Summertime seems to be getting hotter every year, and this summer is no exception. Farmers Electric Cooperative wants to help you stay cool this summer. Here are some tips to make sure your HVAC system runs efficiently during this heat wave.
•Call an air conditioning tech. A professional can examine your system and let you know what needs repairing or replacing, which can prevent an untimely breakdown. Some utilities, like Farmers Electric Cooperative, may have rebates for an HVAC tune-up.
•Change or clean air filters. When filters do their job properly, they trap and prevent dirt, pet hair and anything else that’s floating in the air from recirculating into your home when the air conditioner is blowing. But dirty filters can prevent air from flowing, too, which makes the AC work extra hard to cool your house. The solution: Change or clean your filters once a month during the summer. Visit Filterchange.com to order replacement filters.
•Make sure the area surrounding an outdoor unit is clear. Debris, plants, tall grasses and weeds can all block airflow, preventing your unit from working properly or most efficiently. Keep the surrounding area neatly maintained to ensure nothing interferes with the system’s ability to function.
•Run ceiling fans. When the AC is running at the same time as a ceiling fan, the room where the fan is located will feel cool enough that you can raise the thermostat by about 4 degrees. A fan doesn’t cool the air, but it creates a breeze that makes anyone in the room feel cooler. Don’t have ceiling fans? A box or stand fan can do the same job.
•Don’t create heat. On hot summer days, wait until after dark, or when the day cools off a bit, before running heat-producing machines, so it doesn’t make the air conditioner work harder to cool the home. It’s also helpful to close blinds and drapes during the heat of the day to help minimize heat gain from the sun.
Farmers Electric Cooperative can help you become more energy efficient. For quick, simple changes, download the cooperative’s Energy Tips PDF, which is located in the Efficiency Hub on FarmersElectric. coop.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.