Which AC Features Can Save You Money?
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Spring Cleaning
Itās Spring! And as a homeowner there is so much to do around the house to get ready for the sunny days ahead.
But donāt worry! To help you save a few bucks, since you now have lawn care, window cleaning and pet grooming $$$ all on your spring cleaning to-do list, Serveway offers pre-season maintenance specials every year!
The heat and humidity are a serious concern, so itās vital to make sure your air conditioning unit is running efficiently. To avoid a possible air conditioning breakdown, there are a few things to pay attention to that can help you avoid costly damage.
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Replace Air Filters
Air filters are the easiest and often the cheapest way to keep your air conditioner running at peak efficiency. If an air filter is clogged, it causes the AC unit to work harder to circulate air through your home. We recommend you change your air filter every month, especially in the summer when you are spending more time indoors with the AC unit running.
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Clear the Drain Line
Other than cooling the air, AC units also work by removing humidity from the air. The air conditioning unit collects the water and moves it through a drain, taking it safely out of the home. Over time, however, the drain has the potential to become blocked and overflow, causing serious damage to your home. You can clean the drain line yourself by pouring one cup of drain cleaner down the drain, followed by one gallon of water.
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Remove Debris
People often forget that keeping the outside AC unit clean and free of debris can make a big difference in its efficiency. Leaves, twigs, pollen, and dirt can all impede the performance of your air conditioner.
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Clean Air Ducts
Professional air duct cleaning is a great way to improve indoor air quality, but it also improves the efficiency of your air conditioning system. Over time, the air ducts in your home collect dust and other air pollutants. When that debris is cleaned and removed, your air conditioning system will run more efficiently.
Even if you follow the tips listed above to keep your air conditioner running efficiently, there are still things that only a professional HVAC technician can see and fix. As a part of our maintenance service, we will also check for reliability and safety which can save you money. We recommend HVAC maintenance is performed at least every six months and we will work with you to catch any problems before they arise so that your air conditioning unit is running at its best!
Happy Spring Cleaning!
Tis The Season To Tune Up Your HVAC Unit
The cold months of the year are upon us. Is your homeās HVAC unit ready to withstand the winter? Perform these tasks to keep your furnace from working overtime this season:
- Close your chimney flue pipe and damper when not in use
- Add insulation to the attic
- Close vents to rooms not used regularly
- Replace heating system air filters every 30 days
- Test-run your unit for signs of malfunction
- Schedule a furnace tune-up if you havenāt done so already
If you donāt want to chance being left in the cold, let our HVAC professionals put your heating system to the test. Schedule an inspection today by calling 469-231-9379.
6 Rules to Save Money on Air Conditioning This Summer
6 Rules to Save Money on Air Conditioning This Summer
Donāt let your AC blow your money away. Use these tips and pay less to cool your house this summer.
Running the air conditioning can make an electricity bill skyrocket, but the alternative isnāt very pretty, either. Luckily, there are a few ways that you can help your air conditioner run better and save you money as the summer months progress.
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Quit cooling the neighborhood
If your home isnāt brand new, the cold air inside it is probably seeping out into the neighborhood through worn door and window seals, a poorly insulated attic and other sneaky cracks.
To see how well your home is holding in the cold, sign up for a home energy audit with your utility provider or a local contractor. A certified home energy rater or auditor will check your home for leaks and recommend the best way to make your home more energy efficient.
Donāt want to spring for an audit? Do a mini-audit yourself. Stand outside your home and run your hand along windows and doors. Can you feel the cold air escaping? If you do, caulk around leaky windows and add insulation around doors.
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Make sure your thermostat is on the right wall
Thermostat placement can play a big part in how well your air conditioner works. If you put it on a wall right next to a hot window, for instance, your air conditioner will kick on much more often than it needs to because it will think the room is hotter than it actually is.Ā Hereās how to pick the perfect wall for your thermostat.
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Close the blinds
A window letting in the hot sun wonāt just heat up your thermostat, itāll heat you up too. During the warmest part of the day, close your window blinds. Closing the blinds keeps out the sun. It can also help insulate your windows, which stops the cold air from escaping.
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Use a fan
Sometimes you donāt need to amp up the thermostat to feel cooler. According to the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), using a ceiling fan can make a room feel 10 degrees cooler and uses 10 percent of the energy of a central air conditioner.
If you want to get high-tech, you can install smart ceiling fans that connect to an app. You can schedule the times when these fans turn on and off, and you can control their speed without standing on your tiptoes.
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Up the temperature
Many people think that leaving the air conditioner at the same temperature when you leave the house saves money because the AC wonāt need to work as hard to re-cool the home. This is a myth. NRDC senior energy policy advocate Lauren Urbanek says that the most inexpensive way to use your air conditioner is to turn the thermostat up when you leave the house.
Air conditioning systems operate most efficiently at full speed during longer periods of time. So kicking it on a lower temperature when you get home will save you more money than the AC cycling on and off while youāre away.
A programmable thermostat can make it super easy to keep your AC at the right temperature. You can program the unit to work at higher temperatures while youāre at work and cool down right before you get home.
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Setting low is a no-go
Always set your thermostat to the highest temperature you can stand to save the most money. Even a little change in the temperature can save you big bucks.
You can save 10 percent a year on your cooling bills by setting your thermostat just 10 to 15 degrees higher for eight hours each day, according to the Nebraska Energy Office. The US Department of Energy recommends aiming for an indoor temperature of 78 degrees F when youāre at home.
Want to make sure your cooling system is in tip-top shape? Call Serveway Heating and Cooling for an estimate today!
4 Tips for Avoiding Heating and Cooling Scams
Summer is heating up and your air conditioning system is plays a key role to your quality of life at home ā especially in Dallas-Ft. Worth. Whether itās time for a replacement, repair or just routine maintenance, we know you want to entrust your system to a reputable company. At Serveway Heating and Cooling, itās our professional responsibility to keep you informed to ensure that you arenāt scammed by other heating and cooling companies.
Check out the video fromĀ Angieās ListĀ about ways you can avoid scams and distinguish the good āguysā from the bad.
Need air conditioning repair or maintenance? Call Serveway Heating and Cooling for an estimate today!
Call 469-231-9379 for an estimateĀ today.
Dirty Air Ducts Can Cause House Fires
Duct cleaning is more than about clean air. Letās talk about the fire hazards.
The best and only reliable way to cut down the risk of a fire from dust is to remove or significantly reduce the amount of dust. Cleaning your air ducts is the easiest way to remove accumulated dust built up over time.
This is because all dust is full of dry and flammable material which can easily ignite under the right conditions. Any large collection of dust can be ignited either by contact with a spark or if the surface it is settled on becomes extremely hot. The danger of a dust-ignited fire is especially high in the summer when ducts can grow hot.
Keep these Texas summers in mind, folks.
Be sure a certified heating and cooling company ensures the best solution to the problem of dust-born fire hazards. This this isnāt a time to āDIYā it.
Improperly cleaned air ducts may cause loose dust to circulate ultimately damaging your homeās air quality and creating a threatening hazard.
Has it been a while since youāve had your air ducts cleaned? Interested in air duct cleaning? Give us aĀ call today!