Category: Air Conditioning

Mold in Air Conditioning Units: Causes, Health Effects, and Prevention

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Yes — mold can grow inside air conditioning units, and it’s more than just a bad smell. Moisture, dust, and...

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AC Dehumidifier(Dry) Mode- What and When Do You Use It?

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Does Air Conditioning Use Water? Understanding How Your AC Unit Works

August 10, 2025Dennis Reed

Do Air Conditioners Use Water? Air conditioners primarily use refrigerants to cool and dehumidify indoor air. During this process, condensation...

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How to Clean AC Coils Without Removing the Unit – No Tools Needed

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Best AC Coil Cleaning Brushes and Tools

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Signs of Dirty AC Coils and What to Do About Them

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How to Tell If Your AC Coils Are Dirty A well-functioning air conditioner is essential for staying comfortable during hot...

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How Many BTUs Do You Need? Use our free BTU calculator to quickly find out how much cooling power your...

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UV Lights vs. UV Air Purifiers in Your HVAC: What’s the Difference and Which One Do You Need?

May 19, 2025Dennis Reed

UV lights in HVAC systems kill mold and bacteria on internal coils, while UV air purifiers like the REME HALO...

Difference Between Air Conditioner and Dehumidifier

What is the difference between a air conditioner and a dehumidifier?

The difference between an air conditioner and a dehumidifier is where the warm air and condensation that the unit is generating are dispelled.

Air conditioners dispel the heat and moisture outside of the house and a dehumidifier dispels the heat and moisture inside of the house. (Though most modern dehumidifiers have a port to drain the water with a garden hose to a sink or outside)

Mechanically they are very much the same. Both have a hot side and a cold side.

The difference is how they are used.

And the air conditioner is primarily used to cool down a room. So the hot side of the air conditioner is outside.

A dehumidifier is used to reduce the moisture in the air. Instead of dispersing the hot air outside of the room, it releases it back into the room.

Releasing the hot air back into the room helps the dehumidifier continue to draw out more humidity from the air.

Do dehumidifiers cool a room?

A dehumidifier is not made to cool a room. Though indirectly it will help the room feel more comfortable because of the reduction of humidity.

But remember the heat generated from the dehumidifier is being released back into the room as it is dehumidifying.

And though the heat may not be significant because of the lack of moisture in the air now that the dehumidifier is running, there is still going to be an increase in the temperature.

Do dehumidifiers help with heat?

Dehumidifiers do help with heat in directly because they reduce the moisture in the air that is perceived as heat.

But you should know that the room that the dehumidifier is being used in is not going to be cooler.

How much heat does a dehumidifier create?

Think about it this way. If you were to take a window air conditioner and sit in the middle of the room, one side of the air conditioner would be cool and the other side would be hot.

With a dehumidifier, you’re only getting the hot.

Dehumidifiers are meant to reduce the humidity in the home more as a way to reduce the effect of moisture on the structure of the house and as a preventative for mold growth then they are as a way manage the climate in the house.
The fact that a dehumidifier can make the room feel more comfortable is more like a happy side-effect.

Air conditioner as a dehumidifier

Does AC dehumidify?

An air conditioner also dehumidifies the air as it is operating. Part of the way it is able to cool the air is it is pulling moisture out of the air and draining it outside.

Air conditioning is infinitely better as a dehumidifier because it not only cools the house as it is dehumidifying, it disperses the hot air outside and drains the condensation in the outside as well.

Many central air conditioners come with a dry mode setting to be able to dehumidify a room without cooling it when the outdoor temperature is more muggy than hot.

Is dry mode more economical?

Dry mode consumes much less energy than cool mode on the AC because it runs the compressor at about half-speed.

Does a dehumidifier use a lot of electricity?

Dehumidifiers are known energy hogs.

If you look at it a breakdown aware most of your energy cost are going,
It is to the main appliances like the refrigerator and the HVAC that use compressors.
99% of dehumidifiers on the shelf run off of a compressor. So you can expect your electric bill to show a small increase when you run the dehumidifier.

is it cheaper to run an AC or dehumidifier?

A dehumidifier uses only about a tenth of the electricity that an air conditioner uses. An standard AC runs full on and then off as the temperature is reached.
And then restarts when the temperature rises above the temperature designated on the thermostat. This repeated cycle results in an enormous amount of energy consumed and a very high energy bill. See Inverter AC

A dehumidifier doesn’t cycle off and on like a AC which keeps the cost much lower than an AC.

But though the air conditioner is a dehumidifier, its primary use is to cool down the air so it doesn’t reduce the humidity in the air as much as a dedicated dehumidifier.

Also air conditioning is typically not ran to the basement or crawl spaces.

And those are two of the main spots you need a dehumidifier to reduce moisture.

Portable air conditioner as a dehumidifier?

If an air conditioner and a dehumidifier are mechanically the same, does that mean I can use a portable air conditioner as a dehumidifier?

It does sound great in theory, but a portable air conditioner does not drain condensation like a dehumidifier.

The condensation of a portable AC basically spits out through the rear show the unit and drips of a drainage hole.

Collecting the water so that it is not become part of the humidity problem that you’re trying to resolve is not easily solved.

Unfortunately when it comes to portable air conditioners and portable dehumidifiers, they are not interchangeable.

Though in many cases they are combined into one unit.

Recap

Dehumidifiers and air conditioners are very closely related and mechanically run nearly the same.

The main difference is or how they expel the heat and condensation that they generate.

The AC dispels the heat and condensation outside and a dehumidifier dispels the heat and condensation inside.

But how they are used and what they are used for is the real difference.

Air conditioning is used to cool off a room. De-humidification just happens to be part of that process.

Dehumidifiers are not made to cool off a room but to reduce moisture.

Though running an AC can help reduce the humidity in a room, a portable dehumidifier will do much more to reduce moisture and can go
into areas where there is no air conditioning like the moldy basement and crawl space.

Dehumidifiers also do not cool of a room directly and in fact will make a room temperature rise.

What is an Air Conditioner Inverter?

What is an Inverter AC?

A inverter AC is a air conditioner is an that is equipped with an inverted modulated compressor. An inverter changes the output of the compressor from direct to alternating current allowing for the AC to run at variable speeds continually, according to what is needed, rather than full power on or off.

Advantages of inverter AC

The advantages of inverter AC are many.

Among the top are the capacity of a inverter Air Conditioner to rapidly cool a room and keep the temperature steady and more evenly distributed.
Inverter AC continually monitors and regulates the temperature in the room.

Inverter AC uses a significantly less amount of energy than a standard AC
and does a much more efficient job.

And because the compressor never turns on and off on a inverter AC, the wear and tear is much less making breakdowns much lower than on a standard air conditioner.

But…

Disadvantages of an inverter air conditioner

The main disadvantage of a inverter air conditioner is the upfront cost.

The price is not only much higher for an inverter air conditioner, the cost of maintenance and repairs can also be very expensive.

Additionally, homes and buildings that use a inverter AC must be insulated very well for the savings better expected by switching to an Inverter will not be that noticeable.

Something to think about.

Pros and Cons of Inverter AC

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Inverter vs non inverter AC power consumption

The difference empower consumption between a inverter and a non inverter AC is pretty remarkable.

If you typically pay $100 a month to run a normal AC, you can expect to pay as little as $55 to $60 for inverter air conditioning.

And if your home is very well-insulated, you can expect to pay less.

What is dual inverter AC?

Dual inverter AC is the second generation of inverter AC.

And it is exactly what it sounds like. An AC with two inverters.

The advantage of adding a second inverter decreases the noise and vibration from a single inverter system.

It also exponentially decreases the amount of energy that is needed to cool down and regulate the temperature in a room.

Exciting and more exciting.

If dual was not enough, triple inverter AC’s have already begun to make there presence known.

Should you jump on the inverter AC bandwagon?

It really comes down to the amount of AC you need.
If you live in a area where the climate is very hot, then the extra cost up front is well worth it.

And the extra expense can be seen as a investment that will eventually pay you back and more.

But if you live in mild climate in the air conditioner only gets ran a few months of the year, then the Energy savings will not be nearly enough to justify the high price.

But stick around awhile and you will probably be seeing the price of inverter AC’s drop. After all, with the trend already moving into triple inverters, how can the single inverter AC possibly compete?

Recap

An AC Inverter changes the output of a ac compressor from direct current to alternating current.

That changes the compressor from “on/off” cycling to variable speed cycling.

What’s the difference? A lot.

An inverter AC uses much less energy because it never completely shuts down.
On the flip side , a standard AC consumes a huge amount of energy because of the operating method of fully powering on then fully powering off to maintain the temperature designated on the thermostat.
An inverter AC keeps the temperature the same and more evenly distributed. Because the compressor on a inverter air conditioner speeds up and slows down with the fluctuation of the temperature, the temperature never has a chance to change.
A standard AC powers off when the temperature is reached then powers on when the temperature exceeds the desired output.

The down side of inverter AC’s is the upfront cost. Though the back end savings may be well worth it according to your overall AC needs, the savings may not be worth it if you do not live in a climate that dictates the heavy use of an air conditioner.

The price of repairs is also accordingly higher.

And additionally you will need to ensure that your house is insulated very well to see the promised savings to your energy bill.

But that is today’s market. As inverter AC’s become more widely used and the market becomes more competitive, the price will come down.

Actually the future of air conditioning is looking pretty grand. As dual inverters and triple inverters become the norm, and air conditioning is integrated with air quality more as a standard,
Air conditioning should be much cheaper as well as being much healthier and efficient.

AC Unit Freezing Up In Summer

Irony. That may too kind of a word for it.
The hottest time of the year and the air conditioner is not working. Right when you need it the most. But the AC unit freezing up in summer is not unusual.

Why is the AC freezing up in hot weather?

The AC needs two things to make sure it’s able to cool down your house properly. Good airflow and the proper level of refrigerant.
When the days get hotter, the thermostat tends to get adjusted to a lower setting which makes the AC work harder.

Ice forming on AC coils?

Ice forming on the AC coils is a symptom of a unmaintained air conditioning unit that is working harder because of the temperature getting Hotter outside.

If you see ice forming on your air conditioner, it not only means that your air conditioner is not going to be able to do its job, they can also result and costly in repairs. So it is important not to let the problem linger.

What causes an AC unit to freeze up?

1. Dirty filters

Number one on the list. Dirty filters.
When you have any kind of issue with your air conditioner, the first thing to check is if the air filters have been neglected and need changed.

A Dirty or clogged filter restricts the amount of air that is able to flow across the AC coils. When there is not enough hot air moving across the coils, the refrigerant is so cold, the condensation on them freezes.
Keeping the air filters changed at least every 2 to 3 months is the easiest way to keep your unit working properly.

2.Vent registers

Other restrictions in the air flow can result from closing supply and return vents. If the AC is freezing up, making sure all the vent registers are open and not being covered will help the air flow also.

3. Low Refrigerant

A unit that is low on refrigerant will cause the AC coils to freeze over to.

If cleaning the filters and opening the vents does not get the air conditioner functioning again then it could be a refrigerant leak.

A technician can tell you whether or not you need freon in your system.
But remember did the air conditioner is not made to have to be recharged.
Recharging the refrigerant may help you get through the year but you will probably need to do it again every year to you get the leak fixed.

How to tell if AC is Frozen?

How can you tell if the air conditioning coils are frozen over?

1. The easiest thing is the turn off the air conditioner and let it run on “fan mode” for a while.
If you turn it on after a couple of hours and cool air comes out again. Bingo, you have discovered that your AC is Freezing.
2. Check and see if there’s any water coming out of the drain line. A properly functioning AC will have a continuous drip from the drain line. If it’s frozen, it won’t drip.
3. You can visibly see ice on the outside of the unit. Check the insulated pipes running out of the AC also. If the AC is Frozen, you’ll likely see ice formed there to.

AC Frozen – how long to defrost?

How long you have to let your AC defrost depends on the the amount of ice that has formed on your coils.
45 minutes is a good spot to try your AC and see if it’s cooling again.
In the meantime, make sure your filters are clean and your registers are open and not blocked or your AC will probably freeze over again pretty fast.
Especially if not all the ice has thawed.

How to unfreeze AC unit fast

1. Fan mode
Set the thermostat to Fan On mode.
Letting the AC run on Fan will blow warm air across the coils and help the ice and refrigerant thaw out faster.

2. Hair dryer

You can use a hair dryer to help it’s all out a little faster. You sure you completely turn off your unit at the breaker box first. If you need the ice gone quicker than letting it thaw out.
Using a hair dryer can help you fill it out a little faster. Be sure you don’t try to step it up to a torch or heat gun. You definitely don’t want to do any damage to your machine.

Can I pour hot water on frozen air conditioner?

3. Pouring hot or warm water over the ice coils outside is it perfectly good way to thaw out the coils faster.

But be sure to turn the AC off at the breaker box.
The water inside the garden hose is usually warmer in the summer to.
And gives you a good reason to clean and remove any debris from the outside of the unit while you’re at it.

AC unit freezing up at night

When your AC is freezing up at night, it is most likely the fact that the temperature is getting to cool at night to keep warm moving across the AC coils.
Even in Summer, the days can be miserably hot while the night air puts a chill in your bones.
Turning the thermostat up at night should help keep the air warm enough to keep your AC from freezing at night.

Remember the AC filter is the place to look first. If it is clogged, the air will not move across the coils fast enough regardless of whether it’s day or night, summer or fall.

Wrap up

what causes an evaporator coil to freeze?

The most common issue with the AC evaporator coils to freeze is poor air flow.
If the air filters have not been replaced recently, then that is more than likely the problem.
Another air restriction that can aid in the AC freezing over is closing the supply and return vents.
Make sure all the vents are open and that there’s nothing blocking them.

Low refrigerant is also a possibility when the AC is freezing over. Low refrigerant in an air conditioner is a sure indicator that you have a leak in the system.
Getting a licensed AC tech to find the leak, fix it, and recharge the unit is the best path to take.

Air Conditioner Leaking Water Inside

Why is my air conditioner leaking water inside?

There’s not too many things more stressful then to see water leaking through your ceiling. And when it comes to the central heat and air unit in the Attic, it’s easy to imagine that it’s going to cost an arm and a leg to fix it.

But if you catch it fast enough there’s a good chance that you can get to it before it becomes a major issue.

And though it may sound daunting, there is only a few things that it could actually be causing the AC to leak inside of the house.

But first you need to turn the air conditioner off. Then you were going to need to resolve the issue as quickly as possible so you can avoid any more damage to your ceiling or walls.

Reasons your AC may be leaking

1. Dirty Air Filter

Dirty AC filters are the first thing you should look for in just about every instance when your air conditioning is not working right. For the AC to work efficiently, it has to have good airflow. When the air filters are clogged, that can’t happen.

Dirty air filters can also cause your air conditioning to leak inside of the house.
Why? Because when the warm air cannot flow easily across the cooling coils, it causes the condensation to freeze.

When the Frozen coils thaw out, because water to drip more heavily than normal.

You might be amazed by the amount of HVAC service calls that are solved by simply replacing AC filter.

What is a dirty furnace filter look like?

How often should the furnace filter be changed?

You should change your AC / Furnace Filter at least every 2-3 Months. A Free Flow of Air is the Lives Blood of your Heating and Air Unit. Keeping clean filters in your AC and Furnace unit is the easiest thing to do to keep your Unit working well for a very long time.

2. AC drain pan leaking

The AC drain pan is the part of the air conditioner that captures the condensate from the cooling coils.
From the drain pan, the water travels out of the house through the condensate drain line.

But if the drain pan is crack or rusted through, the water will simply leak out on to the other components of the air conditioning and eventually the floor beneath. Which is the ceiling in the room below the air conditioner.

Flex seal AC drip pan

If the damage to your AC drain pan is not too extensive, then there are ways to fix it without having to replace it.
Flex seal is the product known for its ability to create a water-tight seal.

Fixing your air conditioning drain pan could be as easy as spraying flex seal in it to patch it up.

Otherwise you’re looking at replacing it.

3. Clogged condensate drain line

All air conditioners create moisture as by product of pulling warm air across the cooling coils. That moisture turns to liquid and exits the house via a condensate drain line. If the drain line gets clogged, then the water will back up and eventually drip out to article floor. Which is the ceiling in the room below it.

Using a shop Wet/ Dry Vac to vacuum the line at exit outside is the easiest way to remove the obstruction.
Vacuuming is the easiest way to get it clear but it may not be the best solution on the long haul.
The best solution is to keep it clean and maintain so you do not have a problem with the drain getting clogged.

Clean AC drain line vinegar

The trick to this is actually very easy, with a funnel, pour about 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar into the drainage pipe at least once a year when the air conditioner is ready to fire up again.

4. Condensate pump leaking

Many drain lines rely on gravity to transport the condensate from the air conditioner outside of the house. But in some cases that is just not possible, for instance some HVAC sore in the basement which is below the main floor line.

In this type of situation a condensate pump is needed to pump the water from the AC outside.

If the condensate pump is not working or leaking , it is not going to be able to transport the moisture outside and the result will be water overfilling the drain pan and leaking inside your home.

5. Low refrigerant

Low refrigerant levels will make the cooling coils freeze over. When they fall out, generally leave a puddle around your unit. If you suspect it could be the refrigerant there are other signs you can look for.

Symptoms of low freon in central air conditioner

The filter is clean but the coils are still frosting up and freezing
The temperature is not reaching the assigned thermostat setting.
Warm air is coming from vents.

How much water should drain from my air conditioner?

The amount of water draining from your air conditioner could be up to 20 gallons a day in a super humid climate.
Or as low as 3 gallons in a dry climate.
In other words, the humidity in your area has a great deal do with how much condensation your AC is gathering.

The main point though is that it is draining. You should see a constant flow of water coming from your drain line.

If your air conditioner does not have a regular flow of water then you probably have a clogged drain line and you’ll need to address it immediately.

How much water should be in the AC drip pan?

The drip pan should not have standing water in it. If there is standing water in your AC drip pan, then you have a clogged drain line. a clogged drain line will eventually lead to water leaking inside of your house.

Air conditioner drain pan keeps filling up?

If your air conditioner drain pan keeps filling up, you have a clogged drain line.
The drain pan is connected to the condensate drainage line. Any water that drips into the AC drain pan should immediately exit through the drain line.
If your drain pan keeps filling up, you need to vacuum out any obstruction and maintenance the drain line so that it does not obstruct the moisture exiting the AC.

Window AC Leaking Water Outside

All air conditioners drip water. It’s the nature of the beast. Condensation is a part of the refrigeration process of cooling down a room and dehumidifying it at the same time. An AC that is not producing condensation is not working properly.

Window AC Leaking water Outside.

When an air conditioner is working right, it is creating condensation as it cools down the air.

The condensation has to have a place to go and on a window AC that is either through a small drain hole located on a back corner of the air conditioner or a drainage plug which drains outside.

The problem comes along when the water is not draining outside but inside the house.

Air conditioner leaking water inside

Window air conditioners are designed to drain out the rear of the unit, outside of the window.

If you your window AC
Is dripping water inside the house, then there can only be a handful of things that could possibly be.

Here is a few tips to help you diagnose your leaky AC situation.

1. Poor installation

The window air conditioner is meant to be installed, tilted slightly to the rear. That is simply so that the condensation will follow the path of the bottom of the air conditioner and drip out the back.

If the window AC is level or tilted towards the front of the unit, the moisture will follow the path of the bottom of the air conditioner to the front of the air conditioner.

Eventually it is going to find a place to leaked out into the inside of the house.

Easy fix- tilt the AC back. You can add a shim to the front if you need a way to keep it tilted.

2. Not properly sealed.

If the warm air that is supposed to be expelled out the back begins to get into the house around the window AC. Condensation can begin to gather around the casing inside of a house.
Then just like a glass of ice water, it will begin to build up and eventually drip.

Easy fix #2. Weather strip around the AC.

3. Drain is Completely clogged.

If your drain hole is completely clogged, condensation water can build up to a point that it has to escape somewhere.

Easy fix #3. Clean out the drain hole. Take it even further and hose down the rear of the unit. Be sure to get between the grills to wash out anything that could be stopping up your drain hole.

Window AC not dripping water

If you find yourself on the other end of the spectrum and your window AC is just not dripping any water, that is a definite red flag and you need to address it before it becomes an physical actual problem.

If you have a window AC that is not dripping water, then the drainage hole is clogged up. It’s important to get it unclogged because the water is going to have to find some place to go. And that could mean out the front into your home and onto your floor or carpet.

Refer to Fix #3

Is water leaking from the air conditioner dangerous?

The water leaking from the air conditioner is condensation which on its own would not be considered dangerous at all. But since it is following a path where there could be a build-up of mold and algae and other debris, drinking AC condensation water is probably not a good idea unless it is ran through a purifier.
But since it already is running out on the grass, it is probably safe to say that air conditioning condensation water is not dangerous for plants.

Is the water leaking from the window AC damaging?
Yes water leaking from your AC can cause damage to your walls and ceiling.
Not only can it damage your drywall it can become mold growing inside of your walls.

It’s safe to say that keeping an eye out for how your AC is draining is one of the easiest ways to avoid problems with your air conditioning.

Air Conditioner Not Blowing Cold Air?

Have you ever turned on your air conditioner and it’s just not blowing cold like you think it should?

Or maybe it starts off cold but turns warm only after a few minutes?

Did you know that most problems to do with the air conditioning are actually very easy to troubleshoot.

Of course there are things that can go wrong that can be out of the range of fixing or replacing yourself.

But when the AC is not blowing cold air, it’s usually only one of a few things.

Air conditioner not cold? Here’s a few simple reasons that could be.

1. Clogged filter(s)

The first thing to check and by far the most common problem is the filter or filters being too dirty to allow for good airflow.

This is a problem that affects the cooling and the heating both in central heat and air systems.

Many a HVAC tech has been called to a residence to diagnose a air conditioning not getting cold problem only to find that the filters are clogged.

The first and easiest thing you can do to get your air conditioning cooling again is to make sure that the filters are clean and the grill outside of the filters is dusted off and clean to.

2. Thermostat settings

The thermostat on a home air conditioner has to settings that run the fan. One setting is the On sitting and the other is the auto mode setting.
The auto setting turn the fan on as the AC is cooling. The On setting runs the fan continuously even when the AC is not on.
Another reason that the AC may not be blowing cold air is that the cooling is off and the fan is set to On.

Not only will the air not be cool that is coming through the vents, it will probably be a little warm since most AC HVAC units are installed in the Attic.

Easy fix number 2. Make sure the thermostat is set to cool and Auto.

3. Covered in debris.

The third thing to check is that the outdoor unit of your AC is clean and clear of debris. If you outside of the machine is covered in debris or weeds, the warm air that is supposed to expel from the unit outside will not be able to escape and will stay inside. Sending warm air through your vents and eventually overheating.

4. Humidity

Humidity and air conditioners do not get along. when the humidity is High inside of the house you can feel like the air conditioner is not running at all.
Unfortunately the fix for this not something you can easily do with a little extra cleaning.
If the humidity is so hard that it is overpowering the air conditioner, a dehumidifier is a machine that can pull the moisture out of the air and allow your air conditioning to function normally again.
Some central heat and air units come with a setting called “dry mode”.
Dry mode is essentially a dehumidifier built into your air conditioner.

5. Frozen up

Finally a problem that can be solved on your own to a certain extent is if the AC is freezing over.

The way the air conditioning cools down your home is it takes the warm air come inside of your home and lose it across refrigerated cooling coils. Then sends the air back into your home.

This is a problem that relates to the other steps in this short guide.

First you’re going to have to take a look at the unit outside to see if it’s frozen.
Sometimes it will be frozen enough that you can see it from the outside. Usually you’re going to have to take off the access panel and see if the copper coils are iced over.

If they are, you’re going to have to let it thaw out. You can run the fan without the AC and it will help thaw the unit little faster.

Why is your AC freezing over?

The Air conditioner relies on the are being able to flow freely across the cooling coils. If there is something obstructing we are in keeping it from moving across the coils easily, it can freeze over.

Easy fix. Change the filters, clean the grill outside of the filters, and clean any debris off of the outside of the outdoor part of a unit.

Another thing that relates to an air conditioner freezing up is humidity.
Too much humidity in the air can make the air flowing across the cooling coils to moist and produce ice as its going through.

Sorta easy fix. Run the dehumidifier or the AC on dry mode to reduce the humidity in the air and help keep the air conditioning from freezing over.

Window AC not blowing cold air

Window air conditioners work much the same way as a home AC but in a much smaller condensed package.

When the window AC is not blowing cold air, it usually boils down to one or two issues.

1. The filter is clogged. When do you filter which is located on the face of the window AC gets clogged, the air conditioner will have a very hard time cooling off the room.

On most window AC the filter is very easy to pull out from the side or open the grill and pull it out that way.
A lot of very tiny dust particles can get lodged in the filter that are not easily seen with the naked eye. So be sure to take a stiff brush and brush it out very well before putting it back in.

If you wash the filter with water, be sure to let it dry good before putting it back in and running the AC because of the risk of mold taking root.

Window air conditioner blows cold then warm

If the window air conditioner gets too dirty the airflow begins to be an issue.

When the unit cannot get proper airflow it will start to shut down and go into a mode where it is running but not cooling.

Also the back of the air conditioner must be completely clear and not up against anything it will cause the hot-air that is supposed to expel out of the rear to not do so.

Taking apart a window air conditioner and cleaning it thoroughly, preferably by blowing it out rather than wiping, will do wonders to help restore your machine and get it blow cold air again.

And be sure to make sure that there is nothing obstructing the rear of the window AC that would keep the heat exiting like it should.

Window air conditioner keeps turning off.

A window AC usually has a reset button located where are the plug is. If the unit doesn’t come on at all, nine out of 10 times the reset button needs to be pressed before it will come on.

Window air conditioner panel not working

What if your window AC keeps going off and it is not tripping the breaker or the reset, there is a chance that your air conditioner panel is going out.

The thermostat panel on a window air conditioner is a fairly inexpensive part most dad’s will be able to fix on their own.

Luckily, there is a wide range of YouTube videos to take you through each step if needed.

Should Ac Fan Be on Auto or On?

What is auto mode in AC?

Auto mode on the AC simply means that the fan on the air conditioner turns on automatically while the air conditioning is running. Once the room gets to temperature, it then shuts off.

The ON position for the fan means that the fan will continuously run even when the air conditioner is not running.

Should Ac Fan Be on Auto or On?

Using the AC fan on Auto is considered the energy and money saving mode.

Here are a few reasons why:

Running fan on air conditioner continuously

can:

Increase Energy Bill

Use More Filters
Increase Relative Humidity
Cool Air Leakage

Increase Repairs

1. Increase the electricity bill.

By constantly running the fan you will bump up your energy bill.

2. Increased Filter Replacements

Continuously running the fan will called you to go through more filters because of the extra use.

3. Increases the level of relative humidity.

When the AC is off, the dehumidifying function of the air conditioner is off to.
The moisture that would drain out while the fan is off doesn’t get a chance and is recirculated around the house with the fan on.
Which means that the air conditioner has to work extra hard when it kicks back on to combat the extra humidity in the air.
That means a higher energy bill and more chances of service calls.

4. Cool air leakage.

Air ducts or not foolproof and do have a fair amount of leaks. Keeping the fan running while the air conditioner is off can cause the cool air to leak out faster.

5. General repairs.

The fan motor running 24/7 will shorten the life of the motor.

There are some advantages to leaving the fan on all the time.

The fan will help keep the temperature even throughout the house when the AC has turned off.

The HVAC central heat and air unit is actually a very efficient whole house air purifier when there is UV ionizers placed in the ductwork.

These in duct air purifiers require the air to move through the house regularly work right.

Running AC fan only?

Having the fan on can help even out the temperature throughout the house by redistributing the air.

But, the AC fan doesn’t really cool down the house on its own. It is primarily used to circulate air through the ductwork and doesn’t have too much of a cooling fan effect otherwise.

The main reason you might want to keep the fan on the air conditioner running continuously is when you are using induct air purification which needs the fan to circulate the clean Air throughout the house.

Do Air Conditioners Purify Air?

Having an air conditioner is an indispensable part of living in today’s modern culture.

Can you imagine that the indoor air conditioner has only been around since the early 1900s?

Many of the architectural designs we admire, high ceilings for instance, came to be out of necessity define ways to cool off the air inside of the house.

But these days, only a little over a hundred years later, many of us cannot stand to be outside in the summer separated from the cool air indoors.

But as building techniques have grown into highly sophisticated ways keeping our homes sealed up, we now have a different problem of our indoor air being polluted.

Breathing clean air is as fundamental a need as being able to cool down or heat up indoors.

It would be great if the same appliances and machines that cool and heat our air we’re also responsible for cleaning our air.
But is that even a possibility?

Do air conditioners purify air?

Air conditioners function mainly to cool off the air in a home but they do work slightly as an air purifier in two ways.

1. They filter the return air.
2. They reduce the humidity can facilitate mold growth and house dust mites.

Do I need an air purifier if I have AC?

Yes. Though your AC can help clean your air through the return vent and keeping the humidity down to a small extent, your typical indoor air quality is much worse then what the air conditioning is able to combat.

Though your AC does have a filter, the primary reason it is there is not to purify the air but to keep dust pollution from getting into your air conditioner.

And though you can purchase HEPA filters that capture much more air pollutants then the typical AC filter,

You have to remember that the AC requires a free flow of air to function properly. Using a dense filter like HEPA for your AC we’ll put a lot of strain on your machine and require much more energy to work.

And though air conditioning coils work much like a dehumidifier, relying on the air conditioner alone to reduce the humidity in the house during the hot summer months also causes the AC to work on overload. Which makes your bill higher and the efficiency what’s your air conditioner work lower.

The air conditioning function of your HVAC unit is also responsible for much of your bad indoor air.

What do I mean?..

The climate inside of your HVAC is moist and it is dark. And there can be actual standing water inside of the drip pan located by the condenser coils.

Standing water in a moist dark area is the ideal environment for mold to grow.

If you have mold inside of the duct work of your AC, then every time your unit cycles, it dispenses mold spores throughout your home via your duct work.

And then the same moldy air gets pulled into your return vents where the cycle starts over again.

Another problem your AC poses to the indoor air quality in your home is dust mites.

If your duct work is dirty, then you have a built-in home for dust mites.

Dust mites also flourish in humidity.

and how humidity is one of the main reasons the air conditioner is running Non-Stop in the summer.

A vicious cycle..

Long story short. Indoor air quality is not best left to an air conditioner to manage.

Air conditioner with air purifier?

With most combo type devices whether it be a humidifier / diffuser or air conditioning and air purifier all-in-one combo, the result is usually subpar.

Most of these machines do completely different jobs and shoving all the parts for both inside a box is not the best ideal.

The portable air conditioner with a built-in air purifier usually means one of two things:

1. It contains a HEPA filter that can filter out smaller particles as the air is being pulled into the air conditioner.

2. Or the purifier itself is an ionizer

Using a HEPA filter in the slot where the normal AC filter goes will capture a little more of the airborne contaminants then the typical filter but it cannot do anywhere as much as having a dedicated filtering air purifier.

Plus the exchange of air that an air conditioner requires to work properly does not happen easily when the air filter is extra dense like a HEPA.

The result will be much like running the air conditioner with a dirty filter which limits its ability to cool dramatically.

A portable or window air conditioner with a built-in ionizer is a better idea but it doesn’t exactly make for all the components of a good air conditioner or a good air purifier.

The problem is is that ions have a very short life and they have a even shorter life when they are blown by a fan.

The air condition will have to be kept on it the lowest fan setting for the ionization to have a real effect on the room.

But…

Ionizers inside of a HVAC air conditioning unit can be a much better idea.

Specifically ionizers that use photocatalytic oxidation or plasma.

Placing these air purifiers directly into the ductwork and the plenum of your HVAC can extremely limit the amount of mold and germs, as well as dust mites that are distributed by your AC and heat every time your air handler kicks on.

This is the best way that your air conditioning can actually be your air purifier and efficiently work as a air purifier and air conditioner.

Summary.

Can your air conditioner purify air?

Yes your air conditioner does have some slight air-purifying function because it does contain a filter that captures dust pollution before it is pulled into the AC.

Also air conditioners have a dehumidifier effect that help reduce moisture in the air which can facilitate dust mites and mold spores.

But air conditioning is not an air purifier and does not have the capacity to manage indoor air quality or efficiently combat indoor air pollution.

Though there are a few portable air conditioner and air purifier combo available to the public, they are fundamentally flawed and do not cool or clean the air, either one efficiently.

But if your home is outfitted with central heat and air, the opportunity for you to have an air conditioner that efficiently cleans the air is available.

In duct air purifiers, specifically photocatalytic and plasma in-duct air purifiers can efficiently clean the air inside of your ductwork as well as clean the air that is returning to your unit to be redistributed.

Hopefully as time moves forward, this type of air purification will be built in to each central heat and air unit that is being installed.

We’ll see…

Why Does Air Conditioning Make Me Cough?

Why does air conditioning make me cough?

Coughing around an air conditioner is usually a symptom that your air conditioning unit is dirty.

For example, neglecting to change the AC filters will cause the debris and allergens caught in the dirty filter to circle around the house when the unit kicks on.

Dirty filters can also cause your unit to function poorly.

The first place to look when your air conditioner is not cooling or causing you to cough is the filters.

Some Reasons for Air Conditioning Sickness Symptoms

Dirty filter

Air conditioning drying air out
Mold in duct work
Dust and dust mites in duct work

h4>Air-Conditioning Cough Treatment?

Treating an AC cough is not about taking a pill or getting some rest, it is identifying what is in the air conditioner or the air conditioning ducts that is causing you do you have an allergic reaction.

Check the Filter

The easiest thing to check when you find yourself coughing or getting a dry or sore throat around an air conditioner is the filter.

This is a more common problem than you would think. There is no telling how much money has been spent hiring a HVAC tech only to find out that the filter hasn’t been changed and the unit is not heating or cooling. A cool hundred dollars down the drain for such an easy fix.

If the HVAC filter is not changed regularly then all the household allergens floating around the air, things like pet dander, pollen, dust mites, and just everyday dust are all stuck in your HVAC filter.

So basically every time the unit kicks on, it filters the air through a layer of allergens before it distributes back into your room.

Any one of these pollutants can present you with allergy symptoms like coughing, sore throat, sneezing, phlegm, etc.

Changing the dirty filter may not only alleviate an annoying cough when you’re around air conditioning,

You will also have identified a problem that will eventually cause your HVAC to work much less efficiently or even freeze up.

Not changing the filters or not using a filter will also provide a early death for your air handler.

AC Dry Air

The second reason your AC may be making you cough is that air conditioners dry out the air.

When there’s not enough humidity in the air you can experience a whole host of symptoms including coughing, sore throat, clogged nasal passages,etc

The easiest thing to do when there is not enough humidity in the air is turn on the humidifier.

If you’re not acquainted with what a humidifier is, it is a small appliance that you fill with water, which is slowly dispersed into the air as a mist.

Humidifiers are a low-cost item that can give you an enormous amount of relief from the health symptoms related to dry air.

In the South where I live, we keep cool mist humidifiers in every room during the winter.

If you don’t have a humidifier, there are some ways that you can add moisture to the air without one.

How do you humidify the air without a humidifier?

1.Place some open containers of water around the room or house.

This is an old trick that I remember seeing as a kid but back then I had no idea what the water was for.

My grandmother would keep mason jars with water in them, sitting around the house on shelves and whatnot.

Turns out she was simply adding some moisture to the air.

2. Plants

Plants require watering, so keeping house plants is also is a great way of adding moisture into the air. They will not only help add some humidity back into the air, they will also supply some much-needed oxygen back to the air that will also help you breathe.

Some species of plants also act like an air purifier and will help keep your air clear of allergens.

3. Another humidity remedy that I remember seeing as a kid was keeping a pot of boiling water on the stove.

Keeping a pot of water slowly boiling on the stove top will do a great deal to add humidity into the air will that having to purchase a humidifier.

Moldy AC

The third thing you can check when you have a air conditioner cough is whether or not your air conditioner has mold in it.
Unfortunately this is not as easy as changing your filter or turning on a humidifier.

Your air conditioner could be moldy because AC creates condensation when it is running, the inside of an HVAC system, being that it is dark and humid, is actually the perfect environment for mold to breed.

The easiest way to find out if you have a moldy AC is to examine the Vents and see if you can find any mold around them.

If you do then great, you’ve identified the problem.

But if you don’t then that doesn’t automatically mean that there is not mold in the system.

Since there’s no way to get inside the duct work without some kind of probing camera,

The second way to look for mold in your HVAC is to simply smell for it.

Mold and mildew you have a distinct smell that you will probably recognize as soon as you smell it.

Getting the mold out if the AC is a whole other issue.

This is where you start talking about spending money to fix the problem.

The first thing, of course, is you’re going to have to call in an HVAC tech.

He will clean your duct work and supply you with a new filter and will probably suggest that you purchase a induct air purifier.

In duct air purifiers work by:

a. targeting ultraviolet light on the source of the mold which is the coils in the drip pans

b. PCO or plasma ionic air purifiers.

These purifiers are placed in your in duct system and run continuously in the background to ensure that the air inside of your unit is clean and that you are getting clean air delivered into your house via your HVAC duct work system.

Dirty and dusty duct work.

The fourth reason you may have developed a cough when you around air conditioning is that the duct work is just plain dusty.

Like stated before, the inside of the HVAC is going to be humid by nature because of the fact that air conditioning creates condensation when it is working.

What do you have when you combine dust and humidity?

Dust mites.

Dust mites thrive in humidity.

Dust mites are also a major source of indoor allergy problems.

Just like mold, dust mites also can exasperate asthma causing symptoms like tightening in the chest and wheezing.

If the duct work is extra dirty, then there is no other recourse other than calling your neighborhood HVAC tech.

Another one of those bills that you’re going to be shocked at the price when you realize that it could have been avoided simply making sure you’re using filters and making sure they are the right size for a tight fit.

Summary

Air conditioning cough can be caused by several things including a dirty filter, no filter, dry air, moldy or Dusty AC.

Most of the time at is as easy as changing the HVAC filter or adding a humidity machine to the room.

But if the culprit is mold or extra Dusty duct work, you are looking at calling in a professional and having it cleaned properly.

Though no one wants a cough or any type of allergy symptom, when it comes to your air conditioning, your cough is a red flag that something is not right with your air handler.

Taking it as a sign that it is time to do some maintenance on your AC can save you a lot of money down the road.

20 Ways to Lower the Humidity in Your House

Are you wondering how to lower the humidity in your house? You are not alone, as a lot of people feel a sense of discomfort and unhappiness when they deal with super high humidity levels. And that’s why it makes a lot of sense to find new, creative ways to lower home humidity as quickly as possible. With that in mind, here you have a few tips that will help in this situation.

1.Use a dehumidifier

A dehumidifier is one of the simplest tools you can use to keep the humidity levels as low as possible. It’s highly recommended to invest in a good dehumidifier since it allows you to ensure proper airflow circulation, all while eliminating any humidity from the air. Ideally you want to keep the unit away from furniture or any walls, unless it has air vent on the top.

2. Clean the downspouts and gutters

You want to do this because they will carry water away from your home. It’s a good idea because if you don’t do this, you will end up with high humidity levels in your home. Plus, it’s a good idea to restrict watering plants to bare necessities, just to be safe. The more restrictions you have in this situation, the better it will be as you do want to avoid complications.

3. Keep fresh-cut firewood outside

Why is this important? The most important aspect to consider is that freshly cut firewood has large amounts of water in it when you store it indoors. You want to leave the firewood outside so all that water will evaporate. If you don’t do that, then you will increase the humidity levels inside. Even if it doesn’t feel like a lot, in a situation like this, every little thing counts, so you might as well want to take that into consideration just to be safe.

4. Bring all your plants outside

Don’t keep plants indoors. They end up increasing the humidity levels and that’s the type of thing that you want to avoid. Ideally you want to keep them outside and you will be just fine. You could also keep them in a single room, however that room will have lots of humidity, so you really need to figure out what works for you here.

5. Keep the AC drip pans and drain lines clean

If you keep them clean and unobstructed, it will be a lot easier to avoid any humidity issues. The AC will remove all the humidity from your room. However, if the AC is not working properly, then you will have issues with this approach. You need patience to do this right, but it will be worth it.

6. Vent your clothes dryers outside

The reason you want to do that is that you end up generating a lot of humidity if you do this inside. There’s no real benefit coming with performing this activity inside anyway, so you have to figure out what works for you and how you can adapt to the entire process.

7.Add double-glazing to your windows

When you do that, you will have less humidity and that on its own can be a very important aspect to consider. Double-glazing really brings in front great results, and the best part is that you can avoid severe condensation without spending a whole lot of money. It’s the best of both worlds and you should totally check it out.

8.Aerate your attic and basement

Normally these are two of the places in your home where you will have a lot of moisture. If you start bringing in fresh air in there, you will start removing more and more moisture naturally. It’s one of the best approaches you can have and it does work really well if you do it right. We recommend you to test it out and perform this task often to avoid moisture and dampness in your home.

9. Use a fan in your kitchen

If you cook often, you will generate humidity in your kitchen. It makes a lot of sense to use a fan or anything that will bring in fresh air and push the humidity away too. This is an important aspect to think about, and it will offer you a very good experience every time. In a situation like this, you need to start easily, and this approach does make a lot of sense.

10. Open the fireplace damper

The fireplace damper allows you to push moisture away from your room. It’s a good way to lower the humidity naturally, and we believe that you should always consider it as one of the first things you can do when you deal with lots of humidity inside your home.

11. Open up the windows

This is simple, but it helps you push humidity away, all while bringing in dry air from outside. You have to figure out what approach works for you, and it all comes down to delivering the best results and having the right approach here.

12. Cover your food while cooking

Another interesting thing to do when you are cooking is to try and cover the food. This will keep the humidity under control. Alternatively, you could use a slow cooker, which brings pretty much the same experience and great results you would expect. It’s always a good idea to find alternative solutions, and it can be very well worth the effort all the time without any worries.

13. Take cold, short showers

Hot showers will generate steam and that will obviously increase the humidity levels in your home. Not only that, but if those hot showers are long, then you are further increasing the humidity levels. You need to pay a lot of attention to this, because the more you take hot showers, the more humidity you are generating within the entire home.

14.Replace the carpet if it’s a model that retains moisture

Some types of carpets like the fluffy or very thick ones tend to retain a lot of moisture. They will also end up capturing dust mites and bacteria. It makes a lot of sense to replace your carpets with simpler ones. Make sure that you go with carpets that are not going to retain any moisture. And if you do that properly, it will be more than ok.

15.Add wrap or tubular insulation

Insulating tubing works great for the cold water pipes. It will help decrease sweating, and the best part is that you will have less humidity in your home. Even if it seems like a simple thing to do, it will make quite the difference.

16. Repair the door and window frames

When you have issues with the window and door frames, the first thing you want to do is to repair them. These frames can bring in moisture into your home, and that’s the last thing you want to have. Even some simple repairs can make quite the difference, and all you need is to give these a try, it will be well worth it in the end.

17.Insulate the crawl spaces

The best method you can use for insulating crawl spaces is through using a plastic vapor barrier. This is not that hard to do actually, and it will bring in front some pretty impressive results. The idea is to know how to perform proper insulation, and if you do it right, it will be a very good experience.

18. Waterproof the concrete basement walls

Waterproofing these walls will be a major way to deal with excess humidity. Most of the time concrete walls will bring in humidity to your home. That’s why waterproofing them is so important, and you should treat this as a priority to avoid any possible problems.

19. Treat the foundation with Hydroclay

Hydroclay is known for waterproofing tunnels. It’s a water-absorbing clay, and it will seal the basement where you have water infiltrations. Waterproofing your foundation with this will make quite the difference, and it will help you keep your home safe. Plus, you get to deal with humidity the right way, and that on its own can deliver quite the difference.

20. Vinyl wallcovering

Using vinyl wallcovering can be a very good idea. The trick here is that this type of wallcovering will help trap the moisture and basically keep it out. If you ignore this, it will lead to mold growth. So that’s certainly something to keep in mind.

Conclusion

It’s very important to find great, creative ways to keep the humidity levels as low as possible within the entire home. If you have low humidity levels within your home, you will breathe better, your skin will feel better, and you will have a great sense of well being. It’s important to take all of this into consideration, and the results can be very good every time. If you still have high humidity levels within your home, it’s a very good idea to hire a professional and solve this issue!