Air conditioners are great in the for making our lives more comfortable but the running costs can be very expensive. How do we make them more efficient and lower the running costs? Many people have an air conditioner installed during or as part of renovating their home. However it always amazes me that they are an after thought and not planned in the renovation. This sometimes means that they have to be put in places that are not very efficient and as a result running costs increase. 
Air conditioners work on exchanging the heat with the outside temperture by using a compressed gas that cools when pumped through a very small nozzle within the system. Then the cool gas is pumped into the house exchanger unit and cools the air. As the air inside the house is cooled the gas in the system becomes warmer and must be pumped back outside to the main unit to be cooled and then it is passed through the small nozzle again and the cycle starts again. In winter the system just works in reverse.
Two rules of an efficient air conditioner
Placement
The first rule is placement and it is where most problems with efficiency go wrong. When renovating or building, air conditioning is often an after thought and so the air conditioner is installed in the wrong place. For example if you put the air conditioner in the full sun, and the heat of the afternoon sun heats the outdoor unit, then the air conditioner becomes less efficient. The air conditioner has to run longer and work harder to cool the heated gas that is returning from the inside unit. Also another consideration is air flow. You must make sure the unit has enough air flow and the unit is not squeezed in between the home and the side fence as the hot air from the unit will just circulate around and create a hot zone making the unit work harder to cool the gas. 
Good air conditioning contractors will be able to place the unit in a suitable place for efficiency, however I have seen many just put any where so in is easier for the contactor to conect and get paid. Remember that while the air conditioner will work it will not work as well in cold or very hot whether if it is not put in the right place and you will pay extra money to run it for years to come.
For best results:
- Place the unit away from direct afternoon summer sun.
- Place the outdoor unit as close as possible to the inside unit.
- Try to place the indoor unit so it can drain with gravity and no extra pumps are needed.
Cleaning
Cleaning of the air conditioning filters may seem obvious however many people forget this step or they only clean the indoor filter. The indoor filter is the main dust filter that you need to clean and it can be cleaned by vacuuming or washing. However, cleaning of the outdoor unit is important as well. This should be cleaned twice a year unless your air conditioner is subjected to excessive dust in which case you will need to clean it more. The area of the unit that needs to be cleaned is the heating/cooling radiator which the fan draws air through or blows air through. It is made up of pipes which the gas runs through and hundreds of small veins of aluminium.
Over time, with dust and moisture, dirt will build up and make the air conditioner less efficient and so it needs to be cleaned. It is simple to clean, get your hose and blast it into the radiator veins and wash them through. This does not hurt the unit at all and is an important part of the maintenance of an air conditioner. However do not use a high pressure cleaner as this will be to harsh and may damage the unit.
For best results:
- Regularly clean the indoor filters.
- Hose out the fan area of the outdoor unit a minimum of twice a year.
Doing these simple things will ensure the best efficiency of your air conditioner and will save you money over the long term.
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