When it’s hot and humid in the Twin Cities area, you need your A/C to keep your home’s climate cool and dry. If your system isn’t working as well as it used to, or is having performance issues, it’s time to find out why. Besides needing regular maintenance, your air conditioner needs some help from you to work properly and efficiently.
Here are some ways you can help your A/C do a better job cooling your home:
- First, inspect the air filter and replace it if it looks clogged. Dirty filters restrict air flow to your A/C, making it work longer and harder. You should do this every month during the cooling season, and do the same with your furnace filter during the winter.
- Check your ductwork.
- Rigid ductwork should be connected with screws and a special putty that keeps it airtight. If conditioned air is leaking into your attic or crawlspaces, your A/C will have to work harder to compensate, and won’t do a good job of cooling the rest of your home.
- Flexible ductwork can easily be damaged; check for holes or gaps, crimps and hanging duct sections.
- Finally, insulate any ductwork that passes through parts of your home that aren’t climate controlled.
- Seal up leaks around windows, doors and walls in your home. Weatherstripping, caulk and foam insulation are affordable and easy to install. Each one has a different preferred use for air sealing your home’s envelope.
- Use ceiling fans. The breeze created by a fan doesn’t lower the temperature in your home, but it will keep you cooler. Strategically placed fans will let you raise the thermostat a few degrees, which reduces the load on your air conditioner. Remember, they only work when they’re blowing on you, so turn them off when you leave a room.
- Less humidity keeps your home cooler. Showering, cooking and doing laundry all increase the humidity in your home. When it’s humid, the air feels warmer. Schedule these tasks in the morning and evening when your A/C isn’t working as hard – and always turn on exhaust fans during moisture-producing activities.
- Close your curtains and blinds during daylight hours. Blocking the sun will reduce the load on your air conditioner.
If your air conditioner still isn’t keeping you comfortable, please contact us at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning for expert help.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about A/C systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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