Is your air conditioning unit ready for the scorching summer heat? This year, get ready ahead of time and ensure that your home will be cool and comfortable all summer long.
A well-maintained air conditioner will allow you to beat the heat.
Prepare your AC by getting it ready to blast cool air throughout your home with the following recommendations:
Get your Air Conditioner Professionally Inspected
During the winter, air conditioning units are left to endure the harsh weather conditions and cool temperatures that winter brings with it.
As summer quickly approaches its peak, homeowners should have their air conditioning units inspected.
A complete inspection done by a HVAC professional will help you catch unseen issues, such as:
- - Leaks
- - Drips
- - Faulty wires
- - Dirty filters
- - Electrical issues
An expert technician will check every mechanical piece of the air conditioner thoroughly, ensuring that the unit and all of its parts is working up to par.
Some years, all that your air conditioner will require is a complete clean.
Professional clean-ups may help to improve your air conditioner's efficiency, ensures that it is running well, and will reduce the chance of a malfunction.
Setting the Thermostat and Maintaining an Efficient AC System
The cleanliness of your AC unit will help to ensure that it is working efficiently all summer long.
Each month, turn off the air conditioner’s power and get outside to clear any debris that is in the area around
your air conditioner.
For a proper cleaning, you can remove the cover off of the air conditioning unit itself and clean within.
Filters should be checked regularly and cleaned when an excess amount of dust or dirt has built up on it.
Although this is a location-dependent number, the ideal temperature for a home’s thermostat and AC is 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
When your AC is on its “cooling” setting, homeowners can save 10% for each degree above 78 that your thermostat is set to.
To increase your AC’s efficiency as much as possible, you can use ceiling fans to circulate the cool air within your home, leaving the temperature a couple of degrees above 78.
Some homeowners may also be interested in investing in a programmable thermostat.
Those allow you to have the thermostat on only when you’re in your home for a long stretch, or to turn off when it’s nighttime, and the temperatures are cooler.
When Should Air Conditioners Be Replaced?
There is no exact timing as to when an air conditioner should be replaced.
However, if your air conditioner is 10 years or older, it may be cost-effective for you to replace the unit.
Older units are known to be quite inefficient, and may even be causing an increase in your energy bill.