What Are the Most Important Summer HVAC Tips?

Summer is an extremely enjoyable time of year, but the heat can quickly make your home unbearable if you don't take care of your air conditioner. If you want to maintain a comfortable atmosphere, we suggest that you begin with these simple summer HVAC tips:

Clean/Replace the Air Filter

When your air filter gets dirty, it impedes airflow and lowers your air conditioner's efficiency. To keep the system running smoothly, be sure to inspect the filter once per month to see if it’s clogged with debris. Keep in mind that some filters can be cleaned while others must be replaced. 

Check Your Thermostat Settings

The optimal setting for a thermostat during the summer is 78 degrees Fahrenheit. This will keep most people comfortable and is best for controlling energy usage. If you leave the house for a short period of time, dial up the thermostat to match the temperature outside. This will prevent energy waste, and you won’t return to an extremely hot home, making it one of the most important summer HVAC tips.

Have the Air Ducts Inspected

Dust and other debris in your air ducts will harm your indoor air quality, while areas that have been damaged will decrease your HVAC system's efficiency. Look for damage, repair holes, or rips in the ducts, and then thoroughly wipe them down to remove any dust or debris.

Refill the AC’s Refrigerant

When your air conditioner’s refrigerant level runs low, the system won’t effectively keep you cool. Low refrigerant levels can also cause leakage. One of the most important summer HVAC tips is to be sure to take a look at the refrigerant level periodically and top it off whenever it’s starting to run low.

Open and Clean Your Vents

Your vents are essential in delivering conditioned air throughout your home. You may have closed them during previous seasons, so give each of them a quick look to make sure they’re all open. Dust and debris may have collected on them, as well, so wipe each one down with a microfiber cloth.

By following the summer HVAC tips that we've listed above, you'll be able to enjoy the season indoors too. If you have other home-comfort questions, contact the professionals at Air Assurance. We've been serving the HVAC needs of Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas since 1985.

How Does Your AC Adapt to Heat Waves?

Heat waves can push an air conditioner to the maximum. In the past few years, nearly all states in the U.S. have had at least one spell of unusually severe hot weather. During these times, an AC runs longer, and thus, cooling components incur more wear and tear. Heat waves are hard to predict far in advance. However, you can predict that your air conditioner will be subject to increased stress if one occurs. Here are some things to expect:

Air conditioners have limits.

A residential central air conditioner typically has a rated BTU capacity sufficient to cool a house down about 20 degrees below the outdoor temperature? If a heat wave sends temperatures above 100 degrees, you can’t expect your AC to reduce indoor temps below about 80 degrees. Pushing the thermostat setting lower won’t make the house any cooler than 20 degrees below the outside temperature. It will, however, make the unit run longer — even nonstop — cycles. This can inflict increased wear and tear on critical components like the compressor and possibly trigger a system shutdown.

Cooling takes more time.

An air conditioner removes the same amount of BTUs of heat from your home every hour whether it’s a summer heat wave or a milder day. Therefore, lowering thermostat settings excessively can’t speed up the process in a heat wave. As outdoor temperatures decline later, however, extremely low settings may cause the house to become overly cooled, wasting energy and boosting operating costs.

Leaving the AC on reduces wear.

Shutting off air conditioning while you're gone during a heat wave means the house becomes excessively overheated. Hours of almost nonstop AC operation are required to cool it back down, inflicting excess stress on system components like the compressor. A better strategy is to leave the air conditioner running all day, cycling on and off normally with the thermostat set at a moderate temperature somewhat higher than your normal comfort zone. This actually consumes less energy and reduces stress on AC components.

For more tips about efficient, effective air conditioner operation during heat waves, talk to the pros at Air Assurance.

Summer Sump Pump Maintenance

When you have a sump pump installed in your home's basement or crawlspace, you might mistakenly think that you're automatically protected against water intrusions. In reality, periodic sump pump maintenance is crucial if you want to keep your home safe from:

• Costly water damage. Whether you experience minor groundwater seepage or significant flooding from a summer storm, your sump pump needs to be in good working order to handle it. If your home's basement is finished, this protects the drywall, flooring, the furnishings and stored items from damage.

• Mold-related problems. Having a well-functioning sump pump that keeps the crawlspace or basement dry can also minimize mold growth and musty odors and preserve your home's indoor air quality.

• Fire hazards. When your sump pump is well-maintained and on guard against water intrusions into your basement or crawlspace, you may not realize that it also reduces the danger of electrical fires. If a flood occurs and electrical wiring situated in the space gets saturated, there a risk that it can short circuit and cause a fire.

Essential Sump Pump Maintenance

It's vital to have a functional sump pump during a power outage, so invest in a battery backup if you don't already have one. To ensure that your pump is always in working condition, maintain it semi-annually by following these steps:

• Clear any debris from the sump pit so it can't clog the pump.

• Check the condition of the power cord and for safety, make sure it's plugged into a ground fault circuit interruptor (GFCI) receptacle.

• To test the pump's functionality, fill up the pit with water and check that it starts up and empties the pit efficiently.

• Unplug the power cord and repeat the above-mentioned test to check that the backup battery is working properly.

• When the pump is running, verify that it stays upright and level, and that the drain hose stays attached.

• If your pump is unresponsive or quits working, have it repaired or replace it immediately.

To learn more about sump pump maintenance and how it can help protect your Broken Arrow home, contact us at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about sump pumps and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Westfrisco/Pixabay”

Tips for Proper HVAC Cleaning

As you prepare your list of summer home maintenance tasks to embark on, don't forget to include cleaning the HVAC unit. The good news is you can do most of the cleaning chores yourself and save the extra money you would have spent to have an HVAC professional do them. Follow the HVAC cleaning procedure below:

Turn off power

Start by shutting off the electrical power to the exterior unit at the shut-off box near it. Also, turn off the power indoors at the breaker box.

Vacuum away all the debris

Remove the exterior unit's fan cage using a wrench or screwdriver and vacuum debris such as grass clippings and leaves from the interior.

Clean and straighten fins

Spray through them from the inside out using a garden hose with moderate water pressure. Carefully realign any crushed or bent fins with a butter knife.

Clear the area around the outside unit

Replace the unit's fan cage then remove any debris around your unit. Cut back any vegetation nearby. Leave at least two feet of clear space in all directions to promote airflow around your unit.

Clean the evaporator coil

You may have to remove a few bolts or screws and some duct tape before finding the coil. Dust it off with a soft brush then spray it with a no-rinse coil cleaner.

Clean the drain pan

Use hot water, some bleach, and soap to clean the pan. Next, pour a cup of 50-50 mix of bleach and water down the drain. If the solution doesn't drain easily, attach the hose of your vacuum to the end of the drain line. Switch on the vacuum for about three minutes to clear any biological matter.

Replace the filter

Open the door to your indoor unit's filter enclosure, remove the filter and install a new one. Close the door and restore power to your system.

Cleaning your HVAC system helps you extend its life and save money. For more HVAC cleaning tips, contact us at Air Assurance. We've been serving the Broken Arrow area since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about HVAC cleaning and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

Preparing Your Home's HVAC for Your Summer Vacation

You're all set for summer vacation. Your neighbor will take in the mail and water the plants; you've put your lights on a timer so they'll come on at strategic times; you've made provisions for Fido at the kennel. But wait a minute: what about the HVAC system? Have you included the most important system in your house in your vacation plans?

Here's some valuable advice on how to get your HVAC ready when you leave home this summer:

1. Schedule maintenance.

If you haven't done this already, be sure to have your system professionally inspected. The HVAC tech should check refrigerant charge, condensate drain, coils, controls, thermostat, wiring and the blower motor and fans. This is your best assurance that your A/C will keep cooling your home properly while you're away. Ask the tech to check for refrigerant leaks as well as problems with the condensate drain. You don't want it overflowing while you're away.

2. Change the air filter.

A clean filter ensures there's proper air flow to your HVAC system, so that it does its job more efficiently.

3. Install a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat.

With either of these types of thermostats you can set the A/C up at night so it's using less energy. Be sure you don't set it up too high; you want it to keep turning on. An additional benefit of a Wi-Fi thermostat is that you will have even more control while you're away. Set the thermostat down a bit more during a heat wave to keep the house cooler, or adjust humidity as needed.

4. Make sure your indoor and outdoor A/C components are not blocked.

Check around the condenser for weeds, limbs and any other obstructions that may block air flow around it; indoors, check supply and return vents for blockage by furniture, drapes or carpets. Vents should be cleaned periodically and cleared of dirt and pet hair.

For more on how to prep your HVAC system before you depart for summer vacation, contact Air Assurance. We've served Broken Arrow and the surrounding area since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about summer vacation maintenance and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “ardoramanda/Pixabay”