Air conditioning is a must for countless homes during the hot summer months in Hurricane. However, the operating costs associated with running an AC are substantial. Find how routine air conditioning service can reduce AC repair costs, and learn energy-saving habits to help your unit run more efficiently. With these tips, you’ll enjoy a comfortable home this summer without spending a lot.
What Routine AC Service Includes
Air conditioning maintenance is a reasonably priced, predictable annual charge that pays you back by lowering repair costs and lengthening your unit’s life span. Here are some critical maintenance steps that help avoid air conditioner breakdowns:
- Swap out the air filter: A dirty filter slows down airflow and makes your air conditioner to work harder, using more energy and increasing the risk of overheating. Replacing your air conditioner's dirty air filter with a clean one as part of your yearly maintenance service call, and every 30 to 90 days throughout the year, promotes optimal airflow and efficiency.
- Clean the evaporator coil: The interior evaporator coil can become covered in dirt and dust with time, lowering its ability to absorb heat. This can cause the refrigerant in the coil to freeze, stopping your air conditioner from running correctly. Cleaning the coil takes out this insulating layer and helps the refrigerant to perform this essential function.
- Clean the condenser coil: The exterior condenser coil lets out heat soaked up by the refrigerant. If it’s blocked by cobwebs, grass clippings and other debris, the heat transfer process is weakened. Cleaning the condenser coil boosts the unit’s efficiency substantially, reducing wear and tear on your air conditioner that could bring on breakdowns.
- Straighten the coils’ fins: The aluminum fins on the evaporator and condenser coils can become bent, restricting airflow and decreasing performance. Correcting the fins with a fin comb returns51 them to their original position to restore proper airflow.
- Lubricate moving parts: Friction in the motor and other moving parts generates heat and causes unnecessary wear and tear. Scheduled lubrication minimizes friction, ensuring smooth operation and cutting down on the need for repairs.
- Check refrigerant levels: A low refrigerant charge is another explanation for why your AC can freeze up, causing longer run times, comfort problems and preventable AC repairs. An HVAC professional uses special tools to investigate and adjust refrigerant levels as needed to ensure proper operation and prevent a mid-season breakdown.
Other Ways to Reduce AC Repair Costs
Yearly maintenance is a key factor in getting rid of avoidable AC repair charges, but here are some other techniques to help your AC unit operate dependably all summer long:
- Turn the temperature up: Elevating the thermostat setting limits the wear and tear on your AC. Find a comfortable temperature and avoid setting the thermostat any lower.
- Buy a programmable thermostat: When set correctly, a programmable thermostat helps regulate your home’s temperature more efficiently, reducing the demand on your AC unit. An effective technique is to set setback periods of 7 to 10 degrees while you’re away or sleeping to save on energy costs and further diminish wear and tear.
- Seal air leaks: Gaps and cracks around windows and doors allow warm, humid air inside. Use caulk and weatherstripping to avoid overburdening your air conditioning unit.
- Add insulation: A proper attic insulation level promotes reliable indoor temperatures and will reduce your AC’s workload. If you can observe the attic floor or joists poking through the existing insulation, add more.
- Prevent solar heat gain: The sun’s heat warms your home, increasing cooling demand. Putting in window coverings and pulling the blinds or shades during the hottest part of the day blocks solar heat gain and lowers the chance of a mid-season breakdown.
- Try using ceiling fans: The wind chill effect produced by ceiling fans makes the room feel about 4 degrees cooler, allowing you to raise the thermostat setting without losing comfort. It’s a good idea to shut the fan off when you leave the room, as fans cool people, not spaces.
- Use a dehumidifier: For those who reside in a humid part of the United States, increased humidity levels can make your home feel cool but clammy, causing you to lower the temperature. A whole-house dehumidifier takes out excessive moisture, giving your AC a much-needed break.
- Make sure your vents are not obstructed123: Closed or sealed off air vents throw off the balance of return and supply air, which may cause your air conditioning to break down. To avoid this, always keep at least 80 percent of your registers open, and make sure no furniture, curtains or rugs inadvertently obstruct airflow. Enhance circulation further by keeping interior doors open as much as possible.
- Install an energy-efficient air conditioner: If your air conditioning system is more than 10 years old, consider upgrading to a more energy-efficient system. In addition to improved efficiency, a new system is also much less likely to break down or encounter maintenance issues than an older unit, reducing your repair expenses in the long run.
Schedule HVAC Service in Hurricane
By investing in routine air conditioning maintenance and following other recommended home-cooling habits, you’ll enjoy a comfortable interior with decreased repair costs this summer. Teays Valley Service Experts offers quality AC tune-ups to maximize efficiency and extend your air conditioner’s life span. We can also upgrade your AC unit if yours is getting up there in age.