5 Best Practices to Keep Your HVAC Running Smoothly

As temperatures rise here in West Allis, it can be tempting to keep lowering the thermostat to make your home as cool as possible. Unfortunately, lowering the temperature too much can actually be counterproductive.

Rather than cooling you off, it can actually harm your HVAC system instead. If you’ve found yourself turning that cool 70 degrees to an even cooler 65 degrees, here are some tips to save your HVAC from a meltdown this summer:

Your HVAC System Checklist

1. Know Your HVAC’s Lowest Safe Temp—Standard HVAC units are designed to run at 75 degrees. Often, the lowest safe temp in hot weather is 70 degrees. Lowering the temperature too far causes increased wear and tear on the system as it will have to run continuously to maintain that temperature. When the system runs without stopping you’ll find yourself with higher energy bills and reduced humidity control. This can also cause your coil to freeze, which will make your system stop running altogether.
2. Change Your Filters—The HVAC system filters keep your home’s air pure and free from particles, pollutants, and allergens. Dirty filters cause reduced airflow through your home, which can lead to your system overheating (and can ultimately cause a complete shutdown), and an overall shortened life span of the unit.
3. Clean Your Ducts—Your ducts are the main network for distributing air throughout your home. Dirty ducts lead to poor air quality, reduced efficiency, and even mold growth. Our duct cleaning services are a great addition to your home’s regular maintenance and keep you and your home in good health.
4. Make Sure Your Outdoor AC Unit is Free of Debris—Obstacles around your AC unit, such as bushes and furniture can block airflow, and cause the unit to overheat. Overheating in the air conditioning unit can lead to compressor damage, leaving you on the hook for extensive repairs or replacements. Make sure the unit is unobstructed so that it can have proper airflow.
5. Keep Your Vents Open—Although you may want to close some vents to redirect all the cool air into a few select rooms, it will actually cause a back pressure to the unit,
   which is detrimental to the efficiency of your system. If you have different cooling needs from room to room, we offer zone-control systems, that allow you to safely and effectively manage the temperature of each floor or room of your home.

Following these practices will help keep your HVAC system running at peak performance this summer. However, if you still find your HVAC failing to keep up with your needs, it may be a sign that your system needs maintenance or replacement.

If you’re ready to schedule an appointment or have a question, Call us anytime—we totally geek out on this stuff. Let’s keep you cool all summer long!