Tips For Keeping Your Home Cool This Summer

13 April 2018
 Categories: , Blog

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Summer is on its way, and before you know it you will be switching on your home's air conditioner to make your living space more comfortable for you and your family. Here are some tips to keep your air conditioner working well and your home cooler even though it may be heating up outside.

Hire a Professional for an AC Tune-Up

At the beginning of the warm season and before summer arrives, you should think about preparing your air conditioner for the upcoming warm weather. As you turn your furnace off, it is a good idea to make sure your air conditioner is ready to work before you actually need it. You don't want to go to turn on your air conditioner to cool your home on the first hot day of the summer, only to find out it won't cool your home for one reason or another.

Hire an HVAC technician to come out and check over all the working parts and components in your air conditioner to look for signs of wear and tear. They can check for coolant leaks and clean the system's interior and the coils to remove any build-up of dust and dirt which can cause your system to work less effectively. They will also look for any problems that are still small with your air conditioner and repair them before they cause your AC to stop working and require a larger repair.

A professional tune-up on a yearly basis can cost between $70 to $100. This cost keeps your air conditioner working well and ensures your unit is maintained so that it lasts much longer.

Consider Buying a Service Contract

To help with the cost of maintaining your air conditioner and handling any repairs that come up, you may think about buying a service contract with your HVAC professional. This type of contract will provide you with your air conditioner's yearly tune-up to make sure it is ready to run for summer, and can include coverage for any repairs or replacement of parts needed during the season of use or with issues found during its tune-up. As you are already paying the $70 to $100 each year for the tune-up, a contract will cost a bit more but will cover your AC after its manufacturer's warranty has ended.

Make sure you are aware of what your service contract entails so it includes services and terms that will provide value to you throughout the contract's duration. It should cover the annual tune-up and any repairs or break-downs between servicing. Some service contracts will often put you on an emergency priority repair so you get your air conditioner fixed without having to wait several days, so check to see if this option is available for you.

Read through the terms of your contract and ask any questions before you decide on a contract so you get the most benefit for your personal situation. This can be a great help if you are not able to complete any tune-ups or repairs yourself.

Maintain Interior Air-Flow

It is also important to check your home's interior to make sure the air conditioner's ventilation system is ready to cool your home interior. Remove any items from blocking the return air intake and HVAC vents so your air conditioner can work its best. In between the time you shut off your furnace and start up your air conditioner, it can be common for items to get placed in the way of the air flow.

Position any room fans you will need to help circulate your home's air to maximize your home's cool air flow. If you have ceiling fans, make sure you switch their direction of rotation from winter's setting of clockwise to counterclockwise for summer so the airflow from your fans will direct cool air directly downward and keep your more comfortable.

For additional information, contact a company like Air Around The Clock.