In American Fork, UT, summer heat is no joke. Temperatures can rise into the triple digits and turn your home into a hot oven. When the heat really sets in, an air conditioner isn’t a luxury but a necessity for sanity and health. Don’t let a faulty AC system put a damper on your summer fun. Here are six practical tips to make sure that your AC is running well all season long so you can sail through the hottest days.
1. Professional Maintenance Service
Professional air conditioner maintenance is a vital service to schedule when preparing for the cooling season to ensure that you’ll stay comfortable and avoid expensive breakdowns. Aside from meeting warranty requirements, this regular maintenance allows our certified technicians to spot and resolve problems before they worsen. For example, detecting a failing fan belt before it breaks during a hot summer day can prevent a total system failure and costly emergency repairs.
This professional service differs greatly from homeowner maintenance as it provides an in-depth assessment of your entire system. During a service call, one of our licensed and experienced technicians will calibrate your thermostat, clean your coils, inspect your system components, lubricate moving parts, and so much more. When the appointment is done, you can know that your system is operating as efficiently as possible to keep your energy bills in check throughout the summer. As a bonus, regular professional maintenance extends the lifespan of your system.
2. Filter Changes
Another critical step to making sure that your AC system operates efficiently is replacing your air filter. This filter is usually found inside the return vent, where it can trap particulates in the air before it is pulled into the indoor air handler unit. To change it, first pull the old filter out. The right size of your replacement filter is often printed on the old filter itself or is labeled somewhere near the filter housing. Make sure you buy a new filter of the same size. A filter that is too small will be inadequate for filtering the air, whereas a filter that is too big will not fit into place.
Most homeowners will need to replace air filters every 60 to 90 days. A good way to check the health of your filter is to pull it out of its housing once a month and hold it up to a light. Light that easily passes through the mesh of the filter means it is still good to use. But if the filter looks clogged and light won’t easily pass through it, it’s time to replace it. It’s a good idea to always keep an additional filter on hand.
Because summertime is allergy season, those suffering from seasonal allergies can benefit from investing in a higher-quality air filter for their AC system. All filters have a MERV rating, with a higher rating corresponding to better filtering capabilities. For optimal indoor comfort, opt for a filter with a rating of 10 to 13. However, check to see that it is compatible with your system by consulting a professional, as some systems will not support filters with higher MERV ratings.
3. Keep Condenser Unit Clear
The outdoor condenser unit for your AC system is responsible for dispersing heat to the outdoors. For it to function optimally, it needs to have adequate open space around it. Aim for at least three feet of open space on all sides. Be sure to remove any debris, such as leaves or twigs, that are pushed up against the side of the unit, as they can significantly reduce its efficiency. For best results, trim back any trees or shrubs that are close by.
When assessing your outdoor condenser unit, examine the metal fins around its sides. If you notice any of them are bent due to impact damage, have a professional HVAC technician bend them back into their horizontal position. Do not attempt to do this yourself because you can cause significant damage with one wrong move.
4. Check Air Vents
With a ducted air conditioner, all the air vents in your home must be completely open to function efficiently. Inspect the supply and return vents as you move through each room of your house. Make sure they’re fully open and clean off any grime on their register covers. You want to check every vent to verify that there are no obstructions in any room of your home. Additionally, check the space around each vent to ensure at least two feet of open space.
5. Program Your Thermostat
Homeowners often find themselves frustrated by high energy bills in the cooling season and worry that they will prematurely age their air conditioners by running them so much. Luckily, a simple and efficient fix is to use a programmable thermostat. This kind of thermostat allows you to set the temperature based on your daily and weekly habits.
Programming higher temperatures on your thermostat can help when your home is unoccupied, leading to slashed energy consumption. A programmable thermostat then returns your home to your preferred comfort level shortly before you arrive, ensuring a welcoming environment.
An even better investment would be a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats offer the same scheduling conveniences and give you insights into your energy usage to help you optimize your settings even more and reduce your monthly costs.
6. Invest in a Whole-House or Attic Fan
A whole-house or attic fan can help you use your AC less while staying comfortable. Because heat rises, installing an attic fan can significantly reduce your overall cooling costs. A whole-house fan helps air circulate and can keep you comfortable at night and on days when the temperature isn’t soaring.
Bonus Tips
Apart from just prepping your air conditioner for the summer, you can do some other things around your home to reduce the need to run your air conditioner as often. One of the best ways to do this is to identify and seal any air leaks on your exterior walls. These are most prominent around door frames, window frames, outlets, and light switches. Materials like weatherstripping, spray foam, and caulking will typically do the job.
Another great tip to implement is to install ceiling fans in all the major rooms of your home, like your living room and bedrooms. By having these fans spin in a counterclockwise direction, they’ll circulate cool air. This will naturally wick away sweat and allow everyone in the home to feel cooler. The cooler everyone feels, the higher you can set the temperature on your thermostat so that your air conditioner runs less often and consumes less energy.
One mistake many homeowners make is closing off their attic vents during the summertime. You never want to do this as it will allow the temperature inside your attic to skyrocket, which can affect your home’s interior temperature. Opt for leaving all your attic vents open and use a hardware mesh if you’re worried about critters crawling through the vents.
Expert AC Maintenance Service
Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing provides expert AC maintenance services and attic and whole-house fan installation for the American Fork, UT area. In addition to maintenance service calls, we can help with all your AC repair, installation, and replacement needs. Call us today to book your next service appointment.
