LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — With Kentucky in its fourth consecutive day above 90 degrees and about to reach its hottest temperatures of the season thus far, air conditioning units everywhere are getting a significant workout. This would be the worst time for your unit to experience a breakdown or even a reduction in performance.
With that in mind, GreenBox Heating & Air pros offer several tips to keep your system working well while keeping your monthly bill within reason.
- Change the air filter when needed and do it properly. You’ll want the arrow on the filter to be facing the equipment. As GreenBox specialist Sam Maybriar said, a wrong-way arrow is as bad as having a dirty filter.
- Set the thermostat to no cooler than 20 degrees below the outdoor temperature. Sam said most HVAC units are designed to work best with a 20-degree variation. Anything more than that is ineffective. If it’s 93 degrees outside, set the thermostat to 73 degrees.
- Leave the unit on “auto” so it’ll click on and off as needed, rather than running that motor in the “on” mode all day.
- Closing the blinds to windows that face the sun will help knock a degree or two off the room temperature.
- Don’t cover or shade the outside unit. That can restrict airflow and make the system less efficient.
- Be thinking about the next season, during the current season. Paul Maddox of GreenBox said system maintenance of the furnace or heat pump should be done by late October. Annual air conditioning system checks should be done in the early spring before the cool air is needed.
