Summer will be here before you know it. As the weather continues to heat up, it’s important to make sure that your A/C unit is in proper operating condition.
After all, A/C trouble during the heat of the summer months is bad news.
Many homeowners don’t understand how to prepare their cooling units for rising temperatures. That’s why the information contained in this article is so important.
This article takes a look at air conditioning tips that will help make sure that you and your family stay cool inside no matter how hot it gets outside.
Keep reading to discover the inside scoop on common mistakes that you need to avoid.
1. Not Scheduling Annual Service for Your A/C Unit
The first mistake many homeowners make is not having their A/C serviced by a professional at least once a year. This is crucial for identifying potential maintenance issues and preventing small problems from becoming big problems.
2. Not Changing Your Air Filter Regularly
Believe it or not, changing your air filter is one of the best things you can do to keep your A/C unit operating efficiently.
In fact, clean filters will lower energy costs, cool your home more efficiently, and extend the life of your A/C unit. This is due to the fact that a dirty filter restricts airflow, causing the unit to work harder than necessary in order to cool your home.
Fortunately, air filters are relatively inexpensive items that can be purchased at any hardware store and are easy to replace. You’d be wise to buy several at a time so that you always have one on hand when replacement is needed.
3. Not Checking Your Thermostat
Have you ever noticed your home not staying cool even when your thermostat is set at the desired temperature? When this happens, it’s a pretty clear sign that you might have a bad thermostat.
Thermostats don’t last forever. That’s why you should take the time to inspect the thermostat to ensure that the temperature reading on the display matches the air temperature inside your home.
A broken thermostat is another item that will cause your A/C unit to be overworked, resulting in higher energy costs.
When it’s time to replace your thermostat, you’d be wise to purchase a digital model at your local home improvement store.
Many of the latest models offer convenient and energy-efficient features, including the ability to program your thermostat so that it will adjust the temperature inside your home automatically throughout the day.
4. Setting Your Thermostat Too Low
Do you enjoy keeping the temperature in your house nice and frosty? If so, you’re actually wasting money and reducing the life expectancy of your A/C unit.
Setting your thermostat too low might feel great, but this puts a heavy burden on the cooling unit, driving up energy costs while also increasing the potential for mechanical failure.
So, what is the ideal temperature setting for your home? Great question.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 78° is the best setting for your thermostat during the summer. This might seem too warm for many people, but it will actually help to keep energy costs low and cause less wear and tear to your cooling unit.
Keep in mind that taking active steps to keep warm air from entering your home will also help make your living environment more comfortable. Thus you should always check the weather stripping around doors and windows and invest in proper insulation.
5. Not Opening Your Vent Registers
Those metal vents located throughout your house play an important part in keeping your rooms cool in the summer and warm during winter months.
Take the time to inspect the registers in each room. Are they open? If not, this simple detail can dramatically impact the efficiency of your heating/cooling unit.
This is especially important for rooms where you spend the most time. After all, these vents allow the air to be released into rooms after the heating ducts have distributed the cool around throughout your home. But when a vent is closed, the cool air will be unable to cool the room as intended.
6. Cooling Empty Rooms
On the other hand, you should also take measures to makes sure that you’re not wasting energy and precious cold air by cooling empty rooms.
After all, why waste money cooling a room that no one uses?
The easiest way to prevent this waste is by closing doors and shutting off those air registers. Closing doors to empty rooms will help keep the cool air where it is most needed, thus reducing the amount of space in your home that actually needs to be cooled by your A/C unit.
7. Leaving Blinds or Curtains Open During the Day
Here is one of the biggest mistakes made by the average homeowner. Leaving your blinds or curtains open while the sun is out results in unwanted exposure to outside heat.
This is totally unnecessary and results in greater strain on your cooling unit.
The key is to simply keep your blinds and curtains closed during the day in order to seal in the cool air and reduce the amount of energy required to keep the temperature inside your home as pleasant as possible.
A Guide to Air Conditioning Tips Every Homeowner Should Know
It’s no secret that owning a home is expensive. That’s why it’s so important to look for ways to reduce energy costs while keeping your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Fortunately, these air conditioning tips will help make this the best summer ever!
Please contact us today to schedule your seasonal HVAC tune-up.