The Florida weather has no intention of letting up on us just yet, but in the next few months, we should see some lower temperatures. And if that’s the best Florida can give us, we’ll just have to take it.
Regardless of how the Florida weather wants to treat us, it doesn’t change the fact that we’ve put our air conditioners through the brutal summer heat for a whole season. That means now’s a good time as any to check up on your AC, and maybe even adjust your energy use.
Below are three tips for maximizing your efficiency at the close of the summer season.
1. Keep Your Thermostat as Close to the Outdoor Temperature as Possible
With temperatures steadily dropping, you can take advantage of it to save more money on your monthly energy bills.
After a whole season of using your air conditioner, it’s difficult to notice when the temperature is dropping outdoors. We’ve most likely become dependent on our air conditioners, and the outdoor heat may feel hotter than we think we’re able to handle. This may cause us to keep our ACs on full-blast when, in reality, we should be doing just the opposite!
You can save more money by keeping your thermostat as close to 78°F as possible. It’s not as crazy as it sounds. Plus, with a steadily dropping outdoor temperature, you’ll get used to it much faster. You can use ceiling fans to help make up for the difference. They won’t lower the temperature, but they will make your body feel much cooler.
2. Check That Air Filter!
After several months of summer, it’s the perfect time to check that air filter—especially if you haven’t changed it this year.
Checking the air filter is one of the easiest things a homeowner can do for their AC system, but it’s also one of the easiest to forget. Yet, the unchanged air filter is one of the biggest causes of (what appears to be) the worst air conditioner issues.
How could something so simple end up making things to wrong? Simply because your air conditioner relies on a clean, unobstructed passage of air to perform its basic functions. Clogged air filters can cause short-cycling, frozen coils, or can simply prevent the home from cooling properly. All of this contributes to an AC that fails to perform at peak performance, and that’s going to cost you.
3. Get a Maintenance Check
Your AC has been working its hardest these last few months, and it’s possible that it gained some battle scars. We recommend having it inspected and given maintenance by a trusted Miami HVAC service. Many AC problems are silent, so you won’t know there’s a problem until something goes seriously wrong. If it gets to that point, you could be paying for a repair that goes well beyond the price of a quick tune-up.