How much time can I let my air conditioner run each day?

How long can I truly run my air conditioner each day? This is a popular query from our customers regarding their air conditioning consumption. It makes sense that you would wish to know this if you reside somewhere with protracted, sweltering summers. Is there a limit? What takes place when your cooling system reaches that threshold? Will it malfunction?

These queries will be addressed here, along with extra information regarding your air conditioner. The short answer is that you could potentially run your air conditioner continuously. And this might be okay, depending on how long you do it for, how frequently you have your system maintained, and how long our summer is. It's not always advised, though. Learn more by reading on!

Do My Air Conditioner's Limitations Exist?

Yes, although possibly not in the manner you anticipate.

First off, when we respond "technically, 24/7" to a homeowner's question about how long they may run their air conditioner, we don't necessarily mean running the air conditioner's compressor. The compressor is the most crucial and costly part of an air conditioner as it is what allows cooling to occur. If your compressor works all the time, it will definitely wear out much faster than it should and could even cause your AC to stop working completely.

The compressor won't run continuously if you use your air conditioner sensibly. Setting the thermostat to a reasonable temperature is what we mean when we say, "fairly." The majority of people find 78°F to be a comfortable temperature.

Additionally, it will be difficult for your air conditioner to cool anything more than 20°F below the outdoor temperature. Therefore, you can bet the compressor will stay working if it's a 90°F day and you're trying to cool your home to 68°F because it will never be able to achieve the necessary temperature setting.

And it's true that the longer or more frequently your compressor runs, the more wear and tears the entire system will experience, which will cause it to fail much sooner than it otherwise would.

Therefore, the genuine response to the query given in the blog post's title is: "You can leave your air conditioner on all the time, but generally speaking, it works best if the compressor only runs for around 16 hours every day."

How to Avoid Early Failure

Regular, qualified maintenance is the best defense against an early air conditioner breakdown. Our professionals may completely examine, clean, and adjust the components as needed during maintenance. As a result, the need for repairs can be cut by up to 85%, the air conditioner lasts longer, and the system operates as efficiently as possible.

In fact, the AC loses roughly 5% of its initial efficiency rating each year you neglect to perform maintenance on it (SEER: Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). Your air conditioner may keep up to 95% of its original SEER with regular maintenance, though. Contact us right now to arrange for your upcoming maintenance checkup!