School’s officially out for the summer, Independence Day is here, and you’re counting down the days to vacation. Along with packing those bags and cleaning out the fridge, you’ll want to take these steps to prepare your A/C and keep your air conditioning running smoothly while you’re away.
1. Leave the system on, but turn up the temperature
Even if your home will be empty during your vacation, resist the urge to turn off the air conditioning to save money. With the average temperature in Texas already well over 90 degrees, turning off your air conditioning can actually create a huge workload on your system and corresponding high energy bill when you return home. Instead, turn the temperature up 3-5 degrees and make sure your fan is set to Auto.
Alternatively, consider installing a programmable thermostat, which will allow you to increase the temperature while away and decrease the temperature in preparation for your arrival home.
2. Check your air filter
Before leaving on vacation, perform an extra check on your air filter and – if dirty – change it. A dirty air filter can restrict air flow, placing extra stress on your air conditioning unit.
If you don’t know how to check your air filter or you discover a particularly dirty one, you may want to schedule a HVAC tune-up. Bi-annual visits (once during the cooling season and once during the heating season) will help keep your system operating smoothly.
3. Close blinds and curtains and check all air vents
Finally, cover your windows and make sure all air vents are free. Especially check children’s bedrooms and playrooms to remove any clothes or toys piled on top of the vents. If there are rooms that receive more sunlight than others, you can consider closing those doors. Otherwise, leave your doors open to help keep air circulating freely.
Summer vacations are designed to relieve stress, not create it. Taking these three easy steps will help make your return home easy and worry free. Contact Texas Air Tech if you have any questions about maintaining or servicing your air conditioning.