How to Keep Your AC Running This Summer
During the summer months, you are going to rely on the health of your AC more than at any time of the year. An efficient air conditioner helps control the temperature of your home while reducing the amount of money spent on energy bills. However, in order to ensure your AC runs smoothly throughout the year as efficient as possible, you need to follow these recommended tips.
Change the AC Filters
It is very important for you to change the AC filters every two to three months. Lean towards two months if you have pets, are a smoker, or suffer from allergies. By changing the filters you’ll improve the air quality of the house while improving the energy efficiency at the same time. It doesn’t take long as filters only cost a few dollars each. If you do suffer from airborne allergies, look for HEPA air filters. These filters remove more (and smaller) spores from the air, improving the air quality.
Dust and Clean Around the Vents
Make sure to dust, clean and vacuum around all vents in the house. Dust, dander, and dirt will affect the quality of air flow in the home. By ridding the home of these problems you’ll improve the airflow and boost the efficiency of the AC. It’s easy to forget, but it doesn’t take long to dust around the filters and to vacuum around the air intake vent if it is built into the floor.
Have it Professionally Inspected Annually
One of the best ways to keep your AC running this summer is to have it professionally inspected once a year. This is ideally done in the early spring before you begin using the AC on a regular basis. The professional inspection will go over the entire HVAC system, making sure it runs correctly while looking for any kind of problems or damage within the vents. This way, you’ll get an early jump on any potential problems. Correcting these issues now will save you money over the larger problems later down the road. The professional inspection may offer cleaning services as well, which clean out the vents from any build up of dust and dirt. Once something enters the vent system of your home it will spread throughout the rest of the house, so you’d be surprised not only what kind of dirt is in the vents, but there may be pet hair and other debris from previous owners (or renters) of the home.
If you do need repairs, make sure to do it now. If you want, the problem may develop into a major issue during the summer. In the summer, it takes longer to have it serviced as it’s a busier time for HVAC companies.
Consider a New Thermostat
One of the best ways to maximize your level of enjoyment and to save money is investing in a new thermostat. A smart thermostat allows you to program the device to run at higher or lower temperatures throughout the day. These smart thermostats also can detect when people are in the house and adjust the temperature accordingly. From there, you’ll be able to also control the temperature of the home when you’re not even in the house. So whether you’re running late from the office and want to adjust the temperature or there’s another issue altogether, you’ll always have full control of the AC.
Adjust the Thermostat For When You’re Not Home
By programming the thermostat to go up while you’re away from home, you’ll allow the AC to rest up a bit during work hours and you’ll save money along the way. Chances are, the summer months are the most expensive energy months you’ll run into throughout the year because of the AC running. By adjusting this and by having the AC not run as hard when you’re away, you’ll reduce the constant strain placed on the appliance and you’ll see a nice drop in your utility bills.
By following these tips, you’ll ensure your AC runs smoothly throughout the course of the year, not just the summer. From swapping out your old AC filters to having it inspected annually, by performing these small steps you’ll maintain a quality, comfortable AC throughout the rest of the year.
