Tune-Up the Air Conditioner

For Immediate Release
April 16, 2002

With Pepco customers cranking up their air conditioners with this week's early arrival of summer-like temperatures and humidity, it's never too late to make sure they run efficiently.

Here are some tips that will make for a cooler summer and help reduce air conditioning costs:

1)  Clean the outside condenser coil of your air conditioner once a year.  Collected dirt and objects can block the flow of air and reduce operating efficiency.  To clean,  turn off the unit and spray the coils with water at a low pressure - high water pressure could bend the fins. Try to spray from the top of the unit down and outward.  A qualified repairman could check the internal coolant pressure.

2)  Clean or replace air conditioning filters monthly.

3)  Consider using a ceiling fan with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air to other rooms and boost your comfort level.

4)  Close drapes, blinds and shades during the day to keep out the sun.  Sunshine through windows can add heat to your home.

 5)  Use your oven and other heat-generating appliances in the early morning and late evening hours to keep your air conditioning from working too hard.

6)  Remember that setting your home/office thermostat at a colder setting than normal will not cool faster. However, it will cool to a lower temperature than you may need and use more energy.

7)  Use duct tape to seal any cracks between each section of the air ducts on your central air conditioning system.

8)  Avoid placing lamps or television sets near your thermostat.  Heat from these appliances is sensed by the thermostat and could cause the air --conditioner to run longer than necessary.