Air Conditioning, Your Insurance & The Environment

For a lot of Canadians, unwinding in some cool air after you escape a hot day doesn’t just make you happier, it’s better for your overall well-being.

Your AC unit can do a lot of good, but there are drawbacks that come from overuse. Being energy-efficient with your air conditioning can help you avoid problems with your home, your insurance and the environment, too.

Here’s what you should know about air conditioning and how you can have an energy-efficient home without breaking too much of a sweat.

• Make sure nothing‑furniture, television sets or curtains‑is blocking your vents.
• Use ceiling fans to help circulate air throughout the house. Most ceiling fans have a setting for the cooling season which directs air downwards to create air movement and improve cooling efficiency.
• Cool your home naturally by opening your doors and windows and turning off the air conditioner.

It sounds obvious, but it can be really easy to overlook the importance of keeping your air conditioning system clean.

We recommend that you clean your air conditioner filter at least once a season. A dirty air filter holds back the potential of your air conditioning performance efficiency and can even cause damage down the line that may require a repair person to fix.

Something that’s not covered by insurance is wear and tear on an air conditioning unit. By keeping up with the maintenance of your air conditioning unit and keeping it clean, you’re making sure you can avoid any unnecessary hazards. Overuse and lack of maintenance can speed up symptoms of wear and tear. By practicing proper upkeep and scaling back your usage, you can extend the life of your appliance and get more bang for your AC buck.

Sudden and accidental loss or damage to your air conditioner by a covered peril is included in your home insurance. You can check the details of your policy by using the TD Insurance Mobile App, logging into MyInsurance or by reaching a TD Insurance Advisor by phone at 1-866-361-2311.

An overused or poorly maintained air conditioning unit can be a real pain for the environment and, also, the people in your home.

An air conditioning unit that leaks refrigerant or drips internal fluid is an environmental hazard, not to mention a health risk for you and your family. When you have a leaky AC unit, it means repairs or servicing will be needed to get things to function properly.

Air conditioning creates heat that’s pumped back outdoors contributing to climate change. Air conditioning systems often expel powerful greenhouse gases (hydrofluorocarbons, to be specific) that leak into the atmosphere. Hydrofluorocarbons (sometimes known as HFCs) cause such immense damage to the environment that in 2016 the United Nations intervened.

Representatives from nearly 200 countries took action by working towards solutions to limit their global use.

Studies have shown that heavy air conditioning use can have serious effects on your health. In fact, overusing your AC can worsen throat, nose and ear conditions. That’s why we recommend that, if you’re using air conditioning, you keep temperatures around 21–25 degrees Celsius. It’s an easy way to stay cool without overdoing the AC.

If you follow these friendly pointers, you can still get the cool air you need without putting extra strain on the environment or the health of those around you.

Learn more about how you can maintain your property and property value by reading the related articles.