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"You can reduce energy costs and extend the life of your air conditioner with a few simple maintenance procedures in the fall," said Richard B. Hayter director of Engineering Extension at Kansas State University.
An air conditioner can be damaged if it is turned on in cold weather. If it is cold enough, the refrigerant may be a liquid when it enters the compressor, resulting in damage to the unit.
"To prevent the air conditioner from being inadvertently turned on during cold weather, you should turn off the circuit breaker serving the air conditioner or remove or turn off the electrical disconnect located outdoors on the electric service line to the condensing unit," Hayter said.
Some protection against liquid refrigerant entering the compressor is provided by an electric heating element inside the unit. This heating element continuously draws a small amount of electricity.
"By disconnecting the outdoor unit, you will turn off this heater, thus eliminating the energy drawn by the heater when the air conditioner is not in use," Hayter said.
Merely turning the air conditioner off at the thermostat does not turn off the electric heating element in the compressor.
Similar precautions can be taken with window units left in place during the winter by disconnecting the unit at the electrical outlet or by shutting off the circuit breaker or pulling the fuse to the outlet.
"At lest 24 hours before using the air conditioner in the spring, reconnect the air conditioner, turn on the circuit breaker, or reinstall the fuse," Hayter said.
The condensing unit located outdoors can be protected from debris and damage to the condenser fins by covering the unit throughout the winter. Similarly, the exterior of the window unit should be covered to reduce heat loss from the house.
"Do not cover or disconnect the outdoor unit if it is a heat pump and will be used for heating," Hayter said.
If a window unit is left in place throughout the winter, tightly seal around the opening to minimize infiltration of cold air. In addition, you may wish to remove the front cover on the room side of the window unit, cover the unit with plastic, and replace the front grill. This also acts as a reminder to uncover the unit in the spring before it is used.
"It is also appropriate to consider temporarily insulating the front of the window unit to reduce heat loss," Hayter said.
The primary difference between the types of room humidifiers is the way they add moisture to the air," said Doug Walter, extension specialist in residential energy at Kansas State University.
The four most common types of room humidifiers are evaporative, cool mist, steam and ultrasonic.
Evaporative humidifiers blow air through a fibrous belt, drum or pad that is immersed in a reservoir of water. High-output evaporative humidifiers rotate the belt or drum through the water. Low-output humidifiers blow air through a stationary pad or filter that is immersed in the reservoir. In both types, air is blown through the part of the evaporative material exposed above the water, adding moisture to the air as the water evaporates.
"Evaporative humidifiers are available as table-top units or as floor-mounted console units. The larger ones can hold up to 10 gallons of water," Walter said. "These can humidify an entire house for several days before they have to be refilled."
Cool mist vaporizers send small droplets of water into the air by stirring up the reservoir with an impeller. Steam vaporizers boil the water just before it enters the air stream, causing it to turn to steam.
"Cool mist and steam vaporizers are useful for humidifying a single room, usually a bedroom," Walter said.
Although inexpensive, cool mist vaporizers are noisy and can saturate nearby objects and surfaces with moisture.
"If they are not properly cleaned and maintained, they can provide a breeding ground for bacteria," Walter said.
The bacteria can be expelled into the air stream with the water droplets. Steam vaporizers, however, kill bacteria in the water and are very quiet, but the steam mist can scald an unsuspecting child.
Ultrasonic humidifiers also are used primarily for single rooms. Vapor is added to the air by vibrating the water with very high frequency sound.
"Ultrasonic humidifiers must be emptied and cleaned regularly to avoid bacteria problems," Walter said.
The high frequency sound used by ultrasonic humidifiers is inaudible, allowing ultrasonic humidifiers to operate very quietly.
"Both ultrasonic humidifiers and cool mist vaporizers can leave a mineral film on nearby surfaces," Walter said.
Mineral deposits are carried by the particles of water added to the air stream passing in the vaporizer. Evaporative humidifiers and steam vaporizers typically do not have this problem, but are prone to mineral deposits accumulating on the belt or on the heating element.
"All but evaporative humidifiers are capable of creating extremely high humidity levels in a closed room," Walter said. "This may be beneficial for a child with a respiratory illness, but you should take care to avoid prolonged elevated humidity levels as this may cause excessive condensation on windows and hidden condensation inside exterior walls."
No. "Attic ventilation is important in winter as well as summer to remove moisture that leaks into the attic from the living space below," said Doug Walter, extension specialist in residential energy at Kansas State University.
Moisture is generated from normal household activities such as bathing, cooking and cleaning. People and plants also give off significant amounts of moisture.
"Moisture enters the attic space primarily by air leaks around light fixtures, flue pipes and other openings into the attic, many of them hidden from view," Walter said.
Ventilation carries the moisture away before it can accumulate and cause damage to the insulation and roof structure. An attic should have one square inch of open vent area for every square foot of attic floor area.
"Vents should be well-distributed, with openings located both high and low," Walter said.
You can cover turbine vents in the winter to extend their life if you have a sufficient amount of stationary vent area in your attic.
"This will depend on the frequency of use, type of wood burned, and the efficiency of the wood-burning unit," said Bruce Snead, extension specialist in residential energy at Kansas State University.
Inefficient fireplaces used occasionally for atmosphere may need to be inspected and cleaned only every few years. For equipment used more regularly and for those with higher efficiencies, the flue or chimney should be inspected more often and cleaned at least twice a year.
"For homes where a high-efficiency wood-burning stove is the primary source of heat, the flue may need to be inspected and cleaned monthly," Snead said.
Good wood-burning practices will decrease creosote buildup in your chimney. Insufficient combustion air is the primary reason creosote forms.
"Burning a short, hot fire once a day and when starting up will help," Snead said.
But there is no substitute for regular inspection and maintenance. Set up a schedule and stick to it.
"Smoke alarms and fire extinguishers should be properly located and available in any home, but especially those that use wood for heating," Snead said.
"To insure proper operation, the system should be checked at least annually by a qualified service technician," said Dennis Matteson, extension specialist in small business energy at Kansas State University.
Checks should include inspection of the boiler, testing of the safety devices, and possibly a water quality test.
Although many hydronic and steam systems have operated for years without annual inspections, owners of such systems should be aware of some of the problems and hazards associated with water or steam systems.
"If the systems have operated for several years without adding any water, the water quality probably will be acceptable," Matteson said.
A water quality test would still be a good idea. By testing and treating the water so chemical levels are proper, the system will last longer, and you will have reduced maintenance on valves, pumps and other circulating mechanical equipment.
"Water systems should have both high temperature and low water cut-offs," Matteson said. These should be tested at least once per heating season.
Some systems, however, may have only a high temperature cut-off. This is to prevent the burner from operating when water temperature exceeds the boiling point.
"If this high temperature limit fails and the system is allowed to continue burning and generating steam, the water boiler may cause an explosion," Matteson said.
Steam systems also have a low water cut-off which prevents the water from getting too low in the steam boiler. This low water cut-off valve should be opened at least annually, and preferably monthly, to remove contaminants in the valve.
"Water testing for both systems should be done by a competent chemical testing laboratory, which should recommend proper treatment for the water," Matteson said.
"The cost can be as much as $100, including installation, but replacement is worthwhile, unless the refrigerator is very old," said Doug Walter, extension specialist in residential energy at Kansas State University.
A crack or tear in a gasket allows air to escape from a portion of the gasket. Without the air support, the gasket collapses, preventing the magnetic seal from engaging when the door is shut. There is no effective way to repair the gasket.
"Depending on the size and location of the gasket collapse, refrigerator energy use may be increased by as much as 50 percent," Walter said.
This could boost your monthly electric bill by as much as five dollars. The cost of a new seal could be recovered in less than two years.
Replacement is not so simple as it may appear, and is best done by a qualified repair person.
"The gasket is part of the door structure, and must be installed precisely in order for the door to shut and seal properly," Walter said.
If you have a very old refrigerator, you may want to consider upgrading to a newer, more energy-efficient model rather than repairing the older one. Just be sure to dispose of the old one rather than keeping it around as a spare.