Warranty
- what
is covered
Check your Use
and Care Guide that came with the product. Most manufacturers warranty all
parts and labour for one (1) year from date of sale. Cosmetic parts are usually not covered. These can include the filter, grille, or knobs. Also most
manufacturers will only warranty a product used by a single household, for
average usage. If a product is used commercially, under extreme usage, or it was abused, the manufacturer may void
your warranty. Previously,
manufacturers warranted the the compressor and cooling system for up to
ten years. This has now
been lowered to one year by most manufacturers. In-home
service does not include removing from, or installing into the window. This is
considered the customers responsibility.
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Is
bigger better
A larger
air conditioner will not always provide more cooling. It size of the cooling
system must match that of the room area. A properly sized air
conditioner will operate in the manner necessary to maximize the
removal of moisture from the air and produce the feeling of
cooling. Too large a unit can actually provide less cooling than a smaller,
properly sized unit.
An over sized air
conditioner will produce a symptom called short-cycling. This is because its run time is too short. It cools the
air around itself too quickly. It shuts off prematurely, and does not
circulate enough moisture laden air within the room. Consequently it does not remove enough moisture from the room to produce a
feeling of comfort.
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Air
conditioner sizing chart
Following is a basic sizing chart for calculating the window air conditioner needed for a room. Calculate the size of the
room by multiplying the width of the room by the length of the room. Use
your room size to determine what BTU's (air conditioners are sized in British
Thermal Units) are required to cool that particular room size.
|
room in sq ft |
room in sq m |
A/C size in BTU's |
|
100 – 250
|
9 – 23 |
5000 – 6 000
|
|
250 – 400
|
23 – 37
|
6000 – 8500
|
|
400 – 550
|
37 – 51
|
8000 – 11000
|
|
550 – 875
|
51 – 81
|
11000 – 15000
|
|
Based on a room
occupied by two adults, having an average insulation, number of
windows, and sun exposure.
|
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Icing
up
An air
conditioner that constantly ices up will need to be repaired. It can be due
to a lack of refrigerant, bad fan motor, or inefficient compressor. Or it
may simply need to be dismantled and professionally cleaned. This involves the use
of equipment and tools only your service company will have.
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Icing
up - only at night
Machine works properly during day, but
ices up at night?
Probably because outside temperature
falling below 60 degrees
Fahrenheit during night. This allows the air conditioner to produce frost on the inside coil. This
problem usually
occurs in the fall when days are warm, but the nights start to get cold.
If icing occurs when temperature is
above 60 degrees Fahrenheit then the air conditioner will need servicing.
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Re-circulate lever
- what
is it
Its purpose is to bring in fresh air from outside.
The re-circulate position is usually shown on the
control panel as an arrow, circle with an arrow attached, or an arrow between two lines.
It will allow a small amount (about 5 %) of fresh air to
enter the room from the outside. It is meant for rooms where people may be
smoking, or odours from food may be present.
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Filter
- how to clean
To clean
the filter
-
Wet
filter and lay it flat in the sink
-
Sprinkle surface with powder laundry detergent
-
Add
about one inch of hot water to sink. Just enough to cover submerged filter
-
Soak for 15 minutes
-
Remove from water and rinse
-
Hang
up to dry or shake water out of filter
Clean every month during cooling season. Clean filter every
week if any smokers in the home. If
during cleaning the filter rips or starts to disintegrate, replace with
a new one immediately. Never use a filter with a hole in it even for a
short period. It is the air conditioners only protection from household
dirt and grime.
Never
operate air conditioner without a filter. Even for short period of time.
Serious damage can result.
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Air
conditioner placement
Where is the
best room for placement of an air conditioner? Wherever it gives the most comfort is
where it should be installed. If you only have one air conditioner then we
usually suggest the bedroom. Experience has shown that if you can sleep comfortably
at night then your next days work will be a lot easier, no matter how hot it
gets.
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Air conditioner
won't cool other rooms
The blower fan in a window air conditioner is not
very powerful. It is sized to cool one open area, not a number of interconnected rooms.
Therefore a couple of smaller units may be better for your home
than one large unit.
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Water
- leaking
Water
leaking from the rear of a window air conditioner is not unusual,
especially when humidity levels are high. If water
is being dumped outside then the machine is operating properly. Its primary
job is to
remove moisture from inside the home and dispose of it outside. If in an apartment
building then a bucket under the rear of the air conditioner can stop it
from leaking onto your downstairs neighbours.
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Water
- splashing sound
Not
unusual. You are probably hearing the water in the base being picked up
by the fan blade as the machine starts. Usually heard when humidity is high.
The water in the base is
used to cool the hot
internal sections of the
machine,
and can sometimes be heard splashing on start up.
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Blows fuse - nothing else on that circuit
Most window
air conditioners are meant to operate on a 15 amp fuse or circuit breaker.
This is the standard for a household circuit. Never replace with
a fuse greater than 15 amps. The fuse is there to protect the
wiring inside your walls, not the air conditioner. If too large a fuse is used
the wires in the wall can overheat and become a fire hazard.
Replacing with a 15 amp time delay fuse is an acceptable alternative. The DELAY type fuse will allow the air
conditioner to start with a high amperage while still protecting the household
circuitry. Look for a fuse with the letter " D " stamped
onto its top. This is a DELAY type of fuse and usually has a metal cap and a
glass body.
If air conditioner continues to
blow fuse or breaker then
it may have internal problems and you will need a service company.
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Blows
fuse or breaker on startup
Check if other appliances are on that same circuit. All
refrigeration or air conditioning appliances should be used on an
independent electrical circuit. Because window air conditioner uses so
much power any other appliances on that circuit can cause fuses or breaker to
overload.
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Breaker blows when I use microwave or television
Microwave or
television probably on the same electrical circuit as air conditioner. All these items can consume
large amounts of electricity and if on the same electrical
circuit can cause a circuit overload.
This problem will require the services of an electrician. Under no circumstances
increase the size of fuse or circuit breaker. This can lead to a possible fire
hazard.
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