mode during winter.
If you need to upgrade or want a new air conditioning system, give us call or request a quote today!
