This year, Texas is expected to have a hotter than average summer. Due to statewide drought conditions, the Texas summer is expected to last longer and be hotter than previous years.
As you know, in Texas, the best way to stay cool is to have reliable home AC.
Why You Should Maintain Your Home’s Central AC
As a Texas homeowner, renter, or resident, it’s crucial to do routine maintenance on your AC system to keep it running smoothly during the warmer months. At the same time, routine maintenance will help keep your AC bills lower during a time of high usage.
According to many sources, HVAC systems are designed to last 15 – 20 years on average. That number decreases slightly when they’re utilized regularly at high volume. By performing routine air conditioner maintenance, you can add life to your home’s AC system.
Without proper maintenance, AC systems can get clogged, break down, cycle rapidly, and not cool efficiently. All of that means a higher energy bill each month for your wallet.
Let’s look at some good routine maintenance you should be performing on your home’s AC system.
Replacing Air Filters
Replacing your AC filters is AC Maintenance 101. If you’re not replacing your air filters every 90 days, then you’re causing unnecessary strain on your home’s AC system. A few rules for replacing your air filters:
Ensure that your air filters are properly sized.
If your air filter is too big or too small, then you’re not going to have good suction on your system. You can find your air filter’s size by looking around the edge of your previous filter.
Make sure the fiberglass side is going against air flow.
Most air filters have 2 sides: one with a fiberglass filter and one with cotton backing. Make sure that your filter is facing out from your intake vent.
Choose the right level of filtration.
Air filters have different levels of filtration. You might assume that more filtration is better, but in some cases, you can have too much filtration. The higher filtration rating on your air filter, the harder your system is going to work to pull air through. Don’t choose an unnecessarily high filter – choose one that is right for you.
Cleaning Your Air Box Coils and Intake Filters
For most central air systems in residential areas, there is an exterior unit that helps disperse warm air from your house to the outside. That is called your “condenser unit.”
A little goes a long way here. During times of high use, you’ll want to make sure that you keep your vents and fan blades free of any debris, dirt, or dust. That can eventually cause issues with your condenser unit. Additionally, there are condenser coils that you can also clean with approved coil cleaning products.
Ensure Your Air Vents are Clear
Sometimes, things can get in the way of the air vents in your house. This causes issues with air flow, causing your system to work harder to move air around the house. Be sure that your vents – both intake and output – are free of dust and clog-free.
Get on a Schedule
One of the best ways to keep your AC unit running smoothly and save on your AC bills during the summer is to set your unit to a consistent cooling schedule. This will help keep your home at a comfortable temperature and prevent unnecessary cycling.
Contrary to popular belief, it’s cheaper to keep your AC running at a consistent temp control than cooling it way down, shutting off, warming up, and then cooling it back down again.
Get Professional, Routine Maintenance
On top of all the AC maintenance that you can do on your own, we highly recommend that you hire an HVAC professional to come out and do a professional check on your system annually to make sure that it’s in tip top shape.
