The summer sun is a welcome backdrop for outdoor sports, picnics, and trips to the beach — until your air conditioner stops working. Beat the summer heat with these 7 tips to keep your home cool!
Download the Keep Your Cool ChecklistThis post is sponsored by American Standard Heating and Air Conditioning
1. Reschedule Heat-Generating Activities
Running the clothes dryer, dishwasher, or oven generates heat — the last thing you want when you’re trying to cool your home! Save these tasks for the evening when outside temperatures dip.
There’s another reason to reschedule heat-generating chores: energy companies charge higher rates during peak usage hours. Most people turn their lights and TVs off at night, so the energy grid is less busy, and it won’t cost as much to run your appliances.
During the summer, avoid using your clothes dryer during peak sunlight hours and high electricity demand. This will keep your home cool and utility bills low.
For instance, if demand surges from around 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in your area, you’d want to save dishwashing for early morning or late at night.
As for cooking, summer is the perfect season for grilling outdoors! That’s a surefire way to keep heat outside your home.
2. Reduce Solar Heat Gain
During daylight hours, solar heat gain from windows can make a huge difference in your home’s comfort (or lack thereof), especially during the summer. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution.
Have bare windows? Cover them up! Install interior blinds or curtains to create a barrier between the sun and your home — and keep them closed during the day when the sun is out.
Want extra protection? Add thermal window film! It blocks heat and any damaging UV rays from entering your home, and there are different levels of tinting, so it won’t upset your home’s aesthetic.
Ready for a major upgrade? Install energy-efficient, low-E windows — they have a glass coating that reflects heat back to its source. This keeps the summer heat outside your home where it belongs!
3. Check Your Ceiling Fan’s Rotation
Ceiling fans create an artificial breeze that evaporates moisture from your skin. To get the cooling effect, make sure your fan spins counterclockwise.
If your fan is spinning in the incorrect direction, adjust the fixture’s settings. For older fans, turn off the power supply and find the “magic” switch — it’s usually right under the blades, near the light kit. Then, flip it in the opposite direction. If you have a newer, remote-controlled fan, select the correct rotation setting.
Just remember to turn the fan off when no one’s in the room. After all, fans don’t change the room’s temperature — just how you feel.
4. Maintain Your A/C
An A/C requires simple but necessary maintenance to reduce wear and tear and extend its life.
When the return air filter fills with dust or dirt, airflow decreases — so change it once a month. In addition, pour a cup of vinegar into the condensate drain line monthly to prevent clogs.
If you have an old thermostat that requires you to manually set it, consider upgrading to a Wi-Fi-compatible, programmable model like the American Standard HVAC’s Gold 824 smart thermostat. Smart thermostats let you set the temperature remotely, so your home is comfortable when you come home.
Finally, clean the outside unit. Leaves, dirt, or grass clippings can gradually build up in the unit and reduce airflow, so trim any bushes or plants around it. Then, shut off the unit’s power and use a garden hose to gently wash out debris, starting at the top with the hose at about a 45-degree angle and working your way down.
Read for more information: 5 Easy Air Conditioner Maintenance Tips
5. Seal Your Home’s Envelope
Cracks or gaps around doors or windows can let in warm, moist air from the outside — fortunately, you can simply seal them with caulk!
First, search for drafts and look for light sneaking through holes. Examine doors, windows, basements, and attics. Once you’ve identified the leaks, fill them in. If the opening is at least one-quarter-inch wide and one-half-inch deep, seal it with a spray foam material before using caulk.
The technique is important, so fill each crack or gap with a continuous bead of caulk — no stopping and starting — and smooth it out with your fingertip.
6. Schedule a Seasonal Inspection
Hire a professional HVAC technician to inspect your air conditioner at the start of the season.
During a basic inspection, the tech will check functionality, look at temperature levels, measure airflow, test ductwork for air leaks, and test safety controls.
In an AC-specific inspection, the tech will check the air blower, condenser and evaporator coils, electrical wiring, refrigerant levels, safety devices and control systems, and thermostat settings.
Signing up for regular maintenance today will provide peace of mind because systems that don’t receive these checkups tend to go out when you least expect it — and when you most need a cool home.
7. Upgrade Your System
If your aging air conditioner no longer keeps you cool, it may be time to upgrade to something more efficient.
Your best bet is a heat pump, which removes heat and humidity during warm weather to cool the interior and reverses that process during cool weather to heat it. This keeps your home comfortable all year round.
The Platinum Series Heat Pump from American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning has variable-speed technology. It selects from one of 750 speeds to maintain a home’s temperature set point within ½ a degree.
That means when you’re cooling your house just a few degrees at a time, your HVAC unit will run at a lower speed, using less energy to maintain the same temperature and comfort level.
If your house needs to cool a lot or get rid of a lot of humidity all at once, then it can speed up!
Best of all, the unit does this independently, changing the speed based on settings in an AccuLink Platinum 1050 Control smart thermostat.
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