Want to save more money? Who doesn’t? When it comes to your energy bills, there is a lot that you can do to reduce them, simply by taking on a few simple home maintenance tasks on a regular basis.
Take your HVAC system for example. By taking steps to make sure that its components are in optimal shape every month, you will save money on operating costs.
You can also extend the unit’s life span and discover problems before they develop into more expensive problems. Ready to get started? Here are some suggestions:
Call for Your Tune-up
You don’t need a full tune-up every month, but if you haven’t had one in a while, make this the month that you schedule one.
During a tune-up, you can expect the technician to clean and inspect all the important parts. This is the time during which you will uncover potential problems as well, giving you the opportunity to fix them before they get bigger. It also provides peace of mind, because you know that you’ll be able to count on a cool indoor environment this summer.
Check Your Filter MERV Rating
Checking your A/C filter every month is a good habit to get in to, especially during the summer. If there is too much dust and dirt accumulating on your filter, it will obstruct that cool air flowing through.
Every month as a minimum, take it out and wipe it down. It’s not a bad idea to replace it monthly though, especially if you or your family have allergies or asthma. When you buy a new filter, check the MERV rating (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value). This basically tells you have energy efficient a filter is.
Simply, the higher the number, the higher the energy efficiency. The rating number refers to the amount of dust particles and other air contaminants that will be able to pass through.
If your objective is to save money, this is great purchasing criteria for you to know about.
Clean Debris Away
Head outdoors to take care of any debris that might have gathered around your condenser. You don’t want it to interfere with air flow. Remember to turn the power off before you do any cleaning.
Remove the cage fan on top and clean it, as well as the area immediately inside the unit. Next, attend to the fins, hosing them down to remove debris with your garden hose and a cloth. It’s essential to determine that your unit is level every month.
Some parts may need lubricating; check your owner’s manual to see where the ports are located and add a small amount of motor oil. In a lot of newer systems, these ports are sealed, so you won’t necessarily be able to get at them.