Summer is in full swing, but with the way things have been the last few years, we might still be sweating by the time Christmas arrives. Just last May, Louisiana experienced its second hottest day in over 70 years.
For a homeowner with central air conditioning, it begs the question: are you and your family prepared to ride out the heat? If your goal is to stay comfortable even during the worst temperatures this year, we have a few ideas that can help.
Call in for an AC Maintenance Check
Do you remember the last time you called in for maintenance on your air conditioner? If it was more than 6 months ago, now might be the best time to call in for a check-up.
Technically, you can wait for a year to pass before getting another maintenance check, but in the middle of this weather, it’s not uncommon for homeowners to cut that time in half. A maintenance call will always be cheaper than a repair call, so you’ll eliminate a lot of risk by getting that maintenance done ASAP.
Seal Those Ducts
For central air conditioning systems, cool air is dispersed through the whole home by a series of ducts running through your attic. But unless you’ve had it checked recently, it’s possible that the ductwork is declining due to wear-and-tear. For systems that are several years old, rips, tears, or complete disconnects in the ductwork are not uncommon to find. So, what’s the problem? It’s that duct leaks are responsible for misplacing up to 30% of your cooled air.
This means that all the air cold air you pay for isn’t even reaching all the rooms in the house. As a result, you’ll find that your AC must work harder and longer to satisfy the temperature you’ve set on the thermostat. Until you get a qualified air conditioning repair service in Covington, LA to help with sealing those ducts, you can expect to see these leaks appearing as spikes in your energy bills.
Ditch the Portable Dehumidifier, Get a Whole-House One
Have you ever used a portable dehumidifier? If so, you know that it’s only good for one room at a time. Plus, all the water you collect in the water tank needs to be removed manually every time it fills up. All that effort might be worth it just to get rid of that humidity, but is it the best use of your time and energy?
Instead, consider a whole-house dehumidifier. These work exactly the same as portable dehumidifiers but way better. This device is installed along with your existing central air system, and it will pull in all the humidity from anywhere the ducts are connected to. The system is set up to drain the humidity automatically, so you don’t even have to worry about it.
Maximize Your Comfort
Beefing up your air conditioner is a great way to prepare your home and your family for the worst that our long summers have to offer. Keep in mind that these are just a few suggestions—if they’re not practical for you or your home, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other solutions to help match your needs.