The preparatory work performed on an air conditioning system before summer arrives can make a significant difference in how the system operates during the hottest months of the year. Most homes in this country are not the same, nor are the lives of the people who inhabit them. When it comes to AC maintenance, there is no suitable one-size-fits-all answer; every setup, including the humans who live in it, has a unique set of circumstances that AC maintenance must take into account to have any reasonable chance of working.
And what does "working" mean for an air conditioning system? At its most basic, it means cooling the space in which it is installed. Beyond that, though, an efficient system also minimizes energy costs and has a long lifespan, and those three criteria are the handholds to which a maintenance plan can cling.
If you have a central air conditioning system, be sure to prepare it thoroughly and well in advance for the hot months ahead. That means not only checking refrigerant levels and ensuring the electrical systems are functioning, but also cleaning the indoor and outdoor coils, as well as the virtually unlimited number of vents and ductwork, to ensure all parts of your system are working together and effectively. If your unit is a window or portable type, do the same search and clean. At the same time, be sure to check the smart thermostats that can optimize not just the function of the AC, but also the amount of electricity it uses. Finally, consider whether it's time to change out your unit for a new, more efficient model.
When getting ready for summer, it's easy to overlook the basic energy efficiency of your house. Typical energy-efficient measures are still the first line of defense, and they go a long way toward making any house more comfortable. They are also easy to do and cost relatively little, if anything, to get done.
The measures include:
- Sealing up air leaks
- Adding attic insulation
- Better using ceiling fans
These are basic building science concepts that go toward making any house function better. If they are done in a hot climate context, they can help significantly reduce energy consumption. And they can reduce it in a way that no big-ticket system can (more on that in a bit).