4 Tips To Keep Your Air Conditioning System Running Well All Summer

Now that summer has finally arrived, many of us are looking forward to backyard cookouts, summer vacations, and more time to spend just hanging out with the family and enjoying the warmer weather. If you are like most homeowners,however, there is going to be a point in time where you and your family are ready to come inside, and when you do, you want your air conditioning system to be in good working order so you can be greeted by a refreshing blast of cool air,and not walk into a house that is every bit as hot as the temperature outside.

The summer months can be a particularly tough time for your air conditioning system, and if you don’t put in some effort during that time, you could easily find yourself with a system that quits working halfway through the summer.Our team of professionals understand just how important your air conditioning system is to you and your family, and as such, we want you to have everything you need to keep yours running like it should over the course of the summer months. To aid you in this, we have taken the time to put together this short list detailing several things you can do to keep your system running efficiently over the coming months.

Keep It Maintained

If you haven’t already had a licensed HVAC professional come out and take a look at your home’s air conditioning system, now is the time to do so. It is a good idea to have your system tuned up by a professional at the start of the cooling season to make sure that there are no underlying issues that might have developed over the months where your system wasn’t in use. In addition to looking for these issues, the professional you hire will take the time to change out the air filters in your system, which is something you will need to continue doing as the summer progresses. Your air filters should be replaced on a monthly basis at minimum, as leaving dirty A/C filters in your system can actually impede the airflow, causing your system to work harder than it needs to.

Provide Enough Clearance

During this time, you are also going to want to take a walk around your outdoor unit and make sure that your condenser has the space it needs to continue running well. The condenser on your outdoor unit needs at least 2 feet of clearance on all sides, and preferably 5 feet of open space above it, in order to run like it is supposed to. It is important to make sure that you inspect this unit over the course of the summer to ensure that no vegetation is growing up too close and no debris has fallen or been blown where it shouldn’t be.

Reduce Sources Of Indoor Heat

One of the best ways to help ensure that your air conditioning system is able to continue running safely and efficiently this summer is to make sure that it doesn’t have to work any harder than it needs to in order to get the job done. When your system has to work harder, it results in a great deal of additional wear and tear that could cause your system to start developing serious issues if it hasn’t already, and even shorten its lifespan. One of the best ways that you can help prevent this extra strain on your system is to take steps that reduce the indoor temperature of your home in other ways. This can be as simple as just closing the drapes or curtains on your windows that face the sun during certain parts of the day, or investing in shades or drapes for windows that don’t have them.

Use Your AC & Appliances Wisely

One of the best ways to help preserve your air conditioning system is to moderate its use, and ensure it isn’t trying to do too much. If you can, keeping your thermostat set as close to 78 as possible will help you to extend the lifespan of your system and keep your energy bills low this summer. You can use your ceiling fans to help circulate the air throughout your home and help to keep your home feeling comfortable. In addition, it can also help to avoid using your stove or range as much as possible during the hotter parts of the day.