How to Keep your AC From Breaking Down in a Heat Wave

Summer is one of the most carefree times of the year so don’t let AC troubles keep you from enjoying it. Follow these tips that we’ve listed, and you should be free and clear from AC problems all summer long!

Preventative Maintenance

There’s a reason that seasonal maintenance is so highly recommended by HVAC technicians everywhere. The change of seasons can be quite difficult on every aspect of your home, but your HVAC unit especially. Invest a little bit into your unit now so that you don’t have to invest in an entirely new unit a short way down the road.

If we perform maintenance on your unit, our technicians will inspect your unit and the accessory pieces, such as air ducts and filters. During the inspection, if they notice any significant issues, they will recommend the best course of action for you to take.

Air Filters

Change out your air filters! If you live in a home with no kids, pets, or smokers, then you should only need to replace your air filters every six months. While if you live in a home with any of those mentioned above, you should change your air filters every two or three months. This is especially important for households with kids and babies since their immune systems have not yet fully developed.

Your air filters are incredibly crucial to your home’s indoor air quality as they help to trap and remove unwanted particles from the air. In addition to their benefit for your air quality, they also have an impact on your HVAC unit’s efficiency. If you leave dirty filters in place for too long, then your HVAC unit will have to work harder and longer to pump clean air through your home, causing your energy bills to increase.

Thermostat

Keeping your home’s internal temperature as close to the outdoor temperature as possible will ensure that your energy bills are as low as they can be. However, when it is 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside, you don’t exactly want it to be that warm inside of your home just to save some money. In these cases, the ideal temperature for your home is 78 degrees, and it should only be this low when you are actually in the house.

When you are not at home, Energy Star recommends that you set your thermostat 10 degrees higher than usual. This gives your system a much-needed break and saves you money on energy bills.

Open Vents

You might think that closing the air vents in rooms you’re not using will save energy since you’re not wasting temperature controlled air on unused rooms. However, this is a big waste of money and energy. By doing this, you’re causing your system to work much harder to get your home to the desired temperature which wastes energy and money.

In order to get the desired effect of cooling specific rooms, you would need to install a zoned HVAC system. These systems work by heating and cooling individual rooms or zones within your home, rather than the whole house at once.

At Coast Plumbing, Heating & Air, we are here to help get you and your AC equipment through the summer months. If you need some last minute maintenance or repairs, then don’t hesitate to reach out to our experts!