The HVAC system in your Gonzales, TX, home is likely to work a little harder during the summer. With daytime temperatures averaging in the mid-90s to 100s, your air conditioner and related equipment will be exerting itself to keep your home comfortable and cool. Fortunately, you can limit air conditioner stress and help it cool more efficiently with the following tips.
1. Open All of Your HVAC Air Vents
If you have a standard central HVAC system, your air conditioner, furnace and HVAC air ducts are set up to heat and cool all building areas uniformly. Without professional zoning services, there’s no safe or effective way to customize temperatures in individual areas. Shutting HVAC air vents might provide temporary relief for residents who don’t want constant streams of conditioned air. However, it can also cause a dramatic rise in static pressure within your ducting. This increase in pressure can take a major toll on home cooling equipment. In fact, long-term vent closures may even shorten your air conditioner’s lifespan. To prevent this scenario, make sure that every vent throughout the home is open.
2. Establish a Routine for Changing Your Filters
HVAC air filters have a tremendous impact on the functionality of home cooling systems. They also help promote healthy indoor air quality. Failing to perform regular filter changes can cause your air conditioner to ice over, overheat, short-cycle or outright fail. As a general recommendation, you should inspect this component monthly. For many households, the ideal filter change schedule is once every 30 to 60 days. However, we recommend checking your filter monthly and changing them sooner if needed.
3. Keep Your Windows and Doors Closed When Your HVAC System Is On
Warmer weather makes it possible to ventilate your home by opening up windows and doors and letting the fresh, outside air flow through. However, this is something that you shouldn’t do when your HVAC system is actively heating or cooling your home. When your air conditioner is on, close all windows and doors so that conditioned air isn’t escaping outside. To further limit HVAC system stress, you can also seal up gaps, cracks, and other air leaks around your windows and doors using weather stripping or caulk.
4. Limit Solar Heat Gains
Installing the right window treatments for the summer months can also reduce stress on your home cooling equipment. Blackout curtains and blackout blinds will help prevent direct sunlight from heating up the home’s interior as much as it would otherwise. On the exterior of your home, you can install an awning or a freestanding canopy at any large window that gets several hours of direct sunlight in the mid-morning or early afternoon.
5. Schedule AC Tune-Up Service
There’s no better way to limit HVAC stress during summer months than by preparing your air conditioner for the demands that lie ahead. Our HVAC Spec Check program and Check-N-Save performance tune-up service will help optimize the efficiency of your home cooling equipment. These services include cleaning your AC condensate line and a comprehensive inspection to help avoid unexpected break down and keep your system operating as efficiently as possible.
We work with homeowners in Gonzales, Seguin, Schertz and surrounding areas for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of home cooling equipment. With our help, our clients can enjoy reliable and efficient AC performance all summer. We also provide indoor air quality products, home energy audits, and system repair and replacment. To sign up for our HVAC Spec Check program schedule one-time Check-N-Save visit, give GVEC Air Conditioning & Heating a call today.
