Summer’s Coming: Can Your Air Conditioner Take the Heat?
After a long winter's nap, it's time for your air conditioner to get back to work.
Keep them pumping at peak efficiency so they'll cool your home's air and keep warm-weather costs in check. A thorough pre-season cleaning is a good place to start.
Air conditioning is your biggest energy expense during the summer. Still, you can keep your costs a bit lower by following a few easy tips:
- Schedule a professional tune-up for your air conditioner before the hottest days arrive so yours won't break down during the busiest time for repairs.
- Keep your outdoor unit free of debris.
- Remove leaves, dirt and twigs from around the outdoor unit, and keep the grass around it trimmed.
- Change the air filter once a month. For non-disposable filters, clean them each month.
- Clean the indoor coil once a year.
- Softly brush the fan blades once a year to shake off the dust and dirt.
- If you're in the market for a new air conditioner, buy one with the highest SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating you can afford. These appliances are the most efficient.
- Don't buy too big. An air conditioner should "fit" the size of your home. An HVAC professional can advise you about proper sizing.
- Don't forget about your room air conditioners:
- Rinse or change their air filters once a month.
- Brush the exterior fins once a year with water and a gentle brush.
- Clean their exterior and interior coils.
- Turn on your ceiling fans. They increase the circulation of cool air and might allow you to take the thermostat up a notch.
- Close your window blinds during the hottest part of the day.
- Add insulation to your attic and caulk windows. Preventing cool air from leaking out of your house can reduce cooling costs by up to 20 percent.
- Done faithfully, these measures will keep your energy costs down and your comfort levels up.