Air Conditioning Maintenance

image via air-conditioners.us

A great article out of Florida this week is giving HVAC users some helpful tips for maintaining their air conditioners. This is important because, as the article states, “Each year your air conditioner goes without maintenance, it will lose about 5 percent of its overall efficiency.”  As temps in Minnesota are higher than normal for May, many of us have already broke the air conditioning seal for the year, so here are some helpful tips to make sure your AC keeps you cool from some of Angie’s List‘s highest rated service specialists.

•  Call a professional to give your air conditioning unit a routine check-up. In order to ensure efficiency for the summer it is important to have it inspected, cleaned, and tuned by a professional.
• Make sure to replace air conditioning filters (check filter for how frequently you should change it, or ask a professional) which is especially pertinent in the summer season when allergens build up along the filter wall.
• Consider shading your air conditioner to increase efficiency. As the article states, “Air in a shaded space is cooler than the surrounding air, meaning · the A/C will have an easier time cooling the air.”
• Arguably, one of the most interesting points made in this article states, “Remember that each degree you dial below 78 increases your energy consumption by about 8 percent. If your monthly electric bill is about $100, you’ll save $8 a month with EACH degree you can stand above 78.”
• If you’re a forgetful person and don’t often remember to adjust your thermostat before heading out for work, or leaving for a weekend, consider a programmable thermostat to help you save money on your bills.
• If your unit is dated by more than 10 years, it’s time to think about getting a newer, more efficient model that will be far more environmentally friendly, and will also save you money.

To make sure your air conditioning unit is ready to go for the summer season, give Gopher Heating a call (952.890.3466 [metro area] or 507.665.3300 [Le Sueur area]) and one of our talented professionals would be happy to make sure you don’t spend a day braving the heat this summer!

More Expensive AC Bills This Summer?

Photo courtesy of renovateyourmarketing.com

An interesting story out of Des Moines, IA today is spelling out what the shortage of Freon can mean for home comfort consumers. Freon, a refrigerant used in air conditioning units to keep your home cool, is known to deplete the ozone, and due to this the government is working to phase out the use of this substance. Because there is less to be used, prices are expected to rise compared to last summer. According to Cole Oliphant of Oliphant Heating and Cooling, “If it cost you roughly $200 last year, it will cost you close to $280 this year.”

One alternative to this issue is to consider switching to an air conditioning unit that uses substances which are more ozone friendly than Freon.

Gopher Heating is happy to chat with you about environmental options for your HVAC systems which not only help the environment, but they can help out your wallet as well. For more information, give us a call at 952.890.3466 (metro area) or 507.665.3300 (Le Sueur area).