MAINTENANCE TIPS

Tips of the Trade:

I would like to take this opportunity to share with you a few ways to save some money on your comfort costs. It is important that you maintain your comfort system properly to ensure longer system life and higher efficiency.

• Have your air conditioning & heating system inspected by a professional service technician twice a year to keep the system operating efficiently and to prevent costly repairs. It is much easier, and often cheaper, to prevent damage than it is to repair damage. A $50-$100 annual tune-up can reduce your cooling costs by five percent.
• Change the filter once a month. This is especially important during the summer when dust and allergens circulate.
• Pour one cup of Clorox bleach into the primary drain line to prevent hard water deposits and dirt accumulation from stopping up your drain line. A good reminder is to pour Clorox every time you change your filter. Your drain line is located at the air handler inside the house i.e. attic, garage, closet.
• Turn off air conditioning when mowing lawn to prevent grass and dirt from entering condenser coils which hinders air flow. Remove any potted plants or trash can that can cause air flow obstruction around unit.
• Clean the outside condenser coils by spraying it with a low pressure hose at least once a summer.
• Keep furniture and drapes away from registers in your home.
• Keep your curtains/blinds closed on the south and west windows of your home. Average utility savings can be 3 - 6%.
• Moving the thermostat up a few degrees in summer or down in winter can result in significant savings of both money and energy.