We haven’t met a person who isn’t grateful for the use of a fully functional and efficient air conditioner during the summer. They make home life not only bearable, but actually quite comfortable. But what if your air conditioning in Moore, OK isn’t working as effectively as you expect it to?
The solution to this will depend on the problem. For instance, if you aren’t getting cool air no matter how low you set the thermostat, there’s clearly something wrong with the system. But in many cases, homeowners look at their high cooling costs and assume something is wrong when really it’s just that they aren’t using their air conditioner as efficiently as possible. So, what can you do?
Tip #1: Raise the Temperature
Okay, okay. We know, this sounds like very counterintuitive advice. But we aren’t expecting you to make your home hotter than comfortable. But you may be turning your thermostat settings down much lower than they need to be, and therefore using your system inefficiently.
Some people will set their thermostats as low as 72°F when really the average person is comfortable at 78°F. Even raising the thermostat by just a few degrees can help your air conditioner function more efficiently and subsequently bring your cooling costs down. If you can’t bear turning up your thermostat, at least consider doing so when nobody is home and/or when you’re sleeping.
Tip #2: Utilize Your Ceiling Fans
True, on their own, ceiling fans can’t keep you cool. After all, a fan doesn’t lower the temperature of the room that it’s in, but it can make you feel cooler, since it helps sweat evaporate from your body—this is your body’s natural way of keeping cool. On a mild day, a ceiling fan can be sufficient enough to keep you cool, but the real benefit comes from pairing your ceiling fans with your air conditioner.
Ceiling fans help push cool air down and keep warm air rising as you use your air conditioner. Paring your ceiling fan with the central air conditioner may allow you to run the air conditioner at a higher temperature, which subsequently keeps your bills lower than they would otherwise be.
Tip #3: Change the Air Filter Regularly
The air filter that comes standard with your cooling (and heating) system gets blocked with dust and debris over the course of a year. This makes it hard for air to circulate throughout the home, and makes it harder for your air conditioner to efficiently do its job. Your system can malfunction or freeze as a result. Be sure to change this air filter every 1-3 months during periods of system use to help your air conditioner work properly.
Tip #4: Keep the System Clean
The outdoor coil of your air conditioning system is one spot where excessive dirt and buildup can create problems for the system’s overall operation. This coil is supposed to enable the exchange of heat from your inside air to the outdoors, but dirt can interfere.
With a dirty coil, your AC performance will drop and efficiency will suffer. This is why you should be sure to schedule routine air conditioning maintenance before the temperatures outside get too high.
At Comfort Incorporated, we keep your family safe, healthy and comfortable–call today, service today!
