Keeping Your AC Healthy in Summer

As we slowly leave winter behind and start moving into spring, it is time to start looking ahead to warmer months. As temperatures increase, so too will your AC usage, and it is essential to keep that unit operating at peak capacity as it becomes more and more vital to keeping your home habitable. Rather than waiting until then and finding yourself potentially stuck in the summer heat without a backup, we have compiled several tips for helping to keep your air conditioner healthy during the summer months.

Get Your Unit Inspected by a Professional

First and foremost - have your unit inspected before the summer months kick in. HVAC technicians like Adams are understandably busy during the summer months, so getting an inspection done early can identify problems and reduce your chances of being stuck in the summer heat.

Stay on Top of your Filters

The efficiency of your air conditioner depends heavily on your air filters. The poorer shape your filters are in, the harder your air conditioner has to work to cool a volume of air. This degrades your air conditioner over time and could lead to breakdowns or, at the very least, sky high energy bills. Stay on top of your filters and make sure they remain in good condition. Replace your filters as needed.

Keep your AC in the Shade

Remember that air conditioners work by drawing in air that surrounds them. By keeping your air conditioner shaded you can keep the air that surrounds the AC out of any direct sunlight, this in turn gives you cooler air. By keeping your air conditioner shaded you can reduce the workload of the unit, making it so it does not have to work as hard to cool the air and prolonging the life of the unit.

Keep Thermostat Away from Appliances

Your thermostat is used to determine roughly how warm it is in your house. If it is sitting next to hot appliances or other warm, generally unoccupied areas of the home then it is going to register higher temperatures than usual. Positioning your thermostat in a centralized location where there is plenty of foot traffic that is commonly used gives a more accurate read of the temperature than if it is positioned out of the way but near something hot. By the same token, don’t let the thermostat sit directly underneath a vent where it might register a much cooler temperature than you want.

Adjust Thermostat When People Leave

If there is nobody in the house, there is no reason to keep cooling the house. Programmable thermostats are ideal for this as they can maintain different temperatures at different times of the day. When everybody is away from the house for work there is no reason not to raise the temperature somewhat to reduce the workload of your air conditioner. You can set it to start lowering the temperature before you normally get home, maximizing the efficiency of the unit. Setting the thermostat a few degrees higher at night will also help cut down on costs without being too much of an inconvenience.

Preparation is Essential

Just remember - overall, the most important aspect of keeping your air conditioner healthy in summer is simply to prepare. Doing all of the work early means that when others scramble due to unexpected breakdowns, you will find yourself resting easy and enjoying the climate controlled paradise that is your home. It can also save you from hefty repair bills that result from unexpected malfunctions and rushed repairs. If there is a major problem with your unit, the preparation gives you time to save up before the problem becomes a catastrophe.