Tips to Help You Stay Cool and Energy Efficient Throughout Summer

August 17, 2017

Summer weather in Arlington can be rough. But you don’t have to make a choice between being comfortably cool and saving money on your utility costs. We’ve assembled some tips to make it easy.

The best thing you can do to stay comfy and sustain energy efficiency is by maintaining your air conditioner. ENERGY STAR® recommends keeping your system running at its best and efficiently, and Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning is here to help. During an AC tune-up appointment, we’ll perform the following tasks noted by ENERGY STAR and more:

  • Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors to make sure there’s safe operation of your system and the opportunity of a longer life for major components.
  • Clean the air conditioner’s evaporator and condenser coils as needed. Dirty coils require your system to work longer to do its job.
  • Check system controls to be sure of correct and safe operation.
  • Check refrigerant levels.
  • Clean and adjust blower components to ensure accurate system airflow.

Another critical piece to staying cool is consistently inspecting your air conditioner’s air filter. A dirty filter may raise energy bills and damage your equipment, which could lead to untimely failure. Our Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning experts will look at these for you at your tune-up appointment, but you’ll want to take a look at the manufacturer’s recommendations to make your own schedule to switch them out.

Here are a few other tips to keep your home comfy and energy-efficient:

  • Check thermostat settings to ensure your air conditioner keeps you comfy when you are home and saves energy while you are not around.
  • If it’s cool at night, you can turn off your air conditioner and open your windows. Let nature cool your home for you! In the morning, shut your windows and window coverings to retain the cool air and block the sun’s heat.
  • Utilize fans. An ENERGY-STAR ceiling fan will allow you to set your thermostat a bit higher than you routinely would without noting any changes in your comfort level.
  • Another type of fan people routinely forget about when they’re working to keep cool is their bathroom ventilation fan. Make sure to run yours when you shower as well as 20 minutes or longer after you’re done to take care of the heat and humidity from your bathroom.
  • Work to not leave lights on and running many appliances on the hottest days. Obviously, your stovetop and oven put heat into your home, but even normal activities like watching TV, working on the computer, and drying or curling your hair can up the heat in your home.

If you’d like more ideas on how to keep your home cool and energy efficient this summer, give Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning at call at 360-255-5857 or request an appointment with us online.