Brisbane’s climate can be both beautiful and challenging, especially during these sweltering summer months. The heat and humidity often make air conditioning not just a luxury, but a necessity for comfortable living—and in some cases, even a matter of safety. Imagine coming home after a long day, only to be greeted by a stuffy, overheated space; that’s where a well-functioning air conditioning unit and top air conditioning tips become your best friend.

However, simply having air conditioning isn’t enough. It’s crucial to ensure that your system is in top-notch condition and configured correctly to maintain an ideal temperature throughout your home. Read on as we look at the top air conditioning tips to keep you cool this summer.

Get An Early Start

Firstly, if you wait until your home is as hot inside as it is outside, your air conditioner will have to work much harder to try to keep up. This will put more strain on the unit and it’s essentially the equivalent of fighting an uphill battle.

Another air conditioning tip is that your AC’s inverter technology will control the unit based on your set point temperature.

Inverter technology is just a fancy way of saying that the temperature inside the house will control the motor speed without the need to turn the unit on and off manually. While it maintains a consistent temperature inside your home, it will cycle accordingly. When the house has reached the setpoint temperature, the unit will shut itself off. When the temperature rises above the setpoint temperature, the AC will start to cool the house back down to the desired temperature. In the long run, the AC will not need to run continuously which will save energy and wear and tear on the AC unit.

Choosing the Right Room Setpoint Temperature

The setpoint temperature is the internal temperature setting of your air conditioning unit, and you can adjust it manually as needed. For the best performance, it’s best to keep the setpoint temperature close to the outside temperature. We recommend setting it between 22 and 24 degrees Celsius and using a medium or high fan setting. This combination will help keep your home comfortably cool, even when outside temperatures reach up to 36 degrees Celsius.

Choose the Best Fan Speed

One of top our summer air conditioning tips is to use the high-speed fan setting, especially during the day. When the outside temperature cools, you could save the AC unit some work by lowering the fan speed. If you are using a zoned ducted air conditioning system, you could also limit the number of zones that are being cooled during the night as well as lowering the fan speed.

Control the Zones

A zoned ducted air conditioning system allows you to control the temperature of each room individually, but if you are trying to keep all the rooms cool simultaneously in high temperatures, the performance of your AC will suffer. This is due in part to the inefficiency of cooling rooms that aren’t needed and to the limitations placed on the air conditioning units by the manufacturers. Most air conditioning units have a temperature capacity that is set at 36 degrees Celsius. Higher temperatures will put more stress on your AC unit as a general rule, but there is nothing that can be done about the manufacturers’ settings.

The best air conditioning tips include managing zones by using the day and night principle. Every morning, turn on the zones you will use most in the daytime, such as the kitchen and living areas. In the evening, turn off the daytime zones and activate the areas used at night like the bedrooms. This will keep your AC functioning where and when you need it the most.

Maintain Air Flow

You can keep cool air flowing throughout your home by leaving the doors to rooms that are being cooled ajar so that the air can circulate. Conversely, keep the doors to rooms that aren’t being cooled closed to prevent warm air from making your AC unit work harder.

Understand the Settings

Your air conditioning unit should have settings called heating, cooling, and auto mode. Using the auto mode is less efficient because it can switch between heating and cooling even though you might not need or want it to do so. It’s best to use the cooling mode when you want to cool your house and the heating mode when you want to warm your home.

If your unit has a dry mode, you can use it to dehumidify rooms that are being cooled. You can set the dry mode to operate even if a room isn’t being cooled or heated so that moisture can still be removed. This is especially beneficial in areas of high humidity.

The fan mode will circulate air without the use of heating, cooling, or dehumidifying. This mode might be used at night when the inside temperature is comfortable but air circulation is desired.

Ensure Proper Cleaning and Maintenance

Regardless of the type of AC unit you are using, it will have some type of air filter. Dust and other particles from the air collect inside the filters and keep them from circulating air properly. If your unit uses washable filters, they should be washed every 6 to 12 months. Disposable filters should also be replaced every 6 to 12 months. If your filter is damaged or if you are having any other issues regarding your AC unit, it’s best to call a qualified expert for service. A regular maintenance routine will also keep your AC unit operating in top condition.

Summer Air Conditioning Tips With Southside Air Conditioning & Electrical

Whether you are looking to add ducted air conditioning or a split system unit to your home, make repairs, or set up a regular cleaning and maintenance schedule, the professionals at Southside Air Conditioning are here to help. Call us today to find out more.