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Make sure that your summer is enjoyable and fun by following some of our summer HVAC tips! Keep reading for some helpful information that will keep your HVAC unit in working order all summer long.
Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are a great way to increase the efficiency of your air conditioning unit. According to the US Department of Energy, if you run an air conditioning unit while running your ceiling fan, you could raise the temperature on your thermostat 4 degrees and feel no change in comfort levels.
Ceiling fans work best in rooms at least 8 feet in height so that they are at least 7 feet above the floor and at least 12 inches from the ceiling. Don’t forget to change the setting on your ceiling fan between winter and summer so that the blade rotation changes and you get the full effects of the fan!
Filters
We talked about the importance of changing your filters regularly in our last blog post, but it can’t hurt to repeat it again. Changing your air filters regularly will improve your home’s indoor air quality but it will also help your air conditioning unit run more efficiently.
If you live in a pristine home with very minimal dirt, no children, no pets and no smokers then you need to change your filters every 6 months, however, if you live in a home with any of what we mentioned then your filters should be replaced every one to two months.
Insulation and Seals
Most homeowners hear insulation and they automatically think winter, but insulation is incredibly useful in the summer as well. The purpose of insulation is to slow the rate of heat transfer, which is applicable in both hot and cold climates. In winter, insulation stops the flow of heat from leaving your home and in summer it stops the flow of heat from entering your home. So if you’ve noticed that your home is not maintaining the correct temperature setting, you could have a problem with the insulation.
In addition to insulation, it is also important to maintain the seals around your home’s doors, windows, and skylights. Old and decayed seals are a big reason for heat gain in homes throughout the summer, and this will impact your home in winter as well.
Condenser Unit
Make sure that your air conditioning unit’s coils are well cleaned. The unit works by absorbing hot air through the condenser coils, cooling that air and then pumping it back into the house. However, if the coils are dirty, they won’t be able to absorb the heat at an efficient rate which will lead to higher energy bills for you all summer long.
Thermostat
If you’ve noticed that your AC unit is not doing a great job of keeping your home at a consistent temperature you could be facing one or two different problems. You might have a broken AC unit on your hands or you could have a faulty thermostat. If you have a non-programmable or non-wifi thermostat then you might want to consider upgrading whether it’s broken or not, simply for efficiency purposes.
A programmable thermostat can be set to a specific schedule so that it runs while you’re home and is off when you’re at work without you having to change the setting every day.
Maintenance
Don’t neglect your maintenance. It might seem trivial to have your AC unit inspected even when the unit seems to be working perfectly fine, but it’s in these inspections that we are able to identify problems that haven’t become big enough for you to notice yet.
Regular maintenance on your AC unit could save you a lot of money, time, and stress in the future and it will ensure that you stay cool and comfortable all summer long.
For more tips on how to better use your air conditioning unit this summer, feel free to reach out to the experts at DG Heating & Air Conditioning. Call us today or visit our website for more information on the services we offer, including AC repair and installation!