Summer is in full swing in the Twin Cities metro area, and you’re probably looking for ways to lower your energy bills while maintaining optimum comfort. An overworked air conditioner becomes less efficient over time and may experience common A/C problems resulting from hard work and neglect. Optimize the cooling in your home to take some of the load off your air conditioner with these tips.
Schedule preventive maintenance
Nothing helps your air conditioner operate efficiently throughout the summer more than your yearly tune-up. Your qualified HVAC technician will clean your system, check essential safety features, measure the refrigerant level and tighten electrical connections.
Turn on your fans
Fans keep you cool by moving air around your skin. Turn on your fans when you enter a room, but because they don’t actually affect the temperature of the room, turn them off when you leave to save on your electricity bill.
Seal air leaks
Air leaks allow warm air in and cool air out. Seal around stationary parts of windows and doors with caulk and install weatherstripping around movable parts. Use expanding caulk to seal gaps around pipes, vents and service entrances that penetrate exterior walls.
Change your air filter
Your A/C air filter prevents dust from entering your system and reducing its efficiency. A dirty filter inhibits the airflow to your air conditioner, making it work harder to keep you cool and raising your utility bills. Check your air filter every month and replace it when you can’t see through it.
Combat heat gain
Much of the radiant energy from the sun hitting your home enters your rooms through your windows. Keep your draperies closed during the day to keep some of this heat out.
Tend to your ducts
The typical home loses 20 to 40 percent of conditioned air through leaky ductwork. Seal loose joints and cracks with metal tape or mastic sealant.
For more expert advice about helping your overworked air conditioner keep you comfortable all summer long, please feel free to contact us at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning, helping to keep Twin Cities residents comfortable year-round.
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 air conditioners and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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