In Texas, good air conditioning is an important part of making your home a comfortable and safe place throughout the year. At different times of the year, temperatures can fluctuate to the highest point and even fall to the lowest point. If you don’t want to feel like you’re baking inside your own home, or in need of extra layers just to keep warm, it’s important to keep your HVAC system in the best condition. Our experienced heating and cooling technician team at Ellis Air Conditioning and Heating in Dallas, TX understands that not everyone knows the best ways to care for their heating and cooling units. To help people in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX area get the most of out of their HVAC systems, we have compiled a list of the most common mistakes to avoid.
Not Changing The Air Filter
This might seem like a very simple step, but it can also affect the overall life of your equipment. This is because the dirtier your air filter is, the less effective it is because it is difficult to draw air through the filter. At the same time, not changing your air filter can have a real impact on the air quality in your home. If the airflow is reduced, your air conditioner will work even harder trying to provide adequate cooling and may even fail if the situation worsens. To avoid this, most experts recommend replacing air filters every three months.
Leaving Your System On At All Times
HVAC systems are not designed to be left running at all times of the day and night. Even though it’s tempting to keep your system going all the time on hot summer days and winter nights, it can hurt your equipment. If your air conditioner has to work for hours to keep your home cool, or warm, this is a sign that other problems might need to be fixed. It is always a good idea to keep curtains closed and use insulated curtains to reduce stress on your device.
Improper Thermostat Settings
Returning to a home that is very hot or very cold is never a pleasant experience. Even when you are dealing with this situation, you should not make the mistake of dramatically lowering or increasing the temperature to speed up the work you want your HVAC system to handle. If you want your home to be in the low 70s, it is a bad idea to set a thermostat somewhere in the 60s to cool your home faster. Your air conditioner still cools the area at the same speed as if you left the temperature at the desired setting and can easily cause an increase in load and energy costs if you forget the settings later.
Not Using A Fan For Increased Air Circulation
A common misconception for many people is that a fan can only be used when the air is pleasant or slightly warm, and the air conditioner must be used when it is too hot or too cold. However, the truth is that an HVAC system functions better in combination with a fan. Using a fan to cool the air from your air conditioner is a great way to dramatically reduce the time needed for lower temperatures in certain rooms, and can even allow you to set your thermostat to a higher temperature while you are still feeling just as cool, this is a great way to reduce load on your A/C system and even save money on your electricity bill.
Forgetting To Close Rooms Or Vents
Whether you have a window-mounted, or central AC unit, they both have to work harder as the space that needs to be cooled increases. If you are trying to cool down an area quickly, then leaving doors or vents open will greatly increase the amount of time required to reach the desired temperature, while also increasing the load on your machine. By shutting your door and allowing the AC unit to cool off a specific room, or closing certain vents if you have a central unit, you can help increase the lifespan and efficiency of your machine by preventing cool air from leaking into unwanted spaces and reducing the overall amount of air that has to be cooled down.
Work With Ellis Air Conditioning And Heating In Dallas, TX
When it comes to inspecting or repairing an HVAC system, the last thing you want to worry about is whether or not the technician has the right skills and experience to handle the job in the best possible way. At Ellis Air Conditioning and Heating, our team of highly trained HVAC technicians is committed to providing the best possible service to our customers. To find out more about our services, or to schedule an appointment to have your equipment inspected, don’t hesitate to contact us right away!