9 Things You Need To Know About Air Conditioning

There’s nothing worse than coming home to a hot, humid house after a long day of work. Your air conditioning system needs a bit of maintenance to run smoothly and efficiently and many of these tasks, you can tackle on your own. See below for 9 things you need to know about air conditioning:

1. Change the filters - installing a new filter every month may sound a bit overkill, but your AC’s efficiency depends on it. If you have a washable filter, you don’t need to replace it, a quick cleaning will do.
2. Check for leaks - ducts can lose up to 30% of airflow through leaks or cracks. Use the old “smoke trick” to test for leaks. Light a stick of incense and hold it near the duct connections. If the smoke blows around, you’ve got a leak. Give us a call, we’ll stop by to repair any leaks or cracks in your system.
3. Conserve energy - why blast the AC when nobody is home? It will only cost you a fortune on your energy bills. Install a programmable thermostat that allows you to set the temperature so the house is cool while you’re home.
4. Insulate - use spray foam, batt insulation or rigid-foam to wrap the ducts in hot attics or crawl spaces.
5. Free the condenser - your system’s air compressor or condenser works best when there’s at least 24 inches of clear space in all directions. Get rid of any shrubs, tall grass or branches that may be encroaching in this space.
6. Keep it cool - don’t make your system work so hard. Just like us, it expends more energy in the heat so keep your blinds and shades down during the day to keep your windows out of the intense sun.
7. Check-ups are vital - contact us to perform an annual system check. We will perform a complete system inspection to make sure everything is running properly.
8. Get airflow - keeping interior doors closed causes AC systems to go out of balance. Keep doors open to ensure even airflow throughout your home.
9. Consider an upgrade - if your system is more than 10 years old, it’s time for an upgrade. Federal laws require AC units to be much more energy efficient than they used to be.

By following these tips, you’ll extend the lifespan and increase the performance of your air conditioning system. Our mission is to provide our customers with the highest level of comfort through quality maintenance, service and installation practices. Since our beginning in 1983, Aspen Air has been focused on the comfort needs of South Florida residents at home and at work. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for everything you need to know about keeping cool!