Be Nice to Your Air Conditioner to Save Money for Summer

These Easy Maintenance Tips Will Keep Your System Running Smoothly

Put money in your pocket by caring for your air conditioner! We know, this doesn’t sound that exciting, but pets and people depend on air conditioning for indoor comfort all summer long. So think of it as a way to ensure your energy bills are as low as they can be in the coming months. That means more money for your family, and more indoor comfort all year round.

First, think about the ways you’re keeping sun out of your house.

Do you have window coverings ready to block the heat? Your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard, and won’t use up as much energy if you can keep heat from your home.  Make sure you cover skylights (and any windows in rooms where visibility won’t matter) now, before it gets too hot. Consider outdoor landscaping with plants that shield your south-facing windows or at least provide significant shade. By planting things now, greenery will have a chance to deepen their roots before the sizzling days of summertime.

Next step, check your vents.

Just last night I noticed someone had left our laundry room door open so it blocked a large HVAC vent in our kitchen almost completely. And this is in an air conditioning specialist’s home! I don’t know how long the door had been left open, but I can tell you it was forcing our system to work harder and longer to maintain indoor comfort, racking up needlessly high energy bills. So it’s worth the time to regularly check around your house for furniture, errant toys or boxes blocking those important supply or return vents in your house.

Clean around your outdoor condenser.

While you’re planting those shade trees, check around this vital piece of equipment in your yard. The condenser is the most expensive element of your HVAC system, and if it’s not working efficiently, you’ll get less indoor comfort and higher energy bills. Make sure it’s clean and free of any leaves, trash, toys or even critter nests.  With appropriate, regular maintenance and spot checks like this, you should expect more than a decade of use from this important piece of equipment.

What’s happening with your thermostat placement?

Your thermostat is the brain that determines when your HVAC must turn on or off. If your thermostat is placed next to a lamp, or gets direct sunlight from a nearby window, it could be detecting inaccurate temperatures indoors, and “instruct” the system to turn and off inappropriately. Also, remember that with every degree you turn down your thermostat, you’re paying more money to the utility company.  For every degree below 78, you’ll increase your energy usage by about 8%.

So there you have it: real ways to make a difference with your indoor comfort and with your wallet.

Discover more easy ways to keep your air conditioning performing at its peak, all summer long. Call Air-Tro today at (626) 357-3535.