Keep Your Air Conditioning Functioning Smooth with These Tips

Simple checks you can do to keep your home’s air conditioning functioning:

1. Close Windows and Doors:The most important step of keeping your home cool and your air conditioning unit working smoothly is to close your home’s windows and outer doors. While it may seem like a good idea to keep the windows open for fresh air movement, don’t do this while your AC is running. This will make your unit work overtime.It’s also a good idea to have your ceiling fans running at the same time as your AC. This helps circulate the air and can assist your unit, helping it run better. Keep your blinds and curtains pulled in the summer as well. A dark home is easier to keep cool than a sunlight filled home.

2. Plug Leaks in Your Attic and Gaps Under Windows: If you find any leaks in your home, make sure you plug them. Attics are prime victims of leaks and if you find one, use some spray insulation or batt insulation to block those holes off. Stopping leaks will keep your utility spending down and will ensure your machine’s longevity.

3. Give Your Thermostat a Base Temperature: If you’re constantly changing your AC’s thermostat, you’re going to run up your costs during the summer. It’s always a good idea to set a base temperature on your unit and leave it alone. The up-and-down changing temperature on your unit will wear it out faster and raise the cost. Find a comfortable temperature and keep it there.

4. Change Filters Regularly: Like your furnace, your air conditioning unit has a filtration system. Keeping your filters clean and updated will keep your air intake pure and your home smelling fresh. It’s always a good idea to change the filters in your air conditioning once a month. The higher the number on your replacement filters the better. This means they’ll filter more efficiently.

5. Don’t Fiddle with Registers: Most central air cooling systems require vents or registers in your home. Opening and closing registers will put a massive cooling load on your unit. This will cause it to burn out faster and can cause serious, irreparable damage to your air condition unit.

6. Keep the Condenser Neat: Blocked condensers can cause overworking too. If you have lots of plants packed around your condenser, maybe consider moving them 2 feet away. This will optimize air movement.Doing some basic landscaping maintenance will help your air conditioning unit work better. Clip overhanging tree limbs away from the condenser. Any leaves or sticks that may damage the condenser must be removed and cleared out. If the condenser is located close to the house and you think your gutters may be overflowing with debris, consider cleaning them as well. Home maintenance is a big part of air conditioning maintenance. Keep everything clean and neat so your utilities work better.

7. Don’t Close Off Rooms: Airflow is a big part of keeping your home cool. One of the best ways to keep the air moving in your home is making sure none of the rooms are closed off during the summer months. Open bedroom and living room doors. Even keeping doors gapped to maintain some privacy is better than closing the door entirely.If you need to keep one room cooler than the others, consider investing in a zoning system. This will allow your home to be separated into 2 or more zones which allow for certain rooms to be cooled at different rates or temperatures during the summer months. This can be convenient for families who spend more time in certain living spaces than others. It might cost a bit more but it will ultimately save you more money in the long run.

8. Have a Professional Do Maintenance: If you want to keep your air conditioning running smoothly, it’s always important to keep up on its basic maintenance. While some things you can check yourself, always make sure to find a professional heating and cooling company who can come out and check your unit over for you. These professionals will inspect your machine’s filtration system and will clean it for you. Always have your contractor set up appointments a year in advance so you don’t forget. Your repair tech should inspect the belts, coils, and motors, replacing and/or lubricating all moving parts as needed.

Having a professional like BluFlame take care of the hard parts of your unit’s maintenance will give you peace of mind and will ensure your machine keeps running well.