To keep your home in Huntington, WV comfortable and pleasantly cool during the humid and hot summer months, you need your HVAC unit, specifically your air conditioner, in top shape. To get your HVAC system ready and in the best possible condition for the summer, there are some things you can do and have done to it.
Schedule a Maintenance Appointment in the Spring
Before summer even arrives, invest in professional maintenance for your AC. Set this up during the spring season as HVAC professionals are usually fairly busy in the summer. The benefits of a tune-up are numerous. When a certified technician catches problems that seem minor, they will fix these issues before they have a chance to fester and become unmanageable. For example, letting a loose component rattle around in your system will end up costing you in the form of a more expensive repair in the long run.
When you receive proper maintenance, your unit will run better, which will help save money on your monthly utility bills. Inefficient air conditioners can end up doing things like short cycling, which is when the system shuts off before it reaches the end of its cycle. Your unit will constantly start and stop at the wrong times, which will drive up your energy costs. You already pay more in the summer for energy, but there’s no reason you have to pay additional costs with a system that exhibits issues.
A tune-up will also help extend the life of your system. When you can use your AC year after year, it means you don’t have to look into getting an expensive replacement.
Change the Air Filter
Swapping out your unit’s air filter is usually not part of professional maintenance. However, it’s easy enough that you can do it yourself. The typical rule of thumb is to put in a new filter every three months. If you have pets or smokers in your household, you may need to do this every one or two months.
Keeping a clogged or dirty air filter will make your system work harder to try to cool your home. One result of this is that you’ll see bigger utility costs. Also, your unit won’t be able to push cool air through the dirty filter, meaning your home may end up becoming warmer instead of cooler.
Get Repairs Done As Soon As Possible
If your air conditioner does start acting weird, it will give you signs that it’s having issues that need fixing. If you want it to keep operating efficiently during the summer, it’s critical to get your system repaired as quickly as possible and not ignore indications of problems.
Listen for odd noises like screeching, banging, whistling, or grinding. Pay attention to foul odors coming from the unit. If the air inside your home doesn’t seem that clean, make sure to have an experienced professional come over and investigate. An increase in humidity levels in your home is another reason to schedule repair service.
Practice Smart Temperature Control
Your first instinct on setting your thermostat during the summer might be to put the temperature as low as possible so your home stays cold. However, if you do this, you’re going to exert more strain on your AC than necessary. This will drive up energy costs and put your unit on the road to an early breakdown.
Experts from the Department of Energy recommend setting your thermostat at 78 degrees Fahrenheit while you’re at home for the summer months. This might not sound that cool, but it will keep your home comfortable while saving you from exorbitant utility bills.
If you plan a long summer vacation, adjust the thermostat to at least 80 degrees before you leave, or even up to 85. Again, while this doesn’t sound that cold, it will help ensure your home doesn’t get too hot while you’re away, and you’ll save on energy usage.
Look Into Getting a Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats have great features that can help your air conditioner run better when you need it. You can control a smart thermostat remotely via your smartphone, so you don’t even need to be home to make temperature adjustments. With an upgraded thermostat, you can also schedule alerts for things like the next maintenance appointment. This device will also learn your usage patterns over time and adjust accordingly.
Your Local HVAC Resource
At Variable Comfort Solutions, we’re your one-stop shop for HVAC maintenance services in Huntington. Not only can we tune up your AC, but we can also do the same for your heating system. Other services we offer include heating and cooling repair and installation as well as indoor air quality testing and solutions. Call us at Variable Comfort Solutions today to set up your service appointment in Huntington.
