Wash your outdoor A/C unit with a garden hose once a month
Invest in a programmable thermostat to limit system usage
Make sure the area around you’re A/C unit is clear and free of debris
Have your entire system serviced at least once a year by a qualified technician
Change your filters every 30-60 days
This is probably the most overlooked duty by a homeowner. A filter not only helps clean the air you breathe but it can also protect your indoor evaporator coil and furnace. However, most people use what we like to call "five percent" filters. They usually come in a transparent blue or white color, and while they may be the least expensive option, they only catch 5% of the dirt in your home allowing the other 95% to go through the filter and into your coil, your furnace, your duct work and eventually, back into your home, your furniture, and of course your lungs. Forgetting to replace these filters creates air restrictions for your system which causes your HVAC system to work extra hard, thereby raising your utility bills and putting undue stress on your system. Imagine running sprints while not being able to breathe because of a stuffy nose - this is the same thing that happens to your system when you forget to replace your filters on a regular basis.
The best filters at most hardware stores can cost you about $10-$15 each but they last longer and can potentially save you thousands in the long run when you compare that cost to the cost of having to clean/replace an evaporator coil. An advantage of being one of our valued customers, is that we will sell you these filters at a wholesale price usually $6-$8 not only saving you money but your equipment as well.
Wash your outdoor A/C unit with a garden hose once a month
Your outdoor A/C unit sucks in air through its coils every time it turns on. It also pulls in all the dirt, leaves and other debris around it. With time, the coils can become packed with this debris causing the fan motor to work harder which again causes stress to your system and raises your energy bills. Rinsing the system with water from your hose every now and then will help the coils stay dirt and debris free and will help your system run more efficiently.
I like to wash my outdoor A/C unit whenever our lawn is mowed which is when a lot of debris is kicked up into the air. I also bought a bag of rocks that i poured around the unit to keep it from sucking in the dirt around it. You don't have have to wash it every week (once a month will do) but make sure that area around your unit is clean and that it will allow the unit to "breathe" freely. (See Make sure the area around you're A/C unit is clear and free of debris)
Invest in a programmable thermostat to limit system usage
If you're not home all the time, why are you cooling it all the time? Most homes are empty during the day and yet our HVAC systems are cooling or heating homes that no one is there to enjoy. Having a programmable thermostat will allow you to set a schedule for your HVAC system that it can follow. For example: If your family leaves the home by 9, you can have the system "turned off" during the day (which during the summer can save you a lot in energy use) and turn back on 1/2 an hour before the first person is set to arrive to ensure that it was as you left it by the time you come back home.
Make sure the area around you’re A/C unit is clear and free of debris
Again, this goes back to the example i gave you earlier about running with a stuffy nose. Keeping the area around your system clear will allow it to run at its peak efficiency because it wont be clogged up with dirt and debris. This usually means clearing the area around your A/C unit from shrubs, bushes, plants, trees or anything that might obstruct it from breathing freely.
Have your entire system serviced at least once a year by a qualified technician
You wouldn't go an entire year without servicing your car or visiting the dentist/doctor would you? Unfortunately, we don't give the same attention to our HVAC systems that we do our cars or ourselves because we rarely have to think about them. As long as its running, your system may be "out of sight, out of mind". However, while your system may be running, is it running at its peak efficiency? Your HVAC system may be costing you hundreds of dollars every year because it has not been tuned up or because some component may not be working properly.
A routine preventative maintenance tune-up ensures that your system is running it's peak efficiency and it also allows us you to solve minor problems before they become bigger if not irreparable problems.
