Optimize your AC’s Efficiency
Simply put, air conditioners take heat out of your house, in much the same way that refrigerators do. To optimize their efficiency, try to prevent heat from getting inside the house in the first place with the following steps:
- Your roof gets most of the direct sunlight and the attic is like an oven. Heat from the attic radiates down into the house. By improving your attic’s insulation, the upper floor stays much cooler.
- For the side of the house that gets the most sun, install blinds that effectively block out sunlight. Cover up big glass doors and large panes of glass if possible.
AC Care
When starting up an AC unit, it is very important to make sure that the furnace filter is clean and the unit has been serviced in the previous year. It is wise to install air conditioning in the spring before the real heat kicks in. Once the heat wave hits, it can take a while to find an available AC technician.
Most modern thermostats are battery powered. As a rule of thumb, replace the battery on your thermostat when you replace the one on your smoke detector.
Before you turn on your AC for the summer…
- Make sure the humidification system is shut down
- Clean the furnace filters
- Check that the outdoor unit is clear of debris
- Make sure all the registers (the grill-like vents on the floors or walls) in the house are open
To find the right contractor to service your air conditioner, or install a new one, visit the heating and air conditioning category.
