Preparing Your Home for Summer

As the temperature begins to rise and the days grow longer, it’s time to shift our focus from heating our homes to cooling them down. Preparing your air conditioner and home for the summer months ahead is essential for staying comfortable and ensuring your system operates efficiently.

Here are some key steps to get your home ready for the heat:

1. Inspect and Clean Your Air Conditioner:

Start by taking a peek at your air conditioning unit for any visible damage or signs of wear. Clean or replace your furnace filter to ensure proper airflow and improve indoor air quality. Remove any debris such as leaves, twigs, or grass clippings from around the unit to prevent airflow blockages.  Cottonwood trees are the mortal enemy of your air conditioning unit- if you have one in your yard or neighborhood pay close attention to your AC unit when the cotton starts to fly!  

2. Check your Thermostat:

Test your thermostat to ensure it is functioning correctly. Consider upgrading to a programmable or wi-fi thermostat if you haven’t already done so. This allows you to set different temperatures for different times of the day, optimizing energy usage and saving money on utility bills.  Keep the thermostat fan setting on “on” vs “auto”.  This will continue to circulate the air in your house even when your AC is not running to keep temperatures more even.  

3. Clear Vents and Registers:

Ensure that all vents and registers throughout your home are clear of obstructions such as furniture, rugs, or drapes. This allows for proper airflow and helps distribute cool air evenly throughout your home.

4. Schedule Professional Maintenance:

Consider scheduling a professional maintenance service with Arctic Mechanical for your air conditioning system before the start of the summer season. A qualified technician can inspect and tune up your unit, identify any potential issues, and ensure that it’s operating at peak efficiency.  Ask about our membership program for additional perks and savings!

5. Improve Insulation:

Proper insulation is essential for keeping your home cool in the summer and reducing energy costs. Check the insulation in your attic, walls, and basement, and add or replace insulation as needed. This helps prevent cool air from escaping and hot air from entering your home.

6. Use Fans to Supplement Cooling:

Ceiling fans and portable fans can help supplement your air conditioning system and distribute cool air more effectively. Make sure your ceiling fans are set to rotate counterclockwise in the summer to create a cooling breeze.

7. Consider Shade and Landscaping:

Planting trees or installing awnings outside windows can help provide shade and reduce the amount of heat entering your home. Strategic landscaping can also help improve airflow around your outdoor air conditioning unit, increasing its efficiency.

8. Practice Energy-Efficient Habits:

Finally, adopting energy-efficient habits can help reduce your cooling costs and minimize your environmental impact. This includes keeping blinds or curtains closed during the hottest part of the day, using appliances like dishwashers and clothes dryers during cooler hours, and avoiding unnecessary heat-generating activities like cooking on the stove.

By taking these steps to prepare your air conditioner and home for the summer, you can stay comfortable indoors while minimizing energy costs and reducing your environmental footprint. Investing a little time and effort now can lead to significant savings and improved comfort throughout the hot summer months ahead. 

At Arctic Mechanical we take care of your family like they’re our family! Give us a call or request service online today.