What’s not to love about central air conditioning? It’s clearly one of your best friends each summer, even though you can’t take it to the movies or watch TV together. But what the heck – is keeping you cool and comfortable not enough of a benefit?
And now, back to our question, i.e., what’s not to love about AC? The answer is “plenty” once things start to go wrong. And while no system will last forever, you can extend your AC system’s equipment life by helping it to work with relative ease. In short, less stress equals improved performance.
Here are some stress-reducing tips you’ll want to follow:
- Keep shades, curtains, and blinds closed on sun-facing windows until the sun changes its position.
- Once outdoor temperatures reach 90 degrees and above, especially when coupled with high humidity, raise your thermostat to 75 degrees until things start cooling off outdoors.
- Install one or more ceiling fans for a couple of good reasons. First, a two-way fan pulls cool air back up to people levels just as they push warm air down during the winter. That allows you to stay cool at higher thermostat settings. Ceiling and floor- or table-mounted oscillating fans also help circulate cool air so you can accomplish more with less from your AC system.
- AC filters should be cleaned or replaced periodically. The norm is every 6-8 weeks but, once you make it a habit, you’ll know how often your filter needs attention.
- Don’t place lamps, TVs, or anything else that generates heat near your thermostats. That kind of heat tricks your thermostat into thinking you need more cool air than you really do.
- If you’re leaving the house, raise the thermostat until you return. Your system appreciates every breather it gets. Even better, replace your thermostats with the programmable variety, especially those with remote Wi-Fi access. That way you can save energy while you’re gone and still come home to maximum comfort.
- Have your air ducts checked periodically for cracks and areas where two pieces might have disconnected. Your attic doesn’t need to be cooled – just your living quarters do.
Another great way to keep your system in top working order is with annual preventive maintenance – a specialty of the house at Air Professionals. So, if it’s been a year or longer since maintenance was last performed, contact us today to schedule service.