It may not seem like it right now but soon the hot days of summer will be upon us here in Michigan. Getting your air conditioner ready for summer and also making sure it provides cooling air all summer long means you’ll need to follow these tips to keep it running smoothly this year. In this article I’ll go over some tips that you can use to make sure your air conditioner keeps it’s cool all summer long here in Michigan and also how to make it a bit more energy efficient as well.
How to Get the Most Out Your HVAC During the Hot Days in Michigan
The air conditioner in your home is one of those items that no one really thinks about until there is a problem. It can run for days and months without ever a thought. In fact, your air conditioner likely runs more than your car does during the summer yet many home owners never think anything about it until it stops delivering cool air one day. Keeping your air conditioner in great running shape means you’ll need to take a few maintenance steps. I’ll provide some tips that you can do as a home owner to make sure your air conditioner delivers cool air this summer.
Keeping your air conditioner in great running shape means you’ll need to take a few maintenance steps. I’ll provide some tips that you can do as a home owner to make sure your air conditioner delivers cool air this summer.
Change The Air Filter Often
One of the biggest problems that many air conditioners have is a clogged air filter. As I mentioned above the air conditioner is one of those items that’s ‘out of sight, out of mind’ but it needs the air filter changed regularly. Although there are different quality of filters changing the air filter once per month should be okay. It may seem like overkill to change the air filter this much but restrictive air flow from a clogged filter means higher energy costs and the unit will run longer trying to cool the home. Air filter are relatively inexpensive and can usually be changed by the home owner on most systems in just a few minutes.
Upgrade Your HVAC Thermostat
If your home has an older thermostat be sure to check out some of the programmable thermostats that are now available. Installing a programmable thermostat can have a huge impact on your energy costs especially if the home is empty for much of the day. With a programmable thermostat you can adjust the temperature accordingly depending on the home’s occupants and time of day it is.
Pros and Cons of Ceiling Fans in Your Home
If you home has ceiling fans then you can certainly take advantage of the air flow they provide. Moving air seems to be cooler than standing air and can make a room feel a few degrees cooler than it actually is. This allows you to run your air conditioner at a higher temperature which can save money. When the room is not occupied however it’s best to turn off the ceiling fan. Moving the air and circulating can be good if the room has people in it but doesn’t determine temperature in the room and only waste energy when running in an unoccupied room.
Make Sure Vents and Registers Are Clean and Clear
Although changing the air filter can help with restrictive air flow at the intake of the HVAC system keeping areas where it exhausts is also important. Make sure vents and registers for the air conditioner are clear or rugs and furniture and clean dust and any debris from the vents and registers.
Consider Replacing Your HVAC System
Today’s HVAC systems can have many advantages over older systems. For larger homes getting a zoned HVAC system in Michigan can be much more energy efficient. Be sure to check out the SEER rating of any of the HVAC systems that you are considering for your home.
Get an Annual Inspection and Maintenance on Your HVAC System
In order to make sure your HVAC system is in good working order you’ll need to have it inspected and maintenance performed annually by a professional HVAC technician. Be sure to contact Michigan HVAC Pros in order to have your HVAC system inspected and maintenance performed for the upcoming summer here in Michigan.
