What is the best way to lower your summer AC costs? From routine maintenance to air conditioning repairs, take a look at the tips and tricks that can help you to use less electricity and reduce the price you pay for home cooling.
Pre-Season Maintenance
What should you do if you missed a pre-summer maintenance appointment? Even though it's important to schedule this service, it's also easy to miss or skip it. If you forgot to contact the HVAC contractor or just didn't have time for a spring inspection and cleaning service, you can still schedule professional maintenance in the summer months. This service may vary by contractor—but it typically includes an inspection, cleaning, and safety check of the interior and exterior components.
Air conditioning maintenance services may reveal significant wear or damage that could slow your system down, cause poor cooling, or pose a home hazard. If the HVAC technician finds a fault in your system, they will recommend an appropriate repair or replacement (if the damage or wear is too serious to repair). Most contractors consider the repairs or replacement a separate service from maintenance. This means you may need to pay an additional charge or schedule another appointment.
Air Conditioning System Repairs
How can AC repairs help your system to remain efficient throughout the summer months? Whether you notice an obvious issue (such as warm air blowing from the vents) or the technician finds a problem during a routine inspection, it's important to address damage or wear as soon as possible.
Failure to fix an AC issue could cause the system to work harder than it has to. The harder the system works, the more electricity it uses. Energy overuse will increase your utility bills, add stress to an already strained system, and may shorten the lifespan of your central air conditioning system.
Air Conditioning Replacement
Even though repairs are sometimes necessary, a fast fix isn't always the answer to an AC system’s efficiency issues. If your system requires constant repairs, the repair does nothing to change the amount of electricity your air conditioner uses, or it's well past its prime, you may need to consider a replacement.
New high-efficiency AC systems can use between 30 and 50 percent less energy than older models, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. While a replacement system is the priciest way to improve energy efficiency, think of this option as an investment that could pay off over time. A high-efficiency system will cost less to use, have a lower impact on the environment, and will keep your home cool and comfortable for years to come.
Share16 June 2023
As a sufferer of severe allergies, I have to be on the alert for allergens in the air everywhere that I go. Just going indoors isn't enough— an office with a rattly old air conditioner can be as difficult to breath in as a field of pollen-filled flowers. But I try to make sure that my own home, at least, is a safe haven. That's why I use high quality HEPA filters for my air conditioner. My HVAC professional explained to me that the HEPA filters are the best way to ensure that no allergens make it into the air that I breathe at home. When I began using them, it made a big difference to my ability to breathe in my home, and I haven't looked back since. If you're an allergy sufferer, HEPA filters might be able to make the difference for you as well.
