Is Your Air Conditioner Operating Efficiently?

August 2021 | Helpful Tips

Photo of thermometer calculator and air-supply grille

Although summer is the perfect time for swimming at the pool or lake, barbecuing on the grille and other enjoyable outdoor activities, it’s also the time to ensure you have a properly running AC indoors. On hot summer days, one of the last things you’ll want is a malfunctioning cooling system that constantly runs while delivering inconsistent temperatures in your home. Questionable AC efficiency means that you’ll spend more on utility bills and get less comfort in return. Learning to verify your air conditionerā€™s efficiency enables you to consistently maintain and rely on quality performance that keeps your home cool, welcoming and relaxing.

Procedure for Checking Your ACā€™s Efficiency

Whether you are an AC expert or a relative novice, knowing how to check your systemā€™s efficiency can help you improve the unitā€™s general performance. For more accurate results, you should do this test on a hot day, preferably one when the outdoor temperature is 80 degrees or above. Here are the steps to take when testing your air conditionerā€™s efficiency:

  • Turn on the AC unit.
  • Put a thermometer on the supply register.
  • Leave it for at least five minutes.
  • Note that reading.
  • Repeat this on the return vent.

What’s the Verdict?

So, after going through the steps outlined above, how do you determine whether your AC is running efficiently? The accepted recommendation for measuring these results dictates that the conditioned air exiting your system is a minimum of 15 degrees cooler than the air entering it. If your AC puts out conditioned air at a temperature lower than this standard, it is partially failing to sufficiently cool your home. In such cases, the device will have to be examined to diagnose the cause of this inefficiency.

For those in the Medford and Klamath Falls areas, Metal Masters Heat & Air provides commercial and residential heating and air conditioning services, including installation, repair and maintenance. In fact, we’ve been doing that for over fifty years. Our reliable technicians can help you resolve your AC efficiency problems and enhance your homeā€™s comfort. We even install attic insulation. Call us today for more information.