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Spring is on the horizon in Cincinnati and summer won’t be far behind it. Now is the time to make sure that you are getting the most out of your air conditioning! The more efficiently your AC system runs, the more energy and money you’ll save. Even more importantly, it’ll make it easier to cool your home and keep you happy during those sweltering Ohio summer days.
There are a few quick things that you can do this spring to increase your air conditioner’s efficiency before it starts getting even warmer, so that you won’t be stuck searching for “AC replacement in Cincinnati” later this summer!
Shady trees – Planting shade trees around your yard can decrease the amount of sunlight that hits your windows and thereby keep the sun’s heat out of your home. In our neck of the woods, deciduous trees—such as most maples and oaks—work best for this task. Their leaves shade the house in the summer and then fall off during the winter which allows the warming rays to return during the chilly months. Not to mention how great they’ll make your yard look!
Yard Maintenance – Speaking of your yard: make sure that the area around your AC unit is free of leaves, debris and grass clippings. It’s important to trim any shrubs or bushes around the unit, too. It requires 12-18 inches of space in order to operate at full efficiency.
Turn Up the Heat – We don’t want you roasting, but for every degree that you increase on your thermostat, you can reduce the cost of cooling your home by 3%! Try to maintain a constant temperature in your home of 72°F. If you’re willing to go higher, your savings could be substantial!
Programmable Thermostat – Installing a programmable thermostat is one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to save energy on your cooling costs. All you have to do is plug it in, adjust the settings so that they’re right for you and you’re done! A programmable thermostat will automatically adjust the temperature in your home based on your settings.
Replace Air Filters Monthly – This is a big one! You need to replace your air filters monthly. If you let them get too dirty, they can clog up your airflow which can lead to some serious problems. Restricted airflow will force your AC to work harder to cool your house (higher energy costs for you) and frozen coils can completely destroy your air conditioner (even higher cost to you!). Just remember to pop new filters in there every month and you won’t find yourself needing air conditioner repair halfway through summer.
Check for Air Duct Gaps – According to the EPA, the typical house loses 20% of the air that moves through its duct system due to gaps and leaks. That’s 20% of the air conditioning that you’re paying for! Before you turn on your AC for the season, have one of our HVAC professional come out and inspect your air ducts for any gaps or leaks. Getting your air ducts sealed will increase the performance of your air conditioner.
AC Tune Up – Pinning down the problem at the root can save you tons of energy. One of our experts can come out and make sure that your equipment is running at peak efficiency. While there, we can locate any minor issues in your air conditioning before they become major problems.
At Rick’s Heating & Cooling, we know that having your AC running efficiently is important as the season starts heating up. If you need air conditioner service in Cincinnati, Morrow, Mainefield, Lebanon or Mason, OH, call us today!
