With the summer coming we are all dreading the unbearable humidity and heat that comes along with it. The summer is a time for outside fun in the pool, yard, and whatever other adventures you may be on, but when you’re inside you want to cool off and be comfortable. The easiest answer to this problem is an air conditioning system. With most modern homes having this unit already installed we all wonder how to make it more efficient and to get the most out of an air conditioning unit in our homes. Here are some easy and simple tips to get the most out of your AC unit.

Close Some of Your Vents

When a vent is opened this allows cool air to travel to that area or room. Alternatively, if you close off a vent the air conditioning will not travel to that room. To get the most out of your AC and not overuse it you can always close off the vents to rooms that are not always used so that you can save energy while still keeping cool in your common use areas (i.e. your kitchen, family room, bedroom, etc.). Remember to always check your basement because this is usually a naturally cool area that may not need air conditioned as much or at all.

Unblock Vents

Blocked vents are something that we may not think of. When we design a room or get new furniture blocked vents may not even cross out minds. Before this summer heats up check all of the rooms in your house to see if vents are being blocked off. If they are you may be overusing your AC unit unnecessarily. Simply unblocking them and lowering the power of your air conditioner is an easy way to save energy and money.

Keep the Unit On

We have all waited to turn the air conditioning on a cooler summer day or turn it off on a cool summer night to save some money for when the AC is needed later on in the day or into the early morning. This actually may not be saving you money. Depending on how much hotter the day becomes your unit could have to work much harder to cool off your house than if you would have just kept the unit running. This can also overwork the unit making it less efficient at a later date.

Get Your Unit Serviced

At Thompson Heating and Cooling we are always here to help. This includes service runs on your AC unit. Most people wait until there is a major problem with their AC to get it checked or fixed and this usually ends up being much more costly for them than if they had been getting their unit serviced on a regular basis. Regularly servicing would be twice a year: before you start to use it in the Summer and when you stop using it in the Fall. This can double with your furnace check-ups and services so that you save money on calling professionals out to you as well. This is most likely the biggest money saver on this list as well.

Replace the Filter

Replacing the HVAC filter is something simple that doesn’t require a service call. It is recommended that you change it every three months but checking on this monthly will allow you to see how often a change is needed based off of your needs. If the filter is not changed as frequently as it should be then your unit will end up working much too hard with the potential to freeze over causing many more problems.

Keeping up on your AC unit may seem like a difficult job or another full-time job itself when problems arise with them. With all of these tips provided today you will not have to work as hard keeping up with the unit and you will have much fewer problems with the possibility of your utility bills decreasing.