As winter disappears and spring settles in, teasing us with the sultry promises of summer, we usually plunge ourselves into making summer plans. Vacationing, sunbathing, hiking, exercising, swimming… the list goes on and on. But one thing that may not be on everyone’s “summer list” is to prepare your home for summer. “Winterizing” a home is a commonly known practice; but how many of us are familiar with “summerizing” a home?
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What is one of a home’s best friends during summer time? Air conditioning, of course! Test your air conditioning during the spring, before summer starts. If you do have a problem that requires service from a heating and air conditioning company, call the vendor to come out in the spring when personnel are not as busy. It might end up saving a few dollars to have service performed in the spring, rather than in the heat of summer when demand is highest.
If you’re a resident in a community association, you don’t always have the luxury of controlling when the air conditioning season starts, so be sure to run your HVAC unit as soon as your building converts for the first time to air conditioning service. You may need to let your property manager know promptly if your HVAC unit isn’t performing properly, and you’ll want to find that out early in the season before the hot summer temperatures arrive.
If you have an older model thermostat, consider switching to a programmable model. These days, there are even thermostats and residential temperature systems that can be controlled through apps on mobile devices and tablets.
If you cover your outside air condenser, remove the covering and clean the coils. Make sure the area around the condenser is clean and not covered in debris so that there are no obstructions to proper air flow around the unit. Placing your air condenser in the shade so it’s not baking in the sun will allow the unit to run more efficiently. Don’t have natural shade provided by your building? Consider planting a shade tree or installing a hanging plant over the unit to provide your own shade, if that’s allowable in your community.
Inside the house, change your air filters often. Monthly is best, especially if you have pets or a family member with allergies in your home. Check your windows and doors to see if caulking or weather-stripping is needed; you don’t want to waste that cooled air by letting it leak outside!
Having your dryer vents cleaned is another tip to save money and protect your home. If dryer vents become clogged, the warm air isn’t able to flow through the vent and instead flows back into your laundry room, raising the interior temperature. Blocked dryer vents are also a common cause of fire.
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