Your home’s HVAC units are essential to keep you and your family comfortable and safe during the summer’s heat and winter’s cold. In case of any breakdowns, be sure that you have a professional HVAC repair service.
HVAC units operate for weeks in a row without a break. So, you want to make sure that it can continually operate. Here are seven easy ways to increase the efficiency of your HVAC unit.
1. Check your Thermostat
One way to reduce the stress on your HVAC system is to adjust the temperature. Changing the settings on your thermostat by a few degrees can lessen the workload on your HVAC system. Using a smart thermostat is a great way to adjust the temperature in your home automatically.
2. Open and Close your Window Treatments
Window treatments are another way to lighten the strain on your HVAC units. In the summer, closing your shades or curtains, so the sun doesn’t heat your home, lessens the workload of your air conditioner. On winter days, open your window treatments to let the sun in and help warm your home.
3. Adjust Timing of Appliance Use
Your clothes dryer heats up your home. Try to shift the times of day when you run your dryer in the summer. Doing your laundry during the cooler parts of the day will reduce the work for your HVAC unit. The same for your oven, if you’re baking cookies in the summer, do so at cooler parts of the day.
4. Insulate your Home
Homes without sufficient insulation create more work for their HVAC units. Conditioned air in the summer and heated air in the winter seeps out of poorly insulated homes. Your home’s HVAC system will operate more efficiently in a properly insulated house. Energy efficient windows and doors are another way to improve your home’s insulation.
5. Change your Filters
HVAC filters work hard everyday trapping particles of dust, dirt, and other debris. Clogged filters put a strain on HVAC units. Changing your filters on a regular basis will improve your home’s air quality and lessen the strain on your HVAC system.
6. Remove Debris
Environmental factors can cause debris to accumulate around your HVAC’s outdoor unit. Leaves, branches, grass clippings, and plants can block the air flow around your condenser. When this occurs, your HVAC system does not operate at its optimal efficiency. On a regular schedule, clean the area near your outside units. Prune any bushes so they do not block the flow of air.
7. HVAC Preventative Maintenance
One of the best ways to increase the operating effectiveness of your HVAC unit is to schedule preventive maintenance. A trained and certified professional HVAC technician will clean and inspect your system as part of the maintenance. This will help ensure that your HVAC system operates at its optimal level of performance. Additionally, your HVAC technician can identify potential issues and fix them before they become costly problems.