Want More Efficient Cooling In Your Home? Start With Cleanliness
The arrival of summer means that the cooling season is once again in full swing and home air conditioning systems are up and running. For some homeowners, the sheer pleasure of coming home after a hard day of work and stepping into a deliciously cool house must always be tempered by the knowledge that another costly cooling bill will soon arrive.
If the home happens to be equipped with an older, inefficient HVAC system, the level of dread about the size of the cooling bills is sure to be even worse. If you are one of the many homeowners, who will be dealing with this situation this summer, doing these things to keep your system cleaner can help you improve efficiency and lower cooling bills.
Become more diligent about filter changes
One of the first things to do when striving to lower cooling costs in the average single-family home is to make sure that the HVAC filters are being changed often enough to keep up with the demands placed on the system. The filter changing time frame suggested in the system's owner's manual should only be used as a baseline. When the weather is especially hot, or there are conditions that create more dust and dirt for the system to deal with, the filter should always be changed much more often.
Since filter changes often get postponed when the homeowner forgets to purchase a new supply, switching to high-quality, reusable filters will prevent this from happening. If you prefer the convenience of disposable filters, purchasing a year's supply at one time or subscribing to a filter delivery service can help ensure a steady supply of clean filters will always be readily available.
Remember to clean the exterior component
Air conditioner efficiency can be negatively affected by dirt, dust, or debris clogging the exterior condenser unit outside your home. Squirrels, mice, chipmunks, and other rodents often adopt the housing cabinet of these outdoor units as their winter shelters or nesting sites. When this happens, their nesting materials, droppings, and other debris can collect inside and prevent the unit from operating correctly or efficiently.
To clean the exterior unit and prevent this type of problem, homeowners can periodically use a handheld shop vac or small air compressor to remove dust and debris from the vents, grills, and accessible areas. If you can see that a nest or debris is inside the case in an area where you cannot access it, or if you spot any chew marks or other damage, contact your HVAC repair expert immediately to clean the unit or make necessary repairs.
Scheduling a preventative maintenance visit to have your HVAC system professionally cleaned can also be helpful for homeowners who want to increase efficiency and cut cooling bills. For more information, contact a company like Air Care Systems.
