Living in Overland Park, Kansas, requires homeowners to have high-functioning air conditioning systems. However, homeowners often see a spike in their electricity bills when they turn their air conditioning on for the first time each year. Luckily, there are things that every homeowner can do to ensure their home’s AC system is running efficiently and energy bills are as low as possible. Proper upkeep also prevents any damage to the unit that can cause it to break down. The following are tips that will help you make sure your air conditioner is running as efficiently as possible.

Replace Air Filters Regularly

Changing air filters is the easiest and least expensive way to boost the efficiency of your air conditioner. In fact, this simple chore can increase your air conditioning unit’s efficiency between five and 15 percent. When dirt and dust build up in air filters, the unit is forced to work harder to generate cool air through the vents, decreasing the overall efficiency of the air conditioning system.

Frequently swapping out air filters will also prolong the life of the air conditioner. We recommend replacing air filters once per month during the summer.

Clean Area Around Your AC Unit

If your AC unit is outdoors, you have probably noticed debris buildup like leaves, twigs, and dirt. These things can get into the fans of the air conditioner, which hinders the system’s efficiency and can even cause expensive damage. Cleaning the area around the air conditioning system helps prevent debris from getting into the fan, building up, and decreasing the efficiency of the air conditioner.

Set an Appropriate Temperature on Your Thermostat

For an air conditioner to function efficiently, homeowners must set their thermostat at an appropriate temperature. During the summer months, the ideal thermostat setting for maximum efficiency is 78ᵒF, which allows homeowners to see the most significant decrease in their energy bills. While this may seem warm, turning on ceiling fans allows for more air circulation, which makes your home feel cooler.

Investing in a programmable thermostat can help decrease the amount of money you spend on energy throughout the summer. This option lets you set the thermostat at appropriate degrees when you are not at home, while decreasing the setting to cooler temperatures when you are there.

Turn the AC Fan to Auto

Typically, thermostats have two settings for air conditioning fans: ON and AUTO. When the fan is set to ON, the fan will run at all times, which can drive up energy costs. Instead, setting the fan to AUTO allows the air conditioning system to run when it is cooling the home. When the home reaches the temperature set on the thermostat, the fan will turn off, and therefore, enhance the efficiency of the AC unit by only running when necessary.

Get Air Ducts Professionally Cleaned

Throughout the year, air ducts accumulate dust, pollen, and dirt, which causes the air conditioner to work harder to pump cool air through the ducts and into rooms. This chore can be difficult for homeowners to do on their own. Professional duct cleaning can improve both the efficiency of your air conditioning system and your home’s air quality. Hiring a professional HVAC technician to clean your home’s air ducts ensures all areas are cleaned without causing damage. These technicians will also be able to make fixes to any damaged areas.

Clean the AC Unit’s Drain Line

One of the functionalities of air conditioning units is to remove humidity from the air. Because of this, the unit collects water and removes it from the home through a drain line. When the line becomes blocked or overflown, it can cause damage to the unit, forcing it to work overtime to cool the home. Cleaning the drain line of your air conditioning unit is something that an HVAC professional can do during your annual maintenance appointment.

Keep Blinds and Shades Closed

A room can quickly warm up when the sun beats through the windows. While this is beneficial during the winter months, the extra heat can cause air conditioning units to work harder to cool the home in the summer. Fortunately, closing blinds and shades are an easy way to block the sun from entering the home and keep temperatures cooler. Purchasing blackout curtains offers even further benefits when it comes to blocking the summer heat out of your home. By closing blind or shades, your air conditioner can run more efficiently and help lower your monthly energy bills.

Sign Up for Annual Maintenance

Homeowners can take extra steps to boost the efficiency of their air conditioner by receiving annual maintenance on their HVAC systems. Having an expert technician evaluate your unit will help you find any potential problems before they become expensive repairs.

At Cates Heating and Cooling, we offer annual service plans for homeowners in the Johnson County area. The plan involves two maintenance appointments per year. In the spring, our technicians can come to your home and clean the drain, remove debris from the unit, replace air filters, inspect the HVAC unit, and complete any necessary tune-ups to boost efficiency all summer long.

For more information about working with Cates Heating and Cooling, call our team today at 913-888-4470 for Kansas residents and 816-944-1844 for Missouri residents.