Nearly two-thirds of the homes in the United States have air conditioning. Air conditioners have come a long way over the last couple decades making them cheaper to purchase and cheaper to run. Today’s air conditioners are approximately fifty percent more energy efficient than they were ten years ago. This makes the more accessible to more people, which is why so many homes have them.
When air conditioners are running inefficiently, it is generally due to duct leakage. Simply put, the air is leaking through the ducts instead of getting to where it needs to go. This will not only cause the ac unit to run longer and cool down the house less, it will also cost more because it will be working harder trying to cool down the house.
There are a couple simple things every home owner can do to maintain optimum efficiency. First, is ac maintenance. At the start of each season, you should have an HVAC company come out to look at the ac unit and make sure it is ready to run. During these annual checks, they can also check all the coils and ductwork for leaks or other issues.
Starting each season with a preventative check up will go a long way in catching problems before they become massive problems. It is extend the life of the air conditioner and hopefully eliminate sudden and unexpected break downs. Having the ac checked before it is ninety degrees out will eliminate ac emergency calls. Emergency ac repair is expensive and frustrating.
In addition to ac maintenance, you can also extend the life of your ac and reduce breakdowns by having a professional look at it each time. Fixing or attempting to fix an residential air conditioner on your own with no former understanding or training on how they work or how to maintain them can cause more bad than good. The money a home owners thinks they will be saving by not having a professional come out for preventive maintenance will be spent on emergency repair visits, which typically cost significantly more than regularly scheduled visits.
