We’re experts when it comes to air conditioning in New Braunfels, TX. We know AC systems down to their tiniest parts, and we use this expertise to help keep customers cool with working air conditioning systems.
We often run across incorrect information about air conditioning systems in our work. Most of these myths existed long before the internet, but our rapid information age has made it easier for them to spread. Thankfully, debunking them can spread as quickly, and debunking a few AC myths is what we’re going to do today…
“Air conditioners create cool air”
This a myth because of the wording: no air conditioning system can create cool air because cool isn’t a form of energy. It’s an absence of thermal energy. The less thermal energy in the air, the cooler it feels. What an AC does is remove the heat from the air moving through it and then deposits the heat outside. This obeys the Law of the Conservation of Energy: the heat energy isn’t created or destroyed, it’s instead moved elsewhere.
“The more you lower the thermostat, the more cooling you’ll get from your AC”
An understandable mistake: people think of the thermostat as a throttle they can press down harder and harder to get more power from the air conditioner. But a thermostat isn’t a throttle but a switch. It turns the AC on and off. When you lower the thermostat, you’re asking for the AC to run for longer, not provide a higher volume of cooling faster. This is why keeping the thermostat set steady at a comfortable temperature is the best for energy savings and your general comfort.
“The refrigerant in an AC will gradually get used up and need a refill”
We’ve covered this point before in several blogs because this myth can have some damaging consequences. An AC doesn’t “use up” refrigerant as it runs. The same amount of refrigerant will last for the entire service life of the air conditioning system unless it develops leaks. A leaking AC is the only time when refrigerant needs to be added.
“Air conditioners clean the air”
The cool air blown out from a well-working air conditioner may seem clean because it’s so crisp, and this can mislead people into believing they don’t need indoor air quality help like air purifiers or whole-house filters when the AC is running. But all the air conditioner removes from the air is heat and small amounts of moisture. An AC’s air filter doesn’t clean the air either; it only protects the interior of the AC from dust.
“You need to get a new AC every ten years”
You may hear this coming from a disreputable AC “technician,” but it’s not true. An air conditioning system may need a replacement after ten years, since this is the lower end of its service life expectancy. But if you have an AC still running effectively and efficiently at ten years, there’s no reason not to keep going. The upper range for an AC’s service life is fifteen years, and this is when we advise you look into a replacement.
At Thayer Air Conditioning, your comfort is our #1 priority! Call us when you need the best AC service in the area.
