The official start of summer is less than a week away, although if you’re like many homeowners in the area you are likely already using your air conditioner on a consistent basis. After all, air conditioning isn’t only necessary to make our homes comfortable, but to even make them bearable. If your air conditioner isn’t working the way you expect it to, it may be time to call for repairs, and/or schedule maintenance if you haven’t done so yet.
But what if there’s nothing wrong with your air conditioner—you just wish it would work more efficiently? The good news is, there are a number of actions you can take to use your air conditioner as efficiently as possible. Read on to see what they are!
Raise the Temperature on the Thermostat
We get it, this sounds like counterproductive advice—why would you want to make your home hotter than it should be? We’re not asking you to do that. But the fact of the matter is, you may be turning your thermostat settings down much lower than actually necessary to maintain home comfort.
Homeowners sometimes set their thermostats down as low as 71°F when actually, most individual are just fine with a temperature of 78°F throughout the day. Additionally, you will save energy and subsequent money by raising the temperature when you aren’t home, and while you’re sleeping. Don’t waste unnecessary energy by cooling a home you aren’t using, or by lowering temperatures far lower than you actually need.
Use Your Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans cannot keep you cool all on their own. After all, a fan can’t actually lower the temperature of the room it is in. What ceiling fans can do is make your body feel cooler. This is because ceiling fans help sweat evaporate from your body, keeping cool and keeping your energy bills low (as long as you’re in the room to enjoy it).
When you’re air conditioner is running, ceiling fans help to push cooled air down from the ceiling and keep warm air rising, Therefore, pairing your ceiling fans with your central cooling system enables you to run the AC system at a higher temperature, which means it doesn’t have to run as long, and therefore lowers your monthly energy costs.
Routinely Change the Air Filter
The air filter that comes in your air conditioner or furnace when you have it installed is there to protect the interior components of the HVAC system. When it gets too clogged up with dust and debris, it makes it harder for your air conditioner to draw in warm air and start the refrigerant process to cool your home.
Therefore, the air filter should be changed every 1-3 months during periods of use. The frequency will depend on the type of filters you use, as well as the level of contaminants in your home—For instance, a home with cigarette smoke or pet dander may require an air filter change more often than a home without those things.
For reliable services on your HVAC system in Loganville, contact Wall Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. today.