Spring Home Maintenance and Energy-Saving Tips

By Ryan Dosen

 

Spring is in full swing and summer is right around the corner. The mercury is rising and Mother Nature is pulling back on the free air conditioning. I’m from Florida and I’m used to 365-day-a-year air conditioning. It seems to me that we have more fresh air holdouts up here in Pennsylvania, probably due to the more forgiving temperatures. However, most of us have already started using our air conditioning units, and we’re going to be doing it more frequently in the near future. So, let’s take a quick look at some of the things that you should be doing to survive the heat without breaking the bank.

 

Warm Air Rises, Cool Air Sinks

Many of our homes are equipped with both ceiling and floor air returns. Those air returns are in place because warm air rises and cool air sinks, and we want to be able to choose which to kick out of our homes. In the winter months, we wanted to keep the heat in and the cold out. So, in winter, we needed to close our high air returns and open the lows. It’s now warming up, so don’t forget to switch your air returns. The last thing you want to do is pay to run your air conditioner and then immediately pump out the cool air.

If you have a multiple-story home, you also want to adjust your vents so that the majority of the cool air is pumped to the upper levels. If you have a two-story home, you may want to consider adjusting your vents to send as much as 75 percent of the cool air to the upper levels. Don’t worry, the cool air will make its way down; however, the two levels will be of a more uniform temperature. If you make the mistake of having most of your cool air pumped to the bottom levels, it won’t make its way upstairs. You’ll either wind up uncomfortably warm upstairs or you’ll have to run the air conditioner more to cool that area.

 

Air Filters

We all know that we’re supposed to regularly replace our air filters. Have you checked it off your to-do list? A dirty filter makes your air conditioner work harder, costing you more money. Dirty filters also can’t do a proper job capturing all the dust, dirt and pollen that has many of us coughing and sneezing this time of year.

 

Programmable Thermostats

If you don’t have one, you should consider investing in a programmable thermostat. Many of us own homes that sit vacant for hours every day while we are at work. We all know that programmable thermostats exist, and if you don’t own one, you are choosing between two evils: (1) pay more to cool your home every day, or (2) come home to a hot, uncomfortable house. It can really pay off to be able to raise your thermostat a few degrees while you are not home, and then lower it just in time to prepare for your arrival.

According to Valley Heating and Air Conditioning of Pennsylvania, for every degree you raise your thermostat, you can expect to cut energy consumption by up to 3.5%. A few degrees for a few hours a day can add up and pay for that fancy new thermostat quickly.

Programmable thermostats come with varying abilities and price tags. A state-of-the-art Nest thermostat costs $249 and offers programming and remote control from smartphone, tablet and computer. It also offers interesting smart technologies that can learn your habits and auto-program itself. The Nest can also automatically detect when you leave your home and adjust temperatures to avoid heating or cooling an empty house.

 

Clear the Area Around the Outdoor Unit

It is recommended that you keep vegetation at least two feet away from your outdoor air conditioning unit. Your unit and its condenser coil should also be cleaned this spring. You probably weren’t outside in the winter snow cleaning your air conditioning unit on a regular basis. Your unit cannot operate at maximum efficiency if it cannot pull in air freely. Clean your unit and give it room to breathe.

It is also important to clean the air conditioning unit’s drain. A clogged drain also makes it more difficult for the unit to pump out the cool air.

Just like a car, routine maintenance usually makes a big difference for an air conditioning unit. Really you know what you’re doing? Fantastic. Do it yourself. However, if you’re like me and you don’t feel completely comfortable maintaining your HVAC system, you should consider getting a service contract with licensed HVAC contractor. The contracts are affordable and a professional will usually come out and properly service your unit to prepare for both the hot and cold seasons. You’ll pay a little. But it also pays to have peace of mind.

 

Don’t Procrastinate

Chances are that you already knew that you needed to do or should do most of the things discussed above. However, chances also are that you haven’t yet done all of them. There’s no time like the present to get your home ready before the real heat hits.

 

– Ryan Dosen manages The Wayne Megill Real Estate Team of Keller Williams Brandywine Valley in West Chester, PA. For buyer or seller representation, or for more perspective on the local and national real estate market, please email rdosen@megillhomes.com and visit The Wayne Megill Team blog at http://www.PAHomesAndRealEstate.com.