Articles tagged with: save money

3 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your A/C

Houston, Texas is an area where having an A/C unit is more of a necessity than a luxury. Of course it will cost money to use on a daily basis, but there are things you should know that can help you keep those costs lower throughout the life of owning your system.

save energy, air conditioning, A/C systemFirst, the correct size air conditioning unit for your home is important. Bigger is not always better when it comes to an A/C unit. The wrong size unit can actually waste a great deal of energy and not keep your home comfortable like you want either. A trained A/C technician like the one’s here at Cool Dude will be very helpful in addressing what size unit will be best for your home while also considering the comfort level you want.

Second, according to recent statistics only 1 in 5 consumers actually get a yearly maintenance A/C check-up. The life of an A/C system can be increased if this is done yearly and it will keep your system performing at the best level possible year round. To keep your system energy efficient get your system looked at by a professional each year.

Third, 8 out of every 10 system failures is caused by dirt and dust. Changing your filter as often as necessary is the best way to keep this from happening to you. Remember pets and other indoor pollutants such as smoking decrease the life of your filter faster than normal, so it will need to be changed more often. With the average home producing 40 pounds of dust each year it is important to keep filter changes a priority. This will keep your system cleaner, and a cleaner unit uses less energy.

How often should I change my air filter?

dirtyairfilterChanging out your air filter is the MOST important thing you can do as a homeowner to protect and get the best use of your cooling system. The number one question we get is, “How often should my air filter be changed?”

The best answer seems to be –  WHEN IT IS DIRTY.  Well, duh! 🙂  But how do you know when it is dirty? Visual inspection is the key.

There are lots of factors that determine when the filter should be changed.   How many people live in the house, how many pets and what kinds of pets, anyone have allergies?  Are you doing home improvement projects or anything that might stir up more dust and particles?  The best bet is to check it at least once a month.

It may not need to be changed – but get into the regular habit of checking.  Add a reminder to your calendar – be it digital or analog – that will pop up to draw it to your attention.  Also – make a note of when it was last changed and, as long as the factors in your home remain fairly constant (ie not embarking on a complete kitchen remodel or deciding to foster 12 puppies), you will soon learn the timeline for your particular home and family.