3. Clean Around Your Unit
As we learned from air filters, dirt and debris don’t mix well with your HVAC. In addition to keeping your filter free and clear, you should work to keep the unit itself clean of detritus, which can gather throughout the year, especially if your unit is outside.
Make it a habit to clean around your unit on a seasonal basis, to ensure things like dirt and dead leaves don’t get sucked into your HVAC system and cause problems.
You can also hose off your unit — if you power off the unit first and are careful to spray only the condenser coils and fins. For most households, especially in places like Phoenix or Denver where units might be located out of a hose’s reach, it’s more convenient to hire heating and cooling contractors to deep-clean the unit annually.
4. Avoid Using Hot Appliances
In the summer, you are paying steep energy bills to ensure the inside of your home is cool and dry — so why would you use an appliance to make it hot and humid?
For the duration of warm weather, avoid using tools like ovens or stoves; choose outdoor cooking like grilling instead.
Additionally, you should reduce the temperature of your shower and try to cut down your washing time to prevent steam from building up inside your home.
It might be hard to make these changes initially, but eventually you’ll get used to shifting your habits by the seasons.
