With summer temperatures like they often are, it means you\u2019re probably overstressing your air conditioner — especially if you\u2019re home all day or must leave your system running all day to keep the temperature in your home where it needs to be. Even when you do everything right — like opening windows during any cool times and using ceiling fans — your system may still be overtaxed.<\/p>\n
Use the tips below to help make sure you\u2019re doing everything possible to keep from overworking your home HVAC system during hot weather and causing it to fail before it should:<\/p>\n
Consider the humidity.<\/strong> Reducing humidity in your home can make you more comfortable and make it easier for the AC to do its job. You may even be able to tolerate a higher temperature inside your home if you can keep the humidity down. Your AC system may have humidity controls, but if it doesn\u2019t, think seriously about adding a dehumidifier to the rooms where you spend most of your time.<\/p>\n Get your system serviced at the beginning of the season.<\/strong> If it\u2019s too late for that, have it professionally serviced right away<\/a> nonetheless. Simple HVAC problems can mean the system must work much harder to do its job. This, in turn, can put a lot of stress on the system\u2019s components and cause them to fail before they should.<\/p>\n Change those filters.<\/strong> Nothing is more important. You need to change or clean the filter in most systems every month. And you want to make sure new filters have a MERV of 6 or higher. You may need to change your filters even more often if you live in a dusty area or do certain hobbies inside your home.<\/p>\n Get air ducts checked.<\/strong> Leaky ductwork can cause you to lose 20 percent or up to perhaps as much as 40 percent of the cool air that your AC system puts out. That\u2019s a big loss with energy prices what they are, and it means your system will have to run much longer to keep your home cool — if it can do the job.<\/p>\n Be sure you contact us if you have any HVAC problems or think you might be making mistakes that are overworking your system. When you work together with your HVAC contractor<\/a>, you can make sure your system serves you well and serves you for years to come.<\/p>\n