The expert installation of a quality home comfort system, such as an air conditioner, is absolutely essential for our hot and muggy summers. You shouldn’t just have to settle for “bearable,” either, you should be comfortable!
There are a number of options when it comes to your air conditioner installation. You might want to stick with the traditional central air conditioning system, or maybe you want to look into the benefits of a year-round heat pump or ductless system. Installation is just the beginning, though. If you want your air conditioner to work as efficiently as possible, you have to care for it properly, and consider the following best practices during operation.
Don’t Set the Temperature Lower Than You Need
This may seem like a counterintuitive piece of advice, and we don’t expect you to make your home hotter than is comfortable. However, you might be turning your thermostat settings down much lower than you need, which results in inefficient AC use.
Many people set their thermostats around 72°F at the peak of summer, even though the majority of people can actually maintain comfort at 78°F. Plus, you can save more energy and efficiency by raising the temperature even higher when you’re not home, or when you’re asleep.
Utilize Your Ceiling Fans
On its own, a fan cannot lower the temperature of a room. However, it can help you feel cooler, as it helps sweat evaporate from your body—which is its natural way of keeping cool. On a mild day, a ceiling fan might be plenty enough to keep you cool and keep your bills on the lower side.
When temperatures rise though and require you to turn on your air conditioner, a ceiling fan can help! It distributes the air more evenly and allows you to set the thermostat a bit higher. This way, your cooling system doesn’t have to work as hard to do its job, and thus you’re able to use it more efficiently.
Change Your Air Filter
We’ve mentioned this in a previous post—but your air filter gets dirty and clogged up with dust and debris over time. This makes it harder for air to circulate through your home, and therefore more difficult for your AC system to keep you cool.
As a result, your air conditioner can malfunction. You want to change your air filter every 1-3 months, depending on the manufacturer’s recommendation and the level of contaminants in your home. For instance, if you have a lot of pet hair/dander in your home or cigarette smoke, you may want to change it more often than you would in a home without these irritants.
Upgrade Your System When the Time Comes
No air conditioner lasts forever, unfortunately. Even the most expertly installed and well-cared for system will reach the end of its useful service life, which is about 10-15 years for most systems.
Fortunately, technology is advancing each year, so if you do find yourself with an aging, inefficient cooling system, with our help you are bound to find a new, high-efficiency system that will suit your home well!
Avoid costly HVAC Services in Los Lunas, NM by contacting Axiom Home Services, Inc. for your expert AC installation!