6 Things You Should Know Before Turning on Your Air Conditioner | Air Conditioning Service in Fort Worth, TX
With all the heat and humidity, the summer season comes with its own challenges. However, the season gets even more difficult if you are having problems with your air conditioner. Sure, you can fix the HVAC unit but finding a professional of air conditioning service in Fort Worth, TX too, can sometimes become difficult.
Your air conditioning unit needs to be in the best possible condition to not just keep you comfortable but also help you reduce your electricity bill. To get the most out of your air conditioner in hot weather, you need to follow these tips.
1. Check the Filters
The filters of your cooling unit are often blocked with dust and dirt. The experts of air conditioning service in Fort Worth, TX recommend that you should regularly check the filters for any sign of blockage.
Any kind of obstruction will reduce the air flow and decrease the efficiency of the air conditioning unit. That is the reason you might feel hot even if your cooling unit is set to function at 16 degrees. Cleaning the filters is a simple process.
If the filters are covered with dust, then you need to remove it. Clearing the dust is easy so you don’t need to worry. You can either use a blower or use water to wash the filters. Make sure to dry the filters before installing them back.
The skilled technicians of air conditioning service in Fort Worth, TX advise the users to change or clean the filters twice a month. If you use your air conditioner more often, then you might need to clean these filters once a week.
2. Examine the Outdoor Condenser Unit
Apart from checking the indoor unit’s filter, you should also take a look at the outdoor condenser unit. For maximum cooling, the outdoor component of the air conditioner should be free from any obstruction.
Debris, vines or leaves often block the outdoor unit which limits the cooling unit to perform at its full capacity. A professional of an air conditioning service in Fort Worth, TX would suggest you to use a vacuum to suck all the leaves. However, if the outdoor unit is not accessible, you can call an expert of air conditioning service in Fort Worth, TX.
It is a good practice to clean your yard after fall season has passed. The leaves and twigs can be a blockade for your outdoor unit so it is important that you remove them. You can either do the job yourself or pay a gardener to clean up the mess.
Performance of your air conditioner is dependent on how clean you keep the outdoor and indoor units. Sometimes you can even find a nest near the outdoor condenser unit. It mostly happens after a long winter has passed. Make sure to take care of the eggs and safely place the nest someplace safe.
Also inspect the unit to look for any missing panels. These panels protect the electrical components and in case something looks suspicious you might consider contacting a professional of air conditioning service in Fort Worth, TX.
3. Checking the Drain Line
The water that is collected in your air conditioner needs a path to flow out. If the drain line is blocked, you can have a serious problem with your air conditioner.
When water flows out of the drain line, you should check whether it is not facing any obstruction and it is properly pouring out. If there are any obstacles in the path, you can clear the drain line with a stick or something else. Make sure that you don’t roughly poke the stick and break the drain line.
4. Setting the Value on Thermostat
Setting a low value on the thermostat will make the air conditioner work harder to cool the room which would increase your electricity bill!
The experts of air conditioning service in Fort Worth, TX recommend that you set a value of 77 degrees on your thermostat if the weather is not too hot. However, if you feel the room is quite warm, you can set a lower value.
To save energy and money, you can install a new, more efficient programmable thermostat.
5. Check Your Room Thoroughly for Cracks and Crevices
Sometimes, you might wonder why your electricity bill is higher than your neighbors, although you use the air conditioner for the same amount of time. The reason here is simple. The cool air is leaking out of your house and into the atmosphere. Similarly, the hot air from outside is getting into your house.
This exchange of air, according to the professionals of air conditioning service in Fort Worth, TX, is due to some cracks and crevices present in your room. Even if you cover all the known spots, there might be an area from where the cooled air is going out.
Therefore, you need to carefully examine your house to find all these types of spots in order to increase the efficiency of your air conditioning unit.
6. Sometimes a New Air Conditioner is Needed
No matter how hard you try to protect your air conditioning unit, you might have to buy a new one sooner or later. All products have a life span and they can’t last longer than that specified time.
The experts of air conditioning service in Fort Worth, TX recommend that you change an air conditioner that is very old. A newer model which is more efficient can save up to 40 % of your energy costs.
Getting Help
If you are frustrated that your air conditioner is not working well and you need a professional for air conditioning service in Fort Worth, TX you can contact One Hour Heating and Air. Get help before it’s too late or else you might have to replace your cooling unit instead of servicing it.