by John Angell
In the hottest days of Texas summer – especially with the humidity we’ve experienced the last few years – sometimes there’s only so much your air conditioner can do. If you have an older home, older HVAC system or both, it just may not be possible to hit any temperature you want. That said, there are always ways you can help your struggling air conditioner.
Change Your Filter – If I’ve said it once… Changing your filter is the single most important thing you can do to improve the efficiency and extend the life of your HVAC. It’s also the one thing people always seem to forget about. If you’re interested in saving money, consider a reusable, electrostatic filter than can be washed off and re-used.
Have System Serviced Regularly – Imagine being without conditioned air fin the middle of August or a few days. Why risk it? When your system malfunctions, there are rarely warning signs. Make sure you have it checked at least once a year, typically in the spring.
Keep Your Blinds Closed – Especially if your windows aren’t of the highest efficiency, an enormous amount of heat can come in through windows, especially during the hottest time of the day.
Keep Fans On – Keeping air circulating in a room is the equivalent of cooling it by 4 degrees, especially if you’re sitting for long periods of time.
Have Your Ducts Inspected – A great way to waste the efforts of your air conditioner is to air condition the attic. Make sure the air coming from your system is making it to right places.
Improve Your Insulation – For not a ton of money you can dramatically improve your home’s insulation. A layer of R-19 insulation runs $2,200-2,500 for a 2400 sqft house and can massively improve your home’s efficiency.
Leave a Reply