The best time of year has arrived! School is out, people are taking more vacations, and the weather is a dream. Make it a seamless and smooth sailing season by avoiding these common air conditioning mistakes. This will prevent a broken air conditioner, lower your AC bills, and help keep you cool and comfortable all summer long.
Forgetting Your Air Filters
We scream it from the rooftop every few months: “change your air conditioning filters!!” It might get annoying, but we do it because it is so important for your home’s indoor air quality and air conditioning efficiency. We recommend going no more than 90 days between air filter switches. However, if you have small children, pets, anyone with sensitive allergies, or anyone who smokes, you should swap your filters more frequently.
Not Updating the Thermostat Settings
Without your thermostat, you would have no control over the temperature of your home. It plays such a crucial role in maintaining your home’s comfort, so don’t neglect it. And if you haven’t upgraded your thermostat in a while, you could be missing out on a wide variety of benefits.
Programmable Thermostat
A programmable thermostat will allow you to manually set a schedule of when you want your air conditioner to run and when you want it off so that you don’t have to remember to turn it off and on every day.
Smart Thermostat
If you’re really going for an upgrade, we recommend a smart thermostat. They have the ability to learn your schedule so that you don’t even have to adjust the settings. All you have to do is set your desired temperature, and the thermostat will do the rest.
Do you know the best temperature setting during the summer? According to the US Department of Energy, the most efficient temperature is 78 degrees Fahrenheit. This might seem high, but it will keep your energy bills lower and your home more comfortable than the outdoors.
Using the AC When No One is Home
A major benefit of installing a smart thermostat is that it will learn the patterns of when you’re at home and when you’re away. With this feature, you’ll never have to remind yourself to turn the air conditioner off when leaving for work. Your thermostat will already know that you’re gone between 8 am and 5 pm!
And if there’s a day where your schedule is a little different, and you need to adjust the thermostat from the road, you can do that through an app for most smart thermostat models! This is an excellent feature for when you’re out of town and can’t just run home to adjust the AC.
Forgetting About Your Windows
Did you know that your home’s old or poorly installed windows are responsible for about 25% to 30% of your home’s heating and cooling bills—and that’s even when the windows are closed! This is just a natural heat exchange that happens with old glass and seals.
However, when you leave the windows open, it’s far worse. While natural ventilation achieved through opening the windows and doors throughout your home is great for improving air quality, it often leads to higher energy bills if you forget to close them. Only open the windows and doors in the early morning or late evening, and always make sure to close all of the windows and doors before turning the air conditioner on.
We would also recommend keeping your blinds and curtains closed during peak hours of the day since the sun’s rays alone can heat up a room by a few degrees.
Do you have more questions about common air conditioning mistakes? Contact the Gibson’s Heating & Plumbing, Inc. team either through our website or by calling us at (260) 667-9919 !
