Save on energy and repairs while keeping your cool in Peterborough & the Kawarthas.
It’s not unusual to take it for granted. It kicks in when your home heats up without any effort on your part. In truth, though, your air conditioner needs regular HVAC maintenance to work its best. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself with higher fuel bills and early replacement costs. Find out what HVAC services can do to help your family keep its cool and still stay on budget.
How Long Should Your AC Equipment Last?
According to energy.gov, air conditioning systems typically last from 15-20 years. With regular HVAC maintenance by our professional technicians, yours could last even longer. The best time to schedule an air conditioning service call is in the early spring before the warmer days of summer have begun.
What Do We Check During Annual Maintenance?
- Filter
- Coils
- Coil fins
- Drain
- Thermostat
- Fan
- Coolant
Sure, you can change or clean your AC filter yourself each month, but we will double check it during your annual HVAC services maintenance call. That’s important, because a dirty filter impedes airflow, forcing your air conditioner to work harder and use more fuel. In fact, a dirty filter can reduce your AC’s efficiency by up to 15 percent.
In extreme cases, cooled air could carry unfiltered dust particles into other parts of the equipment, causing further problems. A clog in the system could even cause dust to escape into your living spaces, impacting your family’s respiratory health.
We will remove dust and debris from your system’s coils and fins so they can operate properly. We’ll also make sure that any condensed moisture from the cooling process drains completely. Pooled water in a clogged drain looks pretty inviting to mosquitoes and other insects that carry disease, so drain clean-out is essential.
We will check the operation of your entire system during your scheduled maintenance call, from your thermostat settings to mechanical parts like your fan. We’ve found that proactive maintenance minimizes later repairs, and your family stays comfortably cool all summer long.
More Tips for Saving on Air Conditioning
Check the seal on your home’s exterior envelope. Even if you live in a relatively airtight house, time and weather take a toll on window and door seals. Your local utility company may offer home energy audits to check your house for cracks where your cooled air can escape.
You can do a preliminary check yourself by feeling around the outside of your doors and windows. If you detect cool air pockets, apply some sealant to plug the gaps.
Upgrade your thermostat. The latest version of the programmable thermostat includes a smartphone app that you can use to adjust your home’s temperature when you are away. That can come in handy when you are trying to save energy, and the new smart thermostats are also easier to use than the previous generation.
Practice passive solar control. It only takes a moment to draw your curtains or close your blinds, but these small practices can mean a significant difference in your energy bill. At night, curtains and shades help hold in the comfortable coolness while during the day, blocking sunlight in the hottest hours prevents your AC unit from getting stuck in overdrive.
Make use of your ceiling fans. Depending on your location and your house, you may be able to turn your AC down to a minimum at night and use your ceiling fans instead. In the Kawarthas region, milder night temperatures are often ideal for saving energy in this way. A typical fan uses only about 10 percent of the energy of an average central AC system. A ceiling fan can make a room feel around 10 degrees cooler than the outdoor air.
Be sure to program your thermostat to conserve energy when no one is at home. You may have heard that keeping the temperature constant in your house saves energy and cuts down wear and tear on your HVAC equipment, but that is largely untrue. Your AC system is designed to be most efficient when it is in the active cooling mode. So set it for optimal comfort when people are at home and turn it down when your family is out.
How Regular Maintenance Works with HVAC Services
When we assign a qualified technician to clean and maintain your heating and cooling equipment, that individual becomes familiar with you and your systems, and you know you can count on that HVAC tech for skilled, thorough maintenance year after year. If you should ever need repairs, your service pro already knows your equipment and often can make quicker, more cost-effective repairs than someone working on an unfamiliar system.
The Original Flame Inc., (a JRH Enterprises Company) Is Here to Help
Get in touch with us today to sign up for your air conditioning and HVAC services annual maintenance, in the Peterborough and Kawarthas region. We have the knowledge, tools and can-do attitude you need to stay cool no matter what summertime brings.
Heating & Cooling Systems