Help Your A/C Along This Summer by Following These Tips

The long, hot Northeast Ohio cooling season can take a toll on your air conditioner’s efficiency, especially during the dog days of summer. These A/C cooling tips will help you take some of the load off of your air conditioner to keep it operating efficiently and to keep your home comfortable all summer long.

Maintain your system

• If you haven’t already scheduled your annual preventive tune-up, you can still get the benefits it affords, including increasing efficiency to lower your utility costs, extending the operating life of your system, and helping to prevent midsummer breakdowns.
• Check your air filter every month. When you can no longer see through it, replace it with a clean filter to ensue optimum air flow and prevent dust buildup inside your system.
• Spray down your outdoor unit monthly to remove debris from the fins, which can hamper the exchange of heat and reduce your comfort level.

Banish the heat from your home

• Seal air leaks around doors and windows with weatherstripping and caulk. Air leaks allow cool air to escape and warm air to enter your home.
• Seal loose joints and cracks in your ductwork with metal tape or mastic sealant. The typical home loses 20 to 40 percent of cool air through leaky ducts.
• Don’t operate heat-generating appliances during the hottest part of the day. Save laundry and the dishes for early mornings or evenings.
• Close your window shades during the day to combat heat gain resulting from the sun’s radiant energy striking your home.

Stay cooler

• Use room and ceiling fans to help you feel cooler. Be sure to turn them off when you leave the room to save on electricity costs.
• Install a programmable thermostat to automatically keep your home’s air at ideal temperatures while you’re at home and away, reducing the wear on your system and considerably lowering your energy costs.

Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning is dedicated to the year-round comfort of homeowners in Lorain, Erie and Cuyahoga counties, offering exceptional customer service and highly qualified technicians. For more A/C cooling tips and expert advice about maintaining your air conditioner, please contact us.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about A/C maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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