Summer’s heat and humidity are not far off, and your electric bills will go up as soon as you turn on your air conditioner. However, you can reduce your cooling load fairly simply with a minimum of expense. Not only do these tips increase your comfort at home, they lower your utility bills throughout the year:

• Change or clean the filter for your air handler regularly. As dust builds on the filter, it slows the passage of air through the air handler, increasing your energy costs. Dirty filters are the top cause of HVAC system failure. Filters are easy to change and inexpensive.
• Inspect the insulation levels in your attic. Heat travels toward cold, so in the summer it comes into your home via the ceilings. Insulation slows the transfer. If you don’t know how much you need, take a sample or a photo to a local home center and ask the staff for advice. Blown-in and batt insulation are easy to install, inexpensive and last for years. While you’re in the attic, also look for places where the insulation is inadequate around the perimeter of your roof or you have air leaks. Seal these with insulation or expanding foam to reduce your cooling load.
• Tend to your HVAC system. Clean the outdoor compressor to remove accumulated dust, speeding the cooling process.  If you have rooms that are too hot for no apparent reason, you may have loose or leaking ducts. Ductwork can account for 30 percent or more of energy losses in your home. Even new homes can have duct leaks. Sometimes ducts are difficult to examine, but HVAC technicians have the training and tools to look for problems. If you can seal your own, use mastic rather than duct tape, since duct tape is just a temporary fix.

Smoky Mountain Heating & Air can perform routine system maintenance for your air conditioner, bringing it back to its original settings as much as possible. A tuneup will reduce your cooling load and extends your system’s life. Contact us to learn more.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about reducing your cooling load and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Smoky Mountain Heating & Air services Asheville, North Carolina and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!