As the mum of five young children, I know how important it is to have access to a safe outdoor space for your children to play. Being cooped up in the house all day isn't good for the kids or the parents, but you also can't let young kids play in a space that's hazardous. When we bought our new family home, there was a lot of work to do in the garden to make it childproof, and we also wanted to make it a fun place for the kids to play. We erected a new fence, fitted a combination lock on the garden gate, had poisonous plants removed, cordoned off the pool and created a play area complete with swings, a slide and outdoor games. I started this blog to share my DIY gardening tips, and I hope you find it interesting and useful.
As the weather heats up, it can be tempting to leave doors and windows open to get a much needed breeze t
The power locks on your car's door are built to be pretty reliable, but they can act up. There are many r
While some people love spending time maintaining their gardens, other people find that gardening is just
Deciding on furniture for your child's room is always tricky. You need to consider safety, convenience, a
When the curtains in your living room are looking worn out or faded and you want to replace them, use thi
Air conditioning is a must have for many homes in Australia. During the summer months, and even during warm periods of spring and autumn, we rely on our air conditioning units to keep us cool, comfortable and sane. Unfortunately, many units don't function as well as they should, fail to cool a room, and could be responsible for higher power bills. If your air conditioning may be performing poorly, it may be one of these three common culprits. Here's what you can do.
Dirt and Dust
Unfortunately dirt and dust are everywhere in and around our homes. As dirt and dust accumulate in and around our air conditioning systems, they can affect the cooling capacity of the system as well as the air quality. The biggest thing homeowners should do to minimise dirt and dust is to remove their washable filter from the indoor unit. This can be soaked in warm water and left to dry before being refitted. For homes with carpet, regular vacuuming and cleaning carpet will also help to reduce dust levels.
During periods when the system is not in use, such as the winter months, many people may choose to purchase a vinyl or plastic cover to wrap the outdoor or indoor units. This may be especially important if there is plenty of dirt and debris around the home, or your air conditioning is particularly exposed to the elements.
Asian House Geckos
Throughout much of Australia's northern eastern seaboard, geckos—especially the Asian house geckos—take refuge in air conditioning units as they provide an ideal warm place to nest. As well as making a mess inside the system, and inside ceiling ducts with a ducted system, they can also cause electrical issues. Geckos living inside the split system unit may choose to nest on circuit boards, causing them to short circuit and fail and can be costly to replace.
Mothballs are a great deterrent as geckos are put off by the distinctive smell. Since geckos live and nest up high near ceiling relocating a system lower on the wall can also help to prevent geckos.
Lawn Equipment
Lawnmowers, brush cutters and other garden machinery have also been responsible for damaging components of an outdoor AC system including chopping refrigerant and power supply lines, warping condenser fins, and flicking up debris including stones that can clog or damage the system.
The solution? Take particular care when using high-powered garden equipment around the outdoor unit and consider avoiding usage completely. This might mean ripping up grass and paving areas directly near the outdoor unit, or installing a privacy screen to protect the unit, with timber slats that allow air to flow to the unit.
A little bit of care will go a long way when it comes to avoiding common culprits causing damage to your AC system. Not only will this ensure your system lives a long healthy life, you'll also save on ongoing maintenance and repair costs and ensure you can stay cool when you need your system most. For more information or assistance, contact companies like ACSIS Airconditioning Warehouse.
Share