10 Tips to Keep Your Air Conditioner Running Smoothly This Summer

Summer is coming, which means that we’ll soon be facing uncomfortable air temperatures and humidity. To keep your air conditioning system operating at peak efficiency all season long, follow these simple tips.

1. Schedule annual maintenance service

The most important action you can take to prolong the lifespan of your air conditioner and keep your system operating at the highest possible level is to schedule an annual maintenance service and checkup. Although every recommendation we make here will help your system run smoothly, only a trained professional technician can diagnose and correct potential issues before they cause a breakdown or more expensive repair.

2. Clean and change your filters regularly

Regularly changing your filters keeps your system from working too hard and helps prevent breakdowns. Use the size and type of filter recommended by your owner’s manual or maintenance technician. If reusable, vacuum and rinse filters between maintenance visits and replace them every couple of years. If disposable, check them regularly and replace on the recommended schedule.

In addition to cleaning or replacing filters, clean your vents to ensure that no dust or debris is blocking the airflow.

3. Keep the area clear around the outside unit

Accumulations of debris, plants, tall grass, or weeds can block the airflow to your outside air conditioning unit. Keep the area clear to avoid making the unit work harder to function.

4. Seal openings that let cold air escape

If your windows, doors, or walls have cracks or gaps, your air conditioner is having to pump more cool air to compensate for the cooling loss. Apply caulking, weather stripping, and insulation as needed to keep cooled air inside.

5. Let your A/C unit rest when away

To save energy and cooling costs, turn your thermostat up a few degrees anytime you expect to be away for several hours or longer. That’s less expensive than keeping your indoor space at the usual temperature, especially if you’re going to be away for a full day or longer.

For ultimate convenience, use a programmable thermostat that can adjust the temperature setting according to the schedule you have set, or a “smart” thermostat that can be controlled remotely using a phone app.

6. Use ceiling fans

By using ceiling fans, you can probably set your thermostat a degree or two warmer than otherwise at a lower energy cost. Be sure that the blades are set to rotate clockwise, which directs airflow downward to prevent warmer air from rising and triggering the air conditioner to run.

7. Invest in window tints or film

Tinting your windows or using window film tempers the effects of direct sunlight. With either of these in place, you should be able to set your thermostat a degree or two warmer without loss of comfort.

8. Use curtains or blinds to block sunlight

While tints or films help lessen the effects of direct sunlight, curtains or blinds can be used to completely block the sun’s rays from affecting the temperature of your indoor space during the daytime and making your air conditioner work harder.

9. Raise the thermostat setting

Even if you need to temporarily turn your thermostat way down to get comfortable, don’t keep it there for very long. This overworks your air conditioner and can lead to more frequent service calls and even breakdowns. A programmable or smart thermostat can help you keep lower thermostat settings to a minimum.

10. Keep appliances away

Appliances that create and release heat can interfere with your thermostat accurately reading the temperature, triggering your system to run more than it needs to. Don’t locate your thermostat near a refrigerator, stove, oven, clothes dryer, or similar appliance.

Call the Experts

If you find your system isn’t cooling as it should, seems to run all the time, or is making an unusual noise, it’s time to contact the NATE-certified professionals at Indoor Air Quality, Inc. We have served Highlands Ranch and the Denver Metro Area for over 20 years. Our team of professional HVAC/R technicians has over 60 years of combined industry experience. Check out our customer testimonials!