With a cooling season that extends beyond the national average, Longview and other East Texas homeowners are always on the lookout for ways to cut energy costs and improve air conditioner efficiency. While the typical lifespan of an A/C’s compressor is 10-12 years, adhering to the correct series of maintenance and usage procedures can add several more. Here’s how:

• Think outside the box. A/C isn’t the only way to cool your home. Try supplementing conditioned air with ceiling or floor fans, in occupied rooms. Fans create a wind-chill effect, cooling you off as the breeze increases the rate of evaporation of the perspiration on your skin’s surface, allowing you to raise the temperature of your A/C a few degrees. However, because fans only cool people and not rooms, be sure to turn them off as you leave.
• Work smarter, not harder. Reduce excessive A/C usage and improve air conditioner efficiency with these tips:
  • Reduce indoor humidity by using exhaust fans in the kitchen and bath, and running hot water appliances in the evening, when temperatures are typically cooler.
  • Keep doors and windows closed when operating the A/C.
  • Use your programmable thermostat to raise the temperature of your home by 7 to 10 degrees when you leave for the day, and to lower it to your ideal setpoint an hour before you’re due to arrive home.
• Keep in touch with your HVAC contractor. Arrange for annual maintenance each spring, to keep your A/C running effectively and efficiently. Your contractor will check coolant levels, clean and inspect the entire system, and adjust airflow if necessary. A periodic duct inspection is also recommended, to look for and repair areas of leakage that can lower efficiency and reduce your indoor air quality.
• Don’t ignore your air filter. A dirty filter can hamper airflow and cause unnecessary strain on your A/C; change the air filter monthly during peak cooling season for best results.

For more tips on how to improve air conditioner efficiency, call our experts at JD’s A/C, proudly serving homeowners in the Longview area for more than 30 years.

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