Looking forward to a cool and fun summer? Remember to beat the heat in the Valparaiso, Lowell, Griffith, or Porter County area with a complete summer overhaul for your house. It’s important to keep cool when the temperatures rise and the humidity starts to rise too, so make sure that your home is air conditioned, insulated, and thoroughly refreshed for the new season. If you need your air conditioner inspected, repaired, or replaced, Meyer’s Companies is your heating and cooling contracting company to call. We take emergency calls around the clock, with operators and technicians standing by every day.
- Remember to change the filters in your cooling and heating system. If you have a split air conditioning unit with half of the unit outside, change the filters in your air conditioner and in your furnace, as your cold air is sent through your furnace to your central heating system. Remember to change your filters every month during a season of heavy HVAC use.
- Change your thermostat to the “cool” setting and test the system to make sure the air conditioner turns on and functions correctly. If your air conditioner doesn’t turn on, check to see if you have any breakers tripped. If that doesn’t fix the problem, call your HVAC technician immediately.
- When your cooling system turns on, make sure it’s putting out enough cool air. If it’s not, set the thermostat at 78 degrees and call your HVAC technician. If you have any problems with your system, be sure to call your repair technician as soon as possible so you won’t have to make a call during a busy and expensive season.
- Check some other things around your house for proper insulation. Have your air ducts tested for leaks and professionally sealed? Check the insulation in your attic and have more added if the insulation has compressed. Consider weather stripping and caulking for the rest of your home.
- Get a programmable thermostat for your home. Old model thermostats may not be as compatible with your air conditioner or may not be as reliable. If you have a mercury switch in your thermostat, contact your local public works department to find out how to properly dispose of it. Mercury is toxic and should be handled with the utmost caution.
- If you cover your air conditioner’s outside condenser unit for the winter, take off the cover and clean off the coils. Make sure that the area around the condenser unit is cool so that you get sufficient air flow.
- Make sure your ceiling fan is in good order. Consider installing a whole-house fan that pushes hot air out of the attic area and uses cool air to circulate around the house. Set your fan blades to revolve counterclockwise. This will make the warmer air near the ceiling mix with the cooler air nearer to the floor, which levels out the temperature of the room.
- If you put in storm windows during the winter, make sure your screens are cleaned and ready to fit back into your windows for the summer. Having the windows when your air conditioner is turned off on a breezy day can help you stay cool without using energy. Make sure that your window screens are in good repair and fit snugly into your window.
- If a window is placed so that the sun is streaming in during a warm part of the day, put up a heat deflector such as reflective film, roller shades, or sunscreen fabric curtains. If you plan to buy new windows, pick out panes that have a low solar heat gain coefficient or SHGC. Make sure that your new windows are energy efficient, with double-pane insulated glass, airtight frames, and an Energy Star rating to show that they comply with EPA standard for low energy use.
- Switch out heavy blankets or flannel sheets for cooler linen or cotton sheets with a high thread count. This will help keep you cool while you sleep, reducing the need for air conditioning during the night.
- Keep your refrigerator running smoothly by cleaning it out. Unplug the refrigerator and remove the top grate or base plate, and then use a vacuum cleaner’s nozzle attachment to remove dirt or dust from the condenser coils.
Get Your Home Ready For Summer Today
Need a reliable contractor to inspect, install, or repair your air conditioning system or help you optimize your home for cooling and efficient energy use? Meyer’s Companies can help! Call us today at (219) 240-0610.