MONITORING YOUR WATER SYSTEM ON THE GO

To avoid solar heating of your home, keep the windows covered when they are in direct sunlight. Thick or insulated curtains block the sun and keep the room cooler, which means your air conditioner won't have to work as hard to maintain the set temperature.

If you miss natural sunlight with the drapes closed, you might want to have window tint applied to your windows. Window tint reflects the sun and prevents heat transfer through the glass.

Your air conditioner has to work harder to keep your home cool if there are leaks around the windows and gaps under the doors. Sealing these leaks and improving the insulation in your home helps your air conditioner work more efficiently.

Install additional fiberglass batt insulation or have blown-in or spray foam insulation installed to prevent heat from the roof and attic from heating up your house.

Installing ceiling fans in rooms you want to keep cool can help in a couple of ways. For one, the fan creates a breeze that cools your skin, so you might get by with setting the thermostat higher than usual.

Also, the fan draws cool air higher in the room so it doesn't settle around your feet. This distributes the cool air more evenly so you feel more comfortable.

If you're having a new AC installed, you may want to position the condenser so it is in shade part of the day to protect it from the sun. If that's not possible, you can plant shrubs or put up a partition near the condenser that blocks the sun.

Keep in mind, plants and other obstructions need to be a few feet away from the condenser so there is plenty of air flow. If you put in plants to provide shade, be sure to keep them trimmed throughout the summer.

A programmable thermostat or a smart thermostat can help your air conditioner run more efficiently. You can set the AC to switch to a higher temperature during the hours when the house is usually empty and then lower itself so the house will be cool by the time you get home.

This is easier than remembering to make the changes yourself, and you'll also have a cooler house to come home to. You may also want to set your thermostat higher than you think you’ll be comfortable with.

You may find that after several days, you can easily adapt to living with the thermostat set higher so your energy bills will be a little lower.

Keeping your AC clean and free of dust plays a big role in how well it operates. It the air handler is clogged with dust, it has to struggle and work harder to keep your home cool. Change the filter when it starts to get dusty.

That could be as often as once a month when you use the air conditioner daily. Also, dust around the vents and registers to keep them clean. Have your HVAC unit serviced on schedule. This involves having the air conditioner condenser and air handler cleaned each spring before cooling season. Preventative maintenance is done at the same time. This helps your AC work more efficiently and reduces the risk of malfunction.

If you haven’t had your air conditioner cleaned recently, then contact Art Douglas Plumbing Inc. for an AC maintenance call so you can enjoy hot summer days in cool comfort without busting your budget.