Indoor air quality is often worse than that of the outside air. That’s tragic that we may spend half or more of our time inside of our homes. Yet we consume energy trying to maintain the comfort of our homes and opening a window to let in fresh air wastes electricity. What is the solution? First start with hacks to make your air conditioner work better because these also improve indoor air quality.
Here are a few tips for improving the air quality and energy efficiency of your home. And read here for 5 hacks for reusing your air conditioner water.
Invest in AC Maintenance
Regularly changing out the air filters in the AC won’t just improve your indoor air quality. It will reduce the wear and tear on the air conditioner motor, extending its life. Cleaning the vents and the condenser coil will improve your permanent or portable unit’s efficiency. This will help you lower your energy bill while keeping cool.
More importantly, it will allow technicians to inspect for coolant leaks. They can fix refrigerant leaks before they result in a hot compressor burning out, and it minimizes the environmental impact such leaks can cause.
What can you do if you aren’t having the AC checked out once a year? Call out an air con repair service as soon as your AC is having problems, so that the minor issues can be addressed before they become expensive failures. We suggest being part of a local WhatsApp group to get the best and current recommendation near you.
Take Care of Your Ductwork
In many homes, heated and cooled air is distributed through the home via ductwork. Dust may stick to the inside of the ductwork. This won’t necessarily get into the air if you turn up the fan, but it can impair the proper flow of air inside your home. The ducts may be trapping moisture. If there is mold growing on the inside of the ducts, you need to have them professionally cleaned to get rid of the mold.
That has the side benefit of reducing respiratory problems airborne mold can cause. Have the ducts inspected periodically. Gaps and breaks in the seal let air-conditioned air escape. That is always a waste of energy, and these breaks in the system provide pests a way into your home.
Invest in HEPA grade filters
Always try to resolve the root cause of a problem, instead of resorting to temporary fixes. For example, you should have your ducts cleaned or the water leak contributing to mold growth fixed rather than spraying deodorizer in the air. You may need to remove the bushes intended to hide the air conditioner from view so that the unit has adequate air flow. A clogged drain in a furnace or air conditioner unit can result in the whole house smelling like mold and mildew.
On the other hand, a bad smell that starts every time you turn on the AC could be due to mold growing in the HVAC filter you haven’t gotten around to changing. If you have bad allergies, or are worried about worsening air pollution, invest in HEPA grade filters and change them regularly. Use a fan to
Replacing the filters more often so that the AC doesn’t have to work as hard to pull in air will lower your electric bill and reduce wear and tear on the equipment. Ask a local serviceperson what they recommend in terms of replacing HEPA filters.
We keep a stand alone HEPA filter in the room to work alongside the air conditioner. It keeps track of the amount of dust and particulate matter in the air and helps us understand when to open the windows and even dust the room.
Growing plants indoors can contribute to an improvement of air quality. Here is a guide to growing an olive tree in a container if you want to start a project.
And lastly, if you want to run the air con guilt-free, invest in solar panels that power your home. The excess money feeds back to the grid.
