The Dog Days of Summer Are Here

By the time August rolls around, our air conditioners have been working hard for months. Here are a few simple things I’ve learned can help keep your home comfortable through the rest of summer.
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By the time August rolls around, our air conditioners have been working hard for months. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from being part of an HVAC family, it’s that the hottest days of summer have a way of reminding us just how much we appreciate a comfortable home.

Around Jodway, this is also the time of year when we see what weeks of heat and humidity can do to an air-conditioning system. The good news is that there are a few really simple things homeowners can do to help their AC through the rest of the season.

Start with the air filter.
This is probably the easiest one—and one of the most important. During the summer, it’s a good idea to check your filter about once a month. If it looks dirty, go ahead and replace it. Good airflow helps your system run the way it was designed to and keeps it from working harder than necessary.

Take a quick walk around your outdoor unit.
Weeds, shrubs, grass clippings, leaves and even mulch can crowd the outdoor condenser and restrict airflow. Try to give it about two feet of breathing room on all sides. A few minutes of yard cleanup can make a difference.

Leave those vents open.
It seems logical that closing vents in rooms you aren’t using would save energy, but most residential HVAC systems aren’t designed to operate that way. Closing too many vents can increase pressure in the ductwork and actually make the system work harder.

Try not to chase the thermostat.
I know it’s tempting—especially on those really hot afternoons! But instead of continually adjusting the temperature, choose a comfortable setting and let the system maintain it. A programmable or smart thermostat can be especially helpful if your family is away during certain parts of the day.

Pay attention when something seems different.
One thing our technicians see all the time is a small problem that gave warning signs before becoming a much bigger problem. Warm air from the vents, weaker-than-normal airflow, unusual sounds, water around the indoor unit, or an unexplained jump in your electric bill are all worth paying attention to.

The same goes for humidity. Your air conditioner doesn’t just cool your home—it also helps remove moisture from the air. If the house feels cool but still damp or sticky, something may not be working quite right.

And Before We Know It…
This is the funny thing about August in Ohio: we’re talking about air conditioning today, and before too long we'll be thinking about furnaces.

Taking care of your cooling system now and keeping up with regular maintenance on both your heating and cooling equipment can go a long way toward keeping everything running efficiently—and hopefully avoiding those inconvenient surprise breakdowns.

After spending so many years around this business, I’ve realized that home comfort usually isn’t about doing anything complicated. Often, it’s the little things we remember to do along the way that make the biggest difference.

Here’s to enjoying these last weeks of summer—and staying cool while we do it.
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Stay cool. Stay cozy. Stay Jodway

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