Here’s what you can do to get your air conditioner ready for summer
It’s March in the Alton, IL area, which means people are finally starting to see the temperature rise after the cold, dark, long winter months. This enthusiasm about warmer weather also means that you’ll be firing up your air conditioner soon, too. However, with warmer temperatures comes hot days where the air conditioner runs nonstop. Is your unit ready for the heavy usage of the peak summer season? Probably not, so here are a few things that you can do to get your air conditioner ready for the summer!
Get an Air Conditioning Tune-Up
You should always call a local professional to do a routine air conditioning tune-up before the warm season starts. During the tune-up, your air conditioning technician will inspect every component and function of your system. Additionally, they’ll do any maintenance and repairs needed to ensure your system can take the heat during peak summer months.
Seal Holes & Cracks
While this doesn’t have much to do with your air conditioner, it does have to do with keeping your home cooler and taking a little of the stress off of your air conditioner. By sealing cracks and holes around windows, doors, and plumbing fixtures, you’ll be helping to keep the warm air on the outside of your home, which helps your system run less throughout the season.
Leave Doors & Windows Closed
Another thing you can do to help your system out is to leave the doors and windows closed no matter what. When it’s cool inside but warm outside, opening the doors and windows for any reason makes your system work harder. It may be tempting to open a window for a few minutes when you get a chill, but remember that this is warming up your entire home, not just you!
Utilize Nice Weather
When the weather is close to what your thermostat is set to, you can keep windows open for a cost-free way to regulate the temperature inside your home. This tip probably only applies during the Spring, but you may be able to open windows after a rainstorm cools things off to benefit from the change in air temperature and give your system a break.
Program your Thermostat
This is one of the easiest things that you can do to get your air conditioner ready for summer. By programming your thermostat, you’ll optimize the efficiency of your system, setting it to run mostly when people are supposed to be in the home. Furthermore, just lowering your thermostat by one degree below 70 could help you save up to 5% on energy bills!
Change the Filter
Changing the air filter is an all-important step that many people forget about. A clogged air filter will make your system work harder to blow the cool air throughout your home. That extra work on top of the extra work to keep your home cool during a heat wave could mean big trouble for your system. Changing the filter on a regular basis keeps optimal airflow and prevents problems!