Your Overworked Air Conditioner: How You Can Give It a Helping Hand

Galveston’s long, hot cooling season can take a toll on your air conditioner, especially during the height of the summer when it’s operating 24/7. You can give your overworked air conditioner a helping hand to take some of the cooling load off of your system. These tips will help you do just that, as well as lower your utility bills and help extend the life of your air conditioner.

Maintain your air conditioner

• If you haven’t already scheduled your annual A/C tune-up, it’s not too late to benefit. Your HVAC technician will perform a comprehensive check of your system to ensure optimum airflow, detect refrigerant leaks and clean the interior of your system to improve its performance. A tune-up will extend the life of your system, lower your utility bills and help prevent midsummer breakdowns.
• Spray down your outdoor condensing unit each month to remove debris from the fins and help prevent dirt from building up on your condenser coil, which can prevent optimum heat exchange.
• Check your air filter monthly and replace it when you can no longer see through it. A clean filter will prevent dust from building up on your system and will maintain proper airflow to cool more effectively.

Keep the heat out

• Seal air leaks in your home that allow cool air to escape and warm air to enter your home. Caulk around stationary parts of windows and doors, and apply weatherstripping between movable parts. Use expandable caulk to seal gaps around pipes and vents that protrude through exterior walls.
• Don’t use heat-generating appliances, such as your stove and clothes dryer, during the hottest part of the day.
• Close your blinds during the day to help prevent solar heat gain from heating up your rooms.

Stay cool

• Use your room and ceiling fans to help you feel cooler.
• Avoid strenuous activities during the hottest part of the day.

For more expert advice about helping your overworked air conditioner keep you cool efficiently, please feel free to contact us at Davis Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc., proudly serving the Galveston area for over 40 years.