HOW COOL ARE YOU?
DO YOU FIND THAT EVEN THOUGH YOUR CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER IS RUNNING, YOU MIGHT STILL FEEL WARM ‘POCKETS’ THROUGHOUT SOME PARTS OF YOUR HOME?
OR MAYBE YOU JUST WANT TO FEEL COOLER BUT NOT LIKE YOU’VE STEPPED INTO A FREEZER?
Well, the good news is that, aside from installing one of the best air conditioners in the market today, there are additional ways you can further support the efficiency and performance of your indoor cooling system, by taking a few more steps that will help. You can stay extra cool indoors.
1 Inspect and maintain your air conditioner regularly
Ensure that in the spring you book a full inspection, cleaning and maintenance service for both your air conditioner and furnace. Many factors can affect the proper operation of your air conditioner and if left unattended it can lead to problems that require repairs. For example, a dirty furnace filter negatively affects your air conditioner (3 Hazards of Dirty Furnace Filters).
You don’t want to wait to service your HVAC equipment and then get stuck with issues on the hottest day. If you missed your spring cleaning, it’s never too late to start! Book your air conditioner maintenance appointment today and have peace-of-mind.
By preparing in advance you can spring into summer with ease and comfort.
2 Balance the floor registers
It is recommended to balance the registers and vents throughout your home twice per year – once to accommodate optimal cooling in the summer and then again to accommodate ideal heating in the winter. The changes you make in either opening or closing certain registers depends on your personal comfort preferences.
Whether summer or winter time, the register closest to the thermostat should always be closed so that it doesn’t satisfy the set temperature too quickly, which would cause the thermostat to shut off the air conditioner or furnace, leaving all the other rooms without sufficient cooling or heating.
In the summer, for a comfortable cooling experience indoors, if there are specific rooms you spend more time in, then keep their registers open, while closing those where you don’t spend as much time, if any.
For example, you may want to keep the registers open in your kitchen, main bathroom, living/dining areas farthest from the thermostat and occupied bedrooms (especially above the ground floor of your home); while closing the registers in the entrance/hallway, unoccupied guest bedroom(s) and the basement (which stays cool anyway because heat rises).
If you are having a new air conditioner installed, ask the HVAC technician to assist you with balancing your floor registers to create the cooling environment of your choice.
3 Use reverse-feature fans for efficiency and savings
During the hot season, when the temperature inside your home needs an extra boost, turn on your reverse-feature ceiling fans (counterclockwise direction) to help circulate the cool air downwards. Note: The same applies in the winter season – by reversing your ceiling fan direction (clockwise), you push the warm air down as well.
When your ceiling fans are turned on, even though they use a little bit of electricity, your thermostat will not call for as much cooling and therefore you will save energy and money (bonus!).
The above tips are just a few examples. There are definitely other ways you can increase the cooling effect and your personal comfort indoors, while saving on efficiency and money. Some of those additional ways include:
- Keep hydrated – drink sufficient amounts of clean, filtered water and especially on the hottest days;
- In the sunny parts of your rooms, you may want to close the curtains or blinds somewhat, especially during the times nobody is home. Thin curtains are ideal during the summer because they still allow the light in; however, they act as a buffer;
- In the early mornings and late nights, if the temperature outside is not too hot or humid, turn off your air conditioner for about 30-60 minutes, open the upstairs windows and safety-screened doors throughout your home to vent out trapped heat and to refresh indoor air quality;
Written by Nicole Casati
Do you have your own tips to share with us? CASATI HVAC would love to hear from you and learn more about new, innovative ways to create the perfect home experience.
