Tips For Getting The Longest Life And Best Efficiency From Your New Air Conditioning System

If your home needs a new air conditioner to keep you cool this summer, you may be interested in ways to operate the AC efficiently so you can save on costs and stay the most comfortable in your home. You might also wonder how you can care for your new air conditioner to get the longest life out of it. Here are a few tips that might help your AC last longer and operate more efficiently.

Plan On An Annual Service Call

Even though your AC is new and should last a long time before developing problems, you still want to have annual maintenance starting from the first year. This could be a requirement for your warranty to stay valid, and it also helps your air conditioner run more efficiently.

The HVAC technician does preventative maintenance on the parts in your air conditioner during a service call and cleans the insides. A dirty AC can cause malfunctions and wear down parts, so annual cleaning is important for the longest life out of your air conditioner.

Protect Airflow Around The AC

You don't want your air conditioner to struggle to keep your house cool, and one thing you can do to prevent that is to make sure nothing blocks airflow through the unit. Use the filter type recommended by the AC manufacturer and change it on schedule so it doesn't get dusty and restrict airflow.

Keep the area around the condenser outside free of weeds and other obstructions. Make sure nothing is pushed against the air handler indoors that might block airflow.

Consider A Smart Thermostat

The thermostat you choose for your new air conditioning system is important when it comes to comfort and energy efficiency. A smart thermostat is a good choice because it can adjust your AC automatically. You can program a smart thermostat or let it learn your routine automatically and adjust the temperature when you leave the house and return home.

A smart thermostat can also provide you with energy use reports so you can monitor your energy consumption and make adjustments needed to bring down your electric bill in the summer.

Think About Zoned Cooling

If you don't always use your upstairs or guest bedrooms, you may close the areas off so you don't waste money cooling them in the summer. That could be hard on your AC depending on the type of system you have. If you have rooms you want to control independently from your main living areas, consider a zoned AC system. This system uses dampers in ducts so you can shut off or reduce the airflow in certain zones or rooms of your home.

A similar option is to opt for a ductless air conditioning system when you have your new AC put in. You can mount blowers in different zones of your house and operate them independently with their own thermostats. This helps reduce your power bill and allows you to maintain the temperature in your living space at a temperature you enjoy most.

Getting a new air conditioning system can be exciting and daunting. Talk to an HVAC contractor to learn more about how to help your system last longer.