Air Conditioning: Get The Most From Your Unit

When the summer heat starts bearing down on your home, all you want is for your air conditioner to keep it at bay. It's no fun to sit and sweat while watching baseball on television, working at your computer, or just relaxing with your family. This is a very real possibility, especially when many homeowners are afraid to turn their units down to a point that will keep them truly comfortable. Why is that? Because of the costs, of course. Electric bills rise every year and having inefficient homes and HVAC systems does nothing to help the problem. Here are some tips that can help you get the most out of your A/C unit.

Regular Maintenance

It is one of the most important aspects of keeping an air conditioning working efficiently, yet it is something so many homeowners skimp on. You wouldn't dream of forgetting to take your car in for a regular oil change, but you may never have given a moment's thought to having your HVAC unit maintained. Having a professional come out to look at the unit every year can ensure your coils are clean, your fans are working, and your unit isn't going to stop working in the near future.

Seal Your Home

You could have an air conditioning system working well, but it won't matter if heat is entering your home through gaps in your windows and doors. Not only will heat enter, but your cold air will escape. This is no good. You could be paying much more than you need to be for home cooling if this is your situation. Take a tour of your house and see if there are any cracks or gaps that could be compromising your energy efficiency. Keep your doors and windows closed whenever you can. Think about getting tinted windows to minimize the greenhouse effect.

Filter Changes

Don't let your filter get clogged up with dust and dirt. As this will happen on a regular basis, it's up to you to make sure you change it out every couple of months. Some experts advise changing the filter once a season. You can get away with this if you keep a very clean home, but it all depends. If, when you change your air conditioning filter, you find a situation where it is opaque with dust and dirt, it is a signal that you need to increase the frequency. An easier solution is to buy a metal filter. Then you can just clean it every so often, rather than continuing to buy new paper filters.