With the winter season soon ending, now is the time of year homeowners begin preparing for summer and the cooling season. As homeowners well know, during the summer the air conditioning system can consume up to 70% of your monthly expenditures. Due to the high expenses of running your air conditioning, it is encouraged that homeowners do what they can to help reduce their air conditioner’s energy consumption. Ambient Heating & Air Conditioning will share a few ways to help reduce the cost of keeping your home cool this coming cooling season.

Check Vents in Your Home

For optimal efficiency, you will want to start by checking all of the air vents. The vents that the cool or warm air flows through will need to remain open and not be obstructed. The vents need to be able to send the air throughout the home with ease. Make sure that the vents are not covered or blocked by furniture or curtains. Next, clean off the dust around the vents. As a side note, many people believe they can improve energy efficiency by closing the air vents in areas of the home that are not used too often like the laundry room, bathroom, or unused bedrooms. You are adding stress as well as decreasing your energy efficiency in the home when you close the air vents. The air is hitting a wall which increases the pressure and stresses the air conditioning system. To have good efficiency, have all of the air vents open.

Ensure Doors & Windows Close Tightly

During the spring it is the best time of year to open your windows and let fresh air circulate throughout the home. However, often windows do not shut tightly, especially as they age. Before you begin to rely on your air conditioning system to keep your home comfortable, check both doors and windows. Make sure they close tightly and that there are no air leaks. You can test both doors and windows for leaks by lighting an incense stick and watching the smoke. If the smoke is disturbed and blows around you have an air leak. There are many ways to deal with window and door leaks. One is by replacing the weather-stripping. You may need to reseal around the framing with silicone caulking. Depending on the age of the doors and windows you may want to invest in window replacements. You may also want to cover glass doors and windows with curtains to keep out the sunlight.

Basic HVAC Maintenance

Another step a homeowner can take to ensure better efficiency is by cleaning up around the condenser, or the outdoor unit. For those with condensers on the ground, make sure there is no debris, trash, or weeds restricting its air flow. You will want the condenser unit as open as possible. Provide at least one to two feet of open space around the unit. Next, make sure to keep the air filters changed out as they play a major role in the health and efficiency of the cooling system. Lastly, make sure to schedule your air conditioner’s tune-up. A tune-up will ensure the air conditioner is running effectively and efficiently. The overall health of the cooling system is checked to also ensure reliability.

HVAC Tune Up Maintenance, Repair, Replacement & More in Springfield, Granby, Holyoke, South Hadley, Monson, Chicopee & Agawam, Massachusetts

When you need to schedule your air conditioning tune-up or require repair and other HVAC services, contact Ambient Heating & Air Conditioning today.