As the calendar rolls on, people are bracing themselves for the onset of winter.
We’re locking up the winter apparel, getting out the lighter summer clothes and making vacation plans for a sunny day on a beach somewhere.
Amongst all the hustle, it is essential to give your air-conditioning systems the attention that they deserve, too.
After all, they are the units that are going to make the heat more bearable throughout the season, and a non-functioning system or worse, one that stops working midway through the season can be one huge inconvenience.
To make life easier we’ve compiled a list of measures that are effective in not only ensuring that your HVAC system runs through the season, but that you also save on that energy bill white beating the summer heat.
Check and replace filters
Just as it’s vital to monitor your health with an annual checkup, your air-conditioning system needs yearly maintenance. Before summer begins in full flow, it is important to call a professional serviceman to do a complete check up on your system.
If you recently had a technician to survey your unit, you could check and replace the filters since they require maintenance more often than other parts.
Air-conditioner filters are responsible for clearing harmful antigens pushed into the room and for ensuring you and your loved ones don’t suffer from any respiratory ailments.
Invest in smart thermostats
Homeowners are increasingly investing in smart-home solutions because they help you be more energy efficient and cut the total bill that you have to pay annually.
Smart thermostats adjust the temperature settings on the system automatically according to the temperature of the surroundings so that at any given time, the unit consumes less energy than it would in a consistent configuration.
Keep AC unit in the shade
Being exposed to direct sunlight can have many negative effects on the health of your system, including melting or degradation of some components.
Also, the air around the system tends to be hotter in direct sunlight, making it harder for the air conditioner to cool it. In the end, it is a man-made invention that you can’t pitch against the full wrath of the sun.
Keep the thermostat away from heat sources and direct sunlight
This is important to cut energy costs because a heat source fools the thermostat into believing that the surroundings are hot, and it needs to put in more effort to cool it, resulting in higher consumption of energy.
Use fans to save on energy bills
Another basic tip of which most people are unaware is that fans can help you preserve energy, too. If a room is warm and stuffy, instead of dropping the temperature on the thermostat, you can turn on the fan. According to research, fans tend to make the room feel 10 times cooler.
Service system annually
Regular maintenance is significant for long life and proper functioning of your air conditioning units.
Since the units remain unused during winters, the onset of summer is the ideal time for the annual service.
These little things that you can take care of quickly combine to make a big difference to energy costs, and they reduce potential headaches you might later face due to faulty systems.
There are a few things that you can do to help your air conditioner run more efficiently and stay cool throughout the summer. First, make sure that your air filter is clean and replace it if it’s not. You should also check the insulation on your home to make sure that it’s in good condition and keep all of the windows and doors closed as much as possible.