A wide range of air conditioning units are available today. It is therefore important to choose the air conditioning unit that is best suited to your room for its optimum cooling. If your air conditioning unit is too big or too small, you will end up spending a lot of money on your electricity bills. The right sized air conditioning unit will be the best in providing you with the cooling you need.

An air conditioning unit that is too large will cool your area too quickly. This will increase electricity costs and prove inefficient in the long run. An air conditioning unit which is too small on the other hand, will not be able to take the load of cooling your space sufficiently. This could have an adverse effect on its compressor. Moreover, an air conditioning unit that is put under a lot of load will incur more expenses in the form of its maintenance and electricity bills.

If you choose the right air conditioner and get it installed by a professional, then you will be able to enjoy lots of benefits for years to come. Your maintenance bills will reduce and your electricity bills too will not shoot through the roof. A carefully chosen air conditioning unit will not only serve you for a long time to come without many problems, but also help you save a lot of money on an annual basis.

Every electrical unit that has been developed has been done so, in order to make man’s life more comfortable and luxurious. Air conditioners are known to be one of the best appliances that any private, public or commercial place can have. Although these units are beneficial in a number of ways, they have their weaknesses. The biggest weakness by far is their contribution to the depletion of the ozone layer.

How air conditioners contribute to ozone depletion
It was discovered, around the 1980s that air conditioning systems played a big part in ozone depletion as they used refrigerants like CFCs and HCFCs. As soon as the discovery was made, an international treaty called the Montreal Protocol was signed that stated the gradual phase out of ozone depleting refrigerants.

Chlorine atoms are the main ozone depleting substances as they break down once they reached the stratosphere. This causes a chemical reaction that causes the weakening of ozone atoms and breaks them down to create a hole in the ozone layer.

Consequences of ozone depletion
Depletion in the ozone layer will lead to more harmful exposure to the sun’s ultra violet rays of the sun. This will result in increased cases of skin cancer, weakening of the immune systems in animals and humans and gradual damage of all the eco systems.

To avoid any of this from happening and to save the ozone layer, air conditioner manufacturers have now developed a non-ozone depleting refrigerant which is already being used in systems. As CFC and HCFC systems fade out, they will be replaced by new eco- friendly air conditioners.

Almost everyone today needs to have an air conditioning unit in their home or office in order to deal with uncomfortable temperatures. In offices air conditioners are used mostly to keep employees comfortable and electrical units cool and from breaking down. In homes these units are meant to produce clean healthy and fresh air to keep members in the home comfortable.

However, as these units are used everyday for a long time, they require routine servicing and maintenance that many users do not know how to perform. Air conditioners that are not maintained can be real problem. So here are a few easy maintenance tips for your unit.

• Cleaning the unit’s filter is the first and most important thing to do as it can result in the eventual break down of the unit if dirty. The filter will have to be removed from the front grille to clean or change it
• Remove the front grille from the air conditioner’s main body and clean the dirt and dust from the evaporator, which are the front fins, using a brush. This must be done carefully as the fins can be bent easily
• You will also have to clean the condenser coils (rear fins) in the same way. This should be done carefully as the coil is full of high pressure refrigerant
• It is important to vacuum all the surfaces of the grille, front and back. Even the underside of the air conditioner’s metal cover needs cleaning, especially if it has holes.

These steps can help you clean out dust from the unit and keep your air conditioner in top working condition for a long time.

Air conditioning units are electric devices that help people to live in a comfortable environment even in the warm summer months. As air conditioning units are quite expensive, it is important to maintain them so that the same unit can be used for a long period of time. Proper maintenance of an air conditioner is important due to numerous reasons.

Firstly, proper air conditioning maintenance keeps the unit in top performing condition. This means that the air conditioning unit will not start malfunctioning all of a sudden in the peak summer months.

When all the parts of an air conditioning unit are in perfect working condition and none of the parts experience additional pressure or work load, the energy consumed by the air conditioning unit is reasonably low. Thus a well maintained air conditioning unit reduces energy consumption and saves your hard earned money.

Without proper maintenance the unit can circulate dirty and dusty air in the interiors of your home. Moreover, an ill maintained air conditioning unit becomes a breeding ground for harmful bacteria which can cause fatal fever. So, air conditioning maintenance is must if you want to maintain a healthy atmosphere in your home.

Finally, when an air conditioning unit is well maintained and checked at regular interval by expert technicians the life of the unit increases and it lasts for a longer period of time. So, do not neglect the maintenance schedule of your air conditioning unit if you want to enjoy all these benefits.

Air conditioning is now available within a price range that allows most people to buy an air conditioning unit and enjoy complete comfort at home. However, like everything else it is very important to maintain the air conditioning unit properly so that it does not malfunction.

Proper maintenance of an air conditioning unit is not a tough job. If all the family members contribute a little, you can easily keep your unit in top performing condition. The first point in the unit’s maintenance is keeping it clean. Regular dusting and occasional cleaning is important.

Care must be taken to keep the external portion of the air conditioning unit containing the compressor clean too. When the unit is not in use during the winter months, care must be taken to cover the external compressor with a sheet so that the compressor remains free from dust and dirt.

Changing the air filter every month must also be undertaken. This is very important not only for keeping the air conditioning unit in tip top condition but also for maintaining a healthy atmosphere inside your home.

Check the pipes and ducts of the air conditioning unit at regular intervals. Finally, getting the unit serviced by professional air conditioner servicing company is must. This allows early detection of defects, if any and allows you to enjoy uninterrupted comfort in the summer season.

R-22 replacement (the removal of old air conditioning and refrigeration units) is a complex and considerable legislation that is about to affect thousands of businesses in the UK.

The latest developments in heat pump technology have resulted in lower efficiency of the older forms of air conditioning. This directly impacts the emissions of CO2.

This is the reason why the Government is implementing the replacement and removal of lower temperature refrigeration units that use R-22. This phase-out of R-22 refrigeration units will be completed by 2015 as the Government is enforcing this as part of their campaign in order to tackle global warming. Studies show that the gases emitted by these air conditioning units are harmful to the ozone layer thus resulting in excessive environmental damage and UV levels.

R-22 refrigerants are extensively used in industrial refrigeration plants and so the changes in air conditioning legislation will affect every company that makes use of R-22 refrigerants. 2015 may sound like a long way off, but as most commercial air conditioning units that were fitted before 2001 in the UK utilise R-22, there are a lot of units to deal with.

All R-22 refrigeration air conditioning units need to be replaced with ODP refrigerants. So, if you own an air conditioning unit, make sure that it is replaced with a non ozone depleting refrigerant as early as possible.

Everyone is aware of the importance of the earth’s ozone layer, located about 35 miles above the surface of our planet. However, not many people know about the amount of damage to the ozone and how it has occurred. During the mid 1980s, scientists discovered a hole in the ozone and it was also discovered that the widely used air conditioning refrigerant had played a part in this damage.

Phasing out of ozone depleting refrigerants:

CFCs and HCFCs were the refrigerants used at that time so it was decided that these should be banned from further production and use. The Montreal Protocol which was an agreement signed by 180 nations in 1987 was the first step in the phasing out of these ozone depleting refrigerants. It was decided by this agreement that CFC production would phase out by 1995 and HCFC by 2030.

Replacement of ozone depleting refrigerants:

Air conditioning refrigerant manufacturers have fortunately found better and more eco-friendly refrigerants to replace CFCs and HCFCs. This refrigerant is called R-410A and is a refrigerant blend of zeotropic and azeotropic. These do not have ozone depleting properties. There are already air conditioning systems that have been manufactured with this ozone friendly refrigerant, but current prices of these units are slightly higher than regular units.

However, the good news is that as more and more air conditioning system manufacturers begin to develop the same systems, prices are sure to reduce. This means that there will be affordable, eco- friendly air conditioning units available for everyone.

If you are a business owner, you need to make sure that the air conditioning units used in your premises are well maintained. This is not an option but a legal requirement. As there are specific health risks that are associated with air conditioning units, it is essential to make sure that they are checked and maintained regularly in order to avoid the spread of diseases.

Air conditioning units are known to harbour the legionella bacteria, which is an organism that can lead to potentially critical bouts of legionnaires disease. However, this is not the only source of the disease. Legionnaire disease can also be caused if water droplets containing these bacteria are inhaled. Other potential threats can include anything that creates moist air like hot water systems, industrial cooling towers, humidifiers and spa baths.

Experts believe that legionella bacteria have more than 40 variations that can be naturally found in water and soil. Though the thought of getting infected is terrifying, legionnaires Disease proves to be fatal in only 15 per cent of all reported cases. However, this threat is big enough to warrant government legislation which ensures that businesses take responsibility for the occupants of their buildings.

According to the UK Health & Safety regulations, building owners should make sure that their premises are safe for their customers and employees. Air conditioning units are something that are used in almost every business environment and by maintaining them on a regular basis, business owners ensure a good and healthy environment.

Whether it is in a home or office, users are always looking for energy efficient air conditioning because this can save a lot on running costs. The efficiency of air conditioning units can be improved regardless of whether it is a portable unit, a high energy efficient unit or an old one. But this is usually done with routine maintenance steps that can be either performed by you or an expert technician.

Important maintenance steps to make your unit energy efficient

Clean and change the filter:
A dirty filter can increase the load on the unit’s fan motor which will in turn increase the energy the air conditioning system consumes. A dirty filter can also reduce the air flow which will make the unit run for a longer time. Together, these factors can increase air conditioning running costs significantly. This makes cleaning and changing the filter a must.

Clean the compressor:
If you look at the outside of the air conditioning unit, you will be amazed to see the amount of dirt and debris that can get collected in a short space of time. This makes it necessary to pull out the cover of the unit and clean it. You would also need to clear any debris and plants that are close to the outside unit to increase the air flow.

These are the two most important maintenance steps that should be taken. If you find the unit still does not produce cool air, check the refrigerant level. If you are not confident in carrying out these tasks yourself, you can always hire a professional to check and service the unit.

The air conditioning units available today not only cool a home but can also heat it. These are known as reverse cycle air conditioners and are mostly used in homes which experience warm and cold climates. Regardless of which type of air conditioning unit you have; a ductless unit or a central unit, the continuous running of the unit can result in a rise in electricity bills. However, there are ways to help cut down on the costs of air conditioning.

Let breeze into a warm home- Coming home on a really hot day you will realise that it is hotter inside than compared to the temperature outside. Normally your first action would be to switch on the unit. But this could put unnecessary strain on the unit, which would use up more energy to cool the home. It is better to first open up the home, let in some breeze which will reduce the temperature inside. This will allow the unit to start at a lower temperature and save running costs.

Use the fan on mild days- A majority of air conditioning systems allow users to run the fan without using the unit’s compressor. By not using the compressor you are actually saving money. So it is better to use just the fan on mildly warm days which could save you quite a bit on your bills.

Clean the filters- Dirty filters will make it harder for the unit to get adequate air flow through the system. Air conditioners cost more to run when there is this type of wear and tear. Cleaning the air conditioner’s filter can increase the longevity of the unit and save on running costs as well.