During the final steamy summer months, air conditioning is a life saver. Of course, to achieve effective airflow from your air conditioner necessitates maintenance. This guide will give you some insight on running your HVAC system and preventing problems.

Clean your filters

First of all, keep your washable filters as clean as possible. Otherwise, install new filters monthly during cooling season for both central and window units. It is worth it. Dirty filters hugely impede on air conditioning efficiency. When purchasing new filters, it is important to pay attention to minimum efficiency reporting value, or MERV, which ranges from 1 to 12 for home air conditioning units. MERV 12 denotes maximum filtration and energy consumption. As with most things, air-quality concerns need to be balanced with energy costs.

Use a programmable thermostat

Use a programmable thermostat or timer to control energy consumption. There is no need to blast air conditioning when you are not home. Of course, don’t set it too uncomfortably warm, particularly if you have animals in the house. If not built in, timers or adjustable thermostats are well worth the investment. They simply need to match your unit’s voltage. Unless you are taking a long trip, it is bad to completely shut off the HVAC system, as re-cooling the house from scratch is a huge task for your air compressor.

Insulate

Proper insulation helps keep costs down. Air ducts in attics or crawl spaces should be wrapped to keep the air flowing within them cool and clean. Use batt insulation or rigid foam insulation for best wrapping results. Seal batt and rigid insulation with foil tape. Although tight spaces are typically hard to insulate, wraps like Reflectix can offer some peace of mind.

Clear obstructions

Keep the area surrounding your air compressor and condenser free of obstructions. For central air, this area is typically close to the outside of your house. Allow for about two feet of space in all directions around the compressor and condenser. They need room to breathe!

Federal laws require air conditioning units to be way more efficient than they were even 10 years ago. Standards are very quickly accelerating, so consider investing in an upgrade to keep pace. What works well today maybe ancient 20 years from now. HVAC systems demand your full attention.

Seeking professional help with maintaining your HVAC system? Search for an I Want SMART contractor here!