As temperatures rise during summer, your air conditioning system becomes essential for indoor comfort. Running your AC constantly leads to higher energy bills and unnecessary wear and tear on your system. Taking a few proactive steps can significantly increase your AC’s efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and keep your Minnesota home cool.
From regular maintenance to smart thermostat settings, small changes can make a big difference in performance and savings. In this guide, we will examine eight tips to help ensure your air conditioner is more efficient this summer.
1. Change Air Filters
Changing your air filters regularly is one of the easiest and most effective ways to boost your cooling system’s efficiency. Clean filters allow air to flow freely through the system, reducing strain on the blower and improving overall airflow. When dust and pollen clog the filters, your AC has to work harder to circulate cool air. This increases energy consumption in your home and can lead to overheating the system.
At O'Boys Plumbing, Heating & Air, we recommend replacing filters every 1 to 3 months to help maintain optimal performance and enhance indoor air quality. If you have pets in your home, more frequent replacements might be in order.
2. Clean the Area Around the Condenser
Cleaning around the condenser unit can significantly increase the efficiency of your AC by ensuring proper airflow and heat exchange. The condenser releases heat from your home. When debris such as leaves, grass, and dirt blocks the unit, it restricts airflow. This extra strain on the unit reduces its efficiency and shortens its lifespan. Maintain a clearance of at least 2 feet around the condenser to ensure optimal performance.
3. Seal Windows and Doors
Sealing windows and doors improves your AC’s efficiency by preventing cool air from escaping and warm outdoor air from entering your home. Gaps and leaks force your air conditioner to run longer and more frequently to maintain a consistent indoor temperature. They will increase energy consumption and put additional wear on the system. Using weatherstripping to seal leaks, your home retains conditioned air more effectively during the hottest months, which will help to reduce energy costs.
4. Keep Blinds and Curtains Closed
Closing the blinds and curtains in your living space during the hottest parts of the day can significantly increase your AC’s efficiency, as it will reduce the amount of solar heat that enters your home. Sunlight streaming through windows can raise indoor temperatures quickly, causing your air conditioner to work harder to cool your living space. Blocking out this radiant heat minimizes temperature fluctuations to help maintain a stable indoor climate.
5. Limit Using Heat-Producing Appliances
Limiting the use of heat-producing appliances, such as ovens, stoves, and dryers, can significantly improve your air conditioner’s efficiency. The extra heat forces your AC system to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. Ideally, use these appliances during cooler times of the day or evening to reduce the heat inside your home.
Did you know that incandescent lighting in your home emits more heat than energy-efficient LED lights? So, upgrading to more energy-efficient light bulbs can save money in two ways. It does so by reducing the electricity needed to illuminate your home and by reducing unnecessary warmth that causes your cooling system to work harder.
6. Strategically Use Ceiling Fans and Air Exchangers
In attempting to cool your home, there are ways to use your ceiling fan to increase the air flow. When the air in your living space circulates more, it creates a cool breeze that makes you feel up to five degrees cooler. This is because rotating a ceiling fan counterclockwise pushes cool air downward, which helps you feel more comfortable.
This increase in air flow allows you to set the thermostat to a higher temperature without raising the temperature in your home. You will not sacrifice your comfort, and your cooling system will not need to work extra hard to cool the space.
Another way to improve airflow is with air exchangers, which swap stale indoor air with air from outdoors. This reduces humidity and can make your AC more efficient, so it doesn’t have to work as hard to keep your home cool.
7. Install Smart Thermostats
Installing a smart thermostat to control your heating and cooling system is a great way to make your air conditioner more effective during the warmer months. You can increase the setting while you are not going to be there, and then you can adjust the thermostat to a more comfortable level before you get home. This keeps your AC from straining during the hottest part of the day, when no one is there to enjoy the comfort level.
With a smart thermostat, you can adjust the temperature at home on the unit or from most smart devices. This allows you to control the temperature remotely. In addition, a smart thermostat will provide usage statistics and other data that will give you detailed information about when you and your family use the most energy. It will also offer suggestions that can help to save you money and make your system more efficient.
A smart thermostat can also integrate with other smart devices in your home, so you can set them up to work together and keep your home cool. Before you leave for work in the mornings, you can set a schedule that will lower the blinds at a specific time to keep the ambient heat out of your home, while turning off the lights in your living space, and raising the temperature slightly until you are about to return from work. This routine will occur every day, and you can use adaptive algorithms to help you create a more efficient HVAC system when you are home.
8. Schedule Regular Maintenance
Make sure you schedule professional AC maintenance during the spring to ensure that it runs efficiently before the hot summer months are upon you. This ensures the thermostat calibration is correct to keep you cool all summer. It helps ensure that the filters are clean, there are no clogs in the system, and that refrigerant levels are where they should be. Our team will identify potential issues before they become costly repairs when your cooling system needs to run to maintain your preferred comfort level in your home.
Contact an HVAC Company Today
Staying cool this summer is essential for your family to remain comfortable in your home. O'Boys Plumbing, Heating & Air is a family-oriented company that takes pride in providing a comfortable environment for families that live in the Blaine, MN area. Follow these tips each year before summer begins to ensure your AC operates optimally. In the event you are looking for a different type of cooling system, we handle heat pumps and ductless mini-splits as well.
With more than 25 years of experience, we are a top-rated heating and air conditioning company dedicated to creating the perfect comfort in your living space.
Contact us at O'Boys Plumbing, Heating & Air at your earliest convenience, and we will happily answer any questions that you might have!
