If you want to spend two or three super-heated days without any air conditioning, call for service on your AC system only when it acts up.
This summer, prevent a breakdown during the blistering heat by contacting a service tech – one who’s licensed, insured, bonded and recommended by someone you trust – to give your unit a once-over and fix any problems waiting to grow into something more expensive, inconvenient and uncomfortable.
Here are a few ways you can keep your air conditioning humming.
» Don’t run the fan in the “on” position. A thermostat has two settings: on and automatic. In the on position, the fan will run constantly all day and night. On auto, the indoor blower will come on only when the compressor comes on.
An air conditioner removes humidity from your indoor air. If you leave the fan turned on when the compressor turns off, it will blow that humidity back into the house.
If the humidity is low outside, you can run your fan all you want. But for much of the country, a constantly running fan can make indoor air downright uncomfortable.
» Change the AC filter every month. Even if the manufacturer’s instructions say change it once a season, do it every 30 days just like with your furnace filter.
Especially in windy locales, filters clog quickly with dust, hair and debris. Once that happens, air can’t flow freely through the filter to the coil.
If air to the coil is restricted, it won’t transfer heat or deal with humidity. That not only makes the house uncomfortable, it can damage the air-conditioning system and cost you plenty. Don’t use a $1 fiberglass filter. Choose a 1-inch pleated filter for about $4. And stay away from the $17 to $25 pleated filter.
Sure, the expensive filters catch just about every speck of dust that tries to pass through to the coil, but they provide so much resistance that even air can’t get through. That can starve your unit for air.
> Don’t crank the thermostat up when you’re leaving the house for the day. It’s true that the house doesn’t need to be as cool when nobody’s in it. But when a house gets too warm, it heats up not only the air, but the furniture, carpet and everything else in the house.
When you return home after work – at one of the hottest times of the day – and dip the temperature way down to get comfortable, the air conditioner has to cool the air, the furniture, the rugs all over again.
That’s going to cost more than the money you saved by turning the dial up. Your best bet is to install a programmable thermostat that consistently fluctuates the temperature every day by only two or three degrees.
» Never run the evaporative cooler – if you have one – on the same day as you run your air-conditioner. The air conditioner dehumidifies your indoor air; an evaporative cooler, common in dry climates, adds humidity.
So they’re natural-born enemies. Humidity reduces the effectiveness of your AC by as much as 20 percent.
Most people who have evaporative coolers like to run them in the morning when it’s a little cooler outdoors, and then switch to air conditioning when it heats up later in the day.
If you do that, you’ll waste energy.
> Notice any changes in the way your system sounds, if it vibrates or how much air it pushes out. You live with that unit, so you know it better than anybody. When you see, feel or hear changes, something’s wrong. Call the service tech while the problem is new and fixable.
> If you have your unit repaired, ask the technician to leave you any old parts that they replace. You’re more likely to avoid falling victim to a common scam by unscrupulous contractors who will tell you that your unit or some of its parts have failed when they haven’t.
Some air-conditioning companies require their techs to meet quotas by selling a certain amount of replacement parts whether the customers need them or not. Others pay techs a commission on replacement parts, which can tempt them to lie to homeowners about the condition of their systems.
Your best bet is to do your homework before inviting an AC tech into your home. Find out how long the company has been in business in your area and whether the tech has a state license.
Ask to see proof of insurance and bonding. And always go with someone who comes highly recommended by someone you trust.
> Find out how old your system is. Most last about 15 years. If yours is getting up there in years, plan to replace it.
A qualified service tech can evaluate the system and give you an idea of how much longer it has. If you decide to hang onto it until it dies, be prepared by choosing and consulting with a trusted company and selecting your replacement unit ahead of time.
That way, you won’t have to make these expensive decisions during an emergency in the middle of the summer – and you’re likely to get better equipment, a better price and a better installation job.
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