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It’s nearing the end of September and with temperatures still in the 80s, your air conditioner is probably still running a lot. But what do you do on a regular basis to help your air conditioner run as smoothly and efficiently as possible? If the answer is “nothing,” then your technicians at Richmond’s are here to recommend four steps you can take to ensure that your air conditioner is getting the TLC it deserves:
- Change Your A/C Filter Regularly. If you can only do one thing for your air conditioner, change the air filter. This task is easy; all you have to do is take out the dirty old filter (most likely located on the return register of your vent work) and replace it with a new filter of the same size (which can be found on the side of the frame). While you hopefully already change the filter on your A/C, you may not change it frequently enough. Once a month during the peak summer cooling season is recommended.
- Schedule Routine Maintenance. You may not think much about it, but your air conditioner is a machine, and just like all machines, a regular tune up can help increase the unit’s life span, improve efficiency, and ward off pricey repairs. You should have your air conditioner serviced by an HVAC technician at least once a year, preferably before you turn your A/C on for the first time next year.
- Leave Your Thermostat Alone. If you fidget constantly with your thermostat, you should stop for the sake of your air conditioner. Central air units work better when they maintain a constant temperature for at least four hours. That means you shouldn’t adjust the thermostat when you leave the house, for example, unless you’ll be gone for four hours or more. Programmable thermostats or even smart thermostats can be a good choice if you want to maintain comfort and efficiency without much thought.
- Shade Your A/C’s Condenser Unit. The condenser unit of your air conditioner is the part that’s outside of your home. If your condenser is in the direct sun most of the day, it’s probably working harder than it needs to. The US Department of Energy reports that shading your condenser unit can improve your air conditioner’s efficiency by 10%, reducing the work load of the unit and saving you money all at the same time!
When shading your unit, make sure that you plant any shrubs or trees far enough away that you maintain a two-foot barrier around the unit for air flow purposes. And make sure you schedule that yearly maintenance to remove any leaves that might accumulate in the condenser unit over the course of the year.
At Richmond’s Air, we want all of our customers in the Houston, Sugar Land, Bellaire and surrounding Texas communities to stay cool and comfortable; taking care of your air conditioner and working with your HVAC technician at Richmond’s will help ensure you stay that way.
If you want to schedule seasonal maintenance or repairs for your air conditioner, call us today.
