Living in St Petersburg, Florida, the air conditioner is an essential component of the household! The cooling system operates just about year round, i hope to shut off the AC, open the windows and care about some fresh air during the months of February, February and March.
The high heat and excessive humidity create a large workload for the air conditioner… Electric bills are a major part of the budget.
I’ve done everything possible to eliminate energy waste. I’ve caulked around windows, weatherstripped doors and invested into blown-in insulation. I’ve installed ceiling fans to help push the heat up and out of the house. I close the blinds against the sun during the day, make sure to turn lights off and avoid running the oven! Having a tightly sealed house helps to reduce energy waste but also causes some concerns with indoor air quality. The humidity in St Petersburg makes cockroaches, mold, mildew, dust mites and bacteria proper problems. I am diligent in cleaning the air conditioner coils, condensate drain and condensate pan. Those are the areas where toxins tend to thrive. I also make sure to change out the AC air filter every other month. I have looked into all unusual types of air filters. The cheaper air filters with a lower MERV rating don’t capture especially small contaminants. However, they also don’t clog as abruptly. The air filters with a higher MERV rating feature much smaller holes that trap microscopic particles, promoting a cleaner and healthier living environment, and unluckyly, they become dirty truly abruptly, once the air filter is clogged, it detracts from air conditioner airflow and energy efficiency.