5 Tips for Making Your AC Last Longer in Manvel, TX

Installing a new AC in your Manvel, TX home is a significant investment. There are several ways that you can prolong your AC’s life to maximize that investment. Here are five tips for making your AC last as long as possible.

1. Keep Your Vents Open

You may not think it’s a problem to close vents in your home to control the temperature. Unfortunately, closing too many vents increases the static pressure in your ductwork. That results in excess wear and tear on your AC’s blower fan and decreased cooling efficiency.

If your AC isn’t cooling your home evenly, it may need a tune-up. Or, it’s possible that you need technicians to balance your ductwork air. Either way, you should never close more than a vent or two to maximize AC longevity.

2. Never Skip Air Filter Changes

It’s important to replace your filter roughly every 90 days. Failure to do so can lead to restricted airflow through your AC. That restriction causes unnecessary wear and tear that will shorten your system’s lifespan.

When you change your AC’s air filter, purchase one that matches the size and MERV rating of the existing filter. That ensures optimal AC operation and protects your system from excess dust and dirt accumulation. If you worry about indoor air quality, upgrading to a HEPA filter yourself isn’t the right solution (it can actually damage your system).

Instead, you can have a technician fit your AC with an extended media filter that won’t harm system airflow. However, that isn’t a change that you can make yourself. It requires modifications to your ductwork that you should leave to a professional.

3. Maintain a Steady Temperature

Another great way to maximize your AC’s lifespan is to set your thermostat to a temperature and leave it. Most ACs work best when they maintain a steady indoor temperature. Fiddling too much with your thermostat can cause unnecessary AC wear and tear.

Ideally, you should install a smart thermostat and let it handle necessary temperature changes. Smart thermostats make more efficient use of your AC than conventional ones. That means reduced overall AC use and a prolonged system lifespan.

4. Keep Your Outdoor Unit Clean and Clear

It’s easy to forget how important your AC’s outdoor unit is to its operation. It’s the component where heat from inside your home exhausts into the outdoors. That process requires adequate airflow around the unit itself.

To maximize your AC’s useful life, try to keep the area around its outdoor unit clean. Sweep away leaves and twigs, and keep nearby landscaping trimmed back. Ideally, you want two feet of unobstructed space on all sides of your AC’s outdoor unit.

You can also periodically rinse the coil inside the outdoor unit with a garden hose on a low setting. That keeps dirt from building up on the coil, where it hampers heat transfer. More efficient heat transfer translates into shorter runtimes and less wear and tear. This is typically done during a professional maintenance appointment.

5. Don’t Skip Regular Maintenance

Finally, the most critical thing you can do to help your AC last longer is to schedule annual maintenance. During a maintenance visit, our technician will inspect, thoroughly clean, and adjust your AC as necessary. They’ll also look for signs of unusual wear and tear.

One of the problems that our technician will look for is a refrigerant leak. Small refrigerant leaks can force your AC to work harder and run hotter. The longer you ignore the problems, the greater the odds they lead to a premature system failure.

If our technicians spot a problem during a maintenance visit, they’ll let you know. That allows you to correct the issue before it worsens. Doing so can minimize part failures and extend your AC’s life.

If you need a trustworthy partner to maximize the lifespan of your AC in Manvel, TX, we can help. Contact Davis Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. for an AC maintenance appointment today!

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