You can depend on Dallas-Fort Worth summers to put the sizzle in your backyard cookouts and melt the ice in your tea. You can also count on monthly utility bills shooting up along with the mercury. Don’t let the heat burn a hole in your home budget this year. Here are five summer AC tips that save money and keep the house comfortable all season long.
1. Think Cool Inside
Smart air conditioning maintenance makes a big difference, but give that system an extra edge around the house. Cool air sneaks out of your home through windows and doors that aren’t sealed properly, so get out the caulking gun, and stop those leaks. Keep the heat of the day at bay by closing blinds and drawing drapes. This also helps hold that expensive air inside where it belongs. Ceiling fans cost pennies to run, and these efficient fixtures do their part with counter-clockwise rotations that help distribute cool AC air throughout the house.
2. Control Thermostat Settings
It’s command central for your air conditioner, so take charge of the thermostat, and make it work for you. If you come home to a warm house, don’t slam down the temperature. This doesn’t make the AC cool your home faster. It just forces the system to run longer and use more energy. An ideal setting of 78 degrees keeps everyone comfortable, and you can run that up several notches right before bedtime. Consider installing a programmable thermostat with settings that automatically adjust to your schedule. It’s a small investment with big payoffs in lower air conditioning costs.
3. Keep Equipment Clean
Summertime means extra work for AC filters, so check them often. Family foot traffic and shedding pets quickly clog up the best filters. Changing them out once a month ensures maximum air flow and cooling. The outside unit needs a regular rinse, so give it a good shower with the garden hose. Falling leaves, clippings and spider webs can form a buildup that interferes with the fan and compressor. Don’t let your landscaping move in on this expensive air conditioning equipment. Keep shrubs and grass trimmed back, and give the unit plenty of breathing room.
4. Deal With Ductwork
If you had a pair of X-ray glasses that let you look through the walls, you’d be surprised at how much dust and mold accumulates in your AC ductwork. You’d also be startled by the volume of cool air that escapes through leaks in the duct system. Unlike the thermostat and filters, these aren’t air conditioning problems with DIY solutions. You need an HVAC specialist to locate the leaks, seal them up and clean the ductwork. When he’s done, you can count on fresh air distributed throughout your home instead of the walls and attic.
5. Rely on Professionals
Dependable AC maintenance is your best insurance against high cooling costs and expensive equipment meltdowns. A scheduled service call puts your air conditioner in the reliable hands of a certified technician who cleans, checks and calibrates the entire system. He can recommend a programmable thermostat and help save on cooling costs with EnergyStar equipment. Your service agreement with a reputable HVAC company ensures expert AC preventative care before the summer sizzle sets in, and it keeps you on top of the list in case of unexpected breakdowns.
The temperatures are climbing here in North Texas, and now’s the time to make sure your air conditioning equipment is in top condition. Our HVAC specialists are ready to help, so give our friendly Max Air teams a call at 817-459-4100 or 972-233-1637, or use our convenient online request form to schedule a service appointment. We’re always happy to share smart tips that help you save money and beat the Texas heat.
