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For many Americans, heating and cooling is a large part of the monthly utility bill. According to the Department of Energy, many households spend more than half of their energy costs on heating and cooling.

Especially in the hotter areas of the country, like Mansfield, TX, your air conditioning bill can burn a hole in your wallet. If you find yourself spending more on your HVAC system than you planned, there are several habits as a homeowner you can adopt in order to make your AC unit for efficient and save money.

Keep Debris Off of Your AC Unit

When you’re trimming the leaves or cleaning the gutters outside your house, make sure that dead leaves, dirt, and debris aren’t clogging up your AC unit. While you can do basic cleaning yourself, it’s best to call a company that handles air conditioning repair professionally in order to clean your condenser.

An air conditioning repair company can do a thorough cleaning that increases the efficiency of your air conditioning machine.

Keep Your Vents Clear

When you are vacuuming or doing other house cleaning, make sure the vacuum dust and lint out of the vents on your AC unit. It only takes an extra pass with the vacuum, although many people don’t clean their AC unit when they clean their house.

In order to avoid future need for repair, it’s best to keep your AC clean as you go. This makes the airflow less obstructed, and your AC won’t have to work as hard to push air through, saving you money and saving wear on your machine.

This includes making sure other items, like drapes, furniture, or papers, aren’t directly in front of the vents. These items also restrict air flow and have the same effect as dust and lint.

Keep Heat Sources Away from Your Air Conditioner

Most of the causes of air conditioning repair are preventable and result from the machine being overworked. Some homeowners install an AC next to an oven or heater or keep lamps, washing machines, dryers, and other appliances that produce heat close to the air conditioner. This causes waste because the machine has to work harder to maintain the desired temperature. Having a heat source close to your air conditioner is similar to turning on the heat and cracking a window during winter.

Be intentional about where you install your AC system in relation to other appliances because an AC is picking up on the temperature directly surrounding it, which could be unnecessarily high. An AC will work just as well in a cooler part of your home.

This includes direct sunlight from un-shuttered windows. If you leave the blinds open on all of your windows, the temperature in your home will rise; closing curtains and blinds can have a significant effect on cooling your home, without the extra cost.

When professionals do air conditioning repair, you can consult them about how your AC is placed and where the best locations are in your home for installation.

Use Ovens and Dryers During Cooler Times of Day

Air conditioning units work best when they have to regulate a consistent temperature. When you use your oven or dryer, you’ll create more heat in your home, and your air conditioner can become overworked when using these appliances during the hottest times of the day.

Raise the Temperature When You Are Not at Home 

Since you’re not home all the time, the air conditioning in your home doesn’t have to be working all the time either. Raise the temperature on the thermostat of your air conditioner when you’re about to leave for work for the day, and you’ll see an increase in savings in your energy bill.

Many companies that do air conditioning repair can advise you on different products for regulating temperature on a schedule. These programmable thermostats can be set to fluctuate with your schedule, and you can save money by having the air conditioner power down slightly during the cooler hours of the night, or when you’re sleeping or working.

Check Your Insulation for Leaks

One service that an HVAC repair specialist provide is checking the air ducts in your home for leaks. Sometimes air ducts can be badly insulated, and while you can use tape on these yourself, it’s best to go through a certified air conditioning repair professional to get your ducts assessed and fixed if need be.

Badly insulated air ducts cause air to escape and result in a higher energy bill as the air conditioner continually has to work to replenish the supply.

Badly fitted screen doors, windows, and other portals to your home can cause large leaks where air escapes, causing strain on the AC system.

When a service person comes to your house to do air conditioning repair, you can ask them to assess the quality of your ducts and insulation to maximize the efficiency of your air conditioner.

Air Conditioning Repair in Mansfield, TX 

Minuteman Heating and Air is the foremost air conditioning repair company in Mansfield, TX, and can provide professional servicing for your air conditioner as well as provide feedback about the efficiency of your air conditioning set up in your home.

You don’t want to end up saddled with a larger energy bill than necessary just because your air conditioning configuration wasn’t optimized, or you didn’t take certain precautions about installing your AC unit, running large heat-producing appliances in your home, or leaving leaky air ducts unaddressed.

These are all important steps to take to maximize the efficiency of your air conditioner, but there’s no substitute for a thorough repair, consultation, and cleaning done by professionals.

Call Minuteman Heating and Air today to schedule your appointment!