The heat is making headlines, so we talked to Behler-Young Company’s Residential Product Manager, Jeremy Clous, to get tips on keeping the air we breathe clean and cool.
Tip #1 Check Your Filter
Every air conditioning unit has a filter that cleans the air inside your home and protects the indoor air conditioning coil.This is important because the coil acts as the system’s lungs. The filter must be clean as the air passes through because if the unit can’t breathe, it can’t exchange the heat with the cold refrigerant.
How often? Behler-Young recommends changing the one-inch filters monthly and the four or five-inch filters seasonally—once at the beginning of the air conditioning season and once for the heating season. Check your manufacturer guidelines to be sure.
Tip #2 Clean Away Pollen and Dirt
Allergens are in the air and could be caught on your outdoor AC unit. Grass clippings or tree droppings can easily accumulate, so it’s important to clean them away with a hose or have a qualified contractor come out to take care of it. If it’s covered, all that dust, dirt, and pollen are touching the air you breathe.
Note: If the fan on top is not spinning, that’s a sign it needs some TLC from a qualified contractor.
Tip #3 Don’t Obstruct Your Registers
Make sure your registers are open and blowing cold air. If there are moisture droplets on the registers, that’s a sign they’re not getting enough air. Also make sure furniture is not covering or restricting airflow.
Tip #4 Don’t Let the Humidity In
Keep your windows and doors sealed. Your AC unit is trying to wring out the air, and before the temperature can decrease, it has to cut the humidity. If you’re tempted to open your windows or doors on a crisp morning or a cool evening, don’t do it! Reintroducing the humidity reverses the work your AC unit has been doing to make your home comfortable.
Tip #5 Don’t Crank It Down
When the humidity is up, turn it down a couple of degrees to stay comfortable, but keep it to a two-degree split. Once the humidity is out of the house, you should feel comfortable in 70-72 degrees.
Love the summer heat? Join us on the patio at New Holland Brewing on July 31 for a drink and bites at the Chamber After Hours event.
For more ways to beat the weather, check out our Business Directory to find service solutions in the West Michigan Area.
