When the temperature starts climbing in the summer, chances are you reach for the thermostat just like everybody else to keep your home cool. However, as you know, running your air conditioner constantly can cost a lot of money over the course of a warm spring and hot summer. That’s why you should focus on ways to run the A/C more efficiently. You’ll minimize costs at home and reduce your impact on the environment while creating a comfortable home for you and your family.
- If you haven’t already done so this year, schedule an annual tuneup/maintenance check for your cooling system. The technician will clean your system, check all components, and run through a checklist of standard maintenance tasks. He’ll spot minor problems that could turn into serious and costly repair or efficiency issues without regular maintenance.
- Take the time to perform do-it-yourself maintenance on a regular basis throughout the cooling season. Inspect the air filter monthly and change it when it gets dirty. Clean the indoor and outdoor coils, since grime and dirt can interfere with the essential heat-exchange process carried out by the coils. Remove weeds and other yard debris from around the outside condensing unit, to ensure it has plenty of airflow. Remove rubs, drapes and furniture from around registers or vents, to make sure the air is flowing smoothly inside.
- Have your ductwork checked when you have your A/C tune-up performed by a qualified professional. Chances are you’ve never had your air ducts inspected before, and if you live in an older home, you could have significant problems. Air ducts that leak can force your air conditioner to work a lot harder to pump out enough air to cool your home. Think of leaking air ducts like a leaking hose. You lose cool air the same way you lose water if your ducts aren’t in good shape.
Please contact us at Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning for more information on how to run the A/C more efficiently this summer. We have been serving the greater Fresno area for over 40 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater Fresno, California area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about A/Cs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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