Taking off on a trip means you’ll have to take time to prepare your home for your absence. These secure-home tips can help you cover the bases with your air conditioning system. Instead of turning it off when you leave, letting it run while you’re away, albeit at a higher temperature than usual, can discourage would-be intruders and protect the contents of your home.
Air conditioning systems make noise, especially the outdoor condensing unit. When it kicks on, it signals to others that your home is probably occupied. You may also need a minimal amount of cooling for any plants or pets you leave at home, or heat-sensitive electronics, dry goods or wooden instruments.
- The best way to avoid problems with your A/C is to have it professionally serviced at least once a season or just before you leave. HVAC professionals go through the entire system, cleaning, adjusting the parts, and verifying adequate refrigerant levels. They spot any problems that could become issues, which could save you an expensive or emergency repair while you’re gone.
- Give the phone number of your HVAC contractor to your house sitter in the event it develops a problem while you’re away.
- If you’ve had your system tuned-up already this season, check the air filter for the air handler and clean or replace it to improve system efficiency. Dirty filters impede airflow to your equipment, making it work harder than necessary.
Other secure-home tips also involve making your home look occupied, such as:
- Putting lights and a television or radio on timers.
- Asking someone to mow the lawn if you’re on an extended trip.
- Parking a car in the driveway.
- Unplugging the automatic garage door opener.
- Holding your mail at the post office, canceling the paper and having someone remove door hangers from your front door.
If you’d like more information on secure-home tips for your home and cooling system, please contact us at Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning. We’ve provided quality HVAC services for the San Joaquin Valley for more than 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 secure-home tips and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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