As summer becomes crueler and crueler by the day, breathing its steamy heat over your home, you will need a shield of cool air to protect you. This is where your AC unit comes in. Experts in HVAC in Charleston, WV, can tune up your cooling system to be sure it can withstand the long, mean summer days, keeping you comfortable and at a healthy temperature. While experts can help upkeep your greatest weapon against the heat, your local HVAC service technician can do nothing to prevent you from ruining your AC system on your own. Make sure to avoid doing the following 6 things homeowners frequently do (and don't do) to effectively ruin their own AC units. Run the AC All Day, Every Day Running your air conditioning all day, every day will definitely ruin it. You can either do this by setting your AC to "on" instead of "auto" or by setting the target temperature as low as the mid-60s, a level your unit can only reach by running constantly to beat the heat. Not only does this waste a ton of electricity, it shortens the life span of your machine. Don't Run the System at All Of course, not running the system at all is just as poor a choice as running it constantly. If you will be gone for a long period of time or are taking advantage of sudden, breezy temperatures outdoors, you might be tempted to switch your system off. Unfortunately, your system can degrade if it is off for long periods of time. Even worse, mold might slowly invade your system, as it is attracted to the cool temperatures and moisture in your unit. Set the Thermostat Too Low Does it sound like a good idea to be cold in the summer? The sound of feeling cold in the summer is about as appealing as the sound of being hot in the winter, but neither extreme is good for you. For some reason, though, many homeowners will set their thermostats to such low temperatures that they will have to curl up with blankets or drink a hot beverage to try to warm up. Not only does this make no sense whatsoever, it ramps up your utility bills in a major way. Each degree you turn down your thermostat can increase your monthly energy costs by as much as 8%! Don't Use the Ceiling Fan in Tandem A ceiling fan might just seem like an outdated form of AC, like what an abacus is to a calculator. However, your AC unit and ceiling fans are meant to operate in tandem. Ceiling fans improve the efficiency and cooling speed of your AC system by spreading new air throughout a room, but they also cool the surrounding air. If you never turn on your ceiling fans, your AC will have to work harder than it has to in order to cool the air, which can lead to it being overworked. Don't Change the Air Filters Nobody enjoys changing their air filters, but like every chore, it is just something you have to do. Air filters are not just panels that grab dust; they are far more important than that. They essentially unclog and clean the air, removing dust, dirt, allergens, mites, mold spores, and other dangerous airborne junk that would otherwise just get sucked right back into your air conditioner. Expecting a dirty air filter to clean your air at the start of a new month is like trying to dry a surface with a wet rag. Don't Contact the Experts The final mistake many people make is not contacting experts in HVAC in Charleston, WV, at the first sign of a problem. As with your health, waiting to treat problems will only make them worse. If you make an effort to keep a repair technician handy, as well as correct any of the 5 previous AC mistakes, you can keep your system up and running for many years to come.
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