You may have spent all winter dreaming of the lazy days of summer, but don’t let the heat catch you (or your air conditioner) by surprise.

Eliminate problems before they even have a chance to begin by taking on a few simple steps to prepare your A/C for the summer.

If you don’t get in the habit of doing this preventative maintenance, you run the risk of your system breaking down when you need it the most.

You are also at risk of consuming more energy than you need, which is only going to cost you more money.

Here is what you need to know.

Save Energy with Your Thermostat

Don’t drop the thermostat way down to compensate for the hot air outside. Leave it steady at 78°F.

If you turn it down lower, you force your A/C to work harder than it has to, which only raises your energy consumption and bills.

You can try other ways to stay cool that don’t cost as much, like running your ceiling fan, closing drapes to keep the sun out during the day or turning the A/C off at night and opening the windows.

There are also a lot of energy efficient benefits in upgrading to a programmable thermostat.

This kind of “on-demand” cooling will cut your energy consumption drastically.

It also is the most convenient way to stay cool, because you don’t have to wait for your home to cool down when you return home from work each day.

Your cool home is ready and waiting for you, without needlessly wasting energy.

The Benefits of an Inspection

Most people don’t bother to get their A/C unit inspected unless they suspect a problem. Be proactive this year and schedule an inspection.

The technician will clean and inspect all the parts. As it is used, dust and dirt get trapped in your unit’s coils, which make it work twice as hard to cool and distribute the air.

That’s one reason why getting your unit serviced regularly can help with energy efficiency.

How do I Know if I Need to Replace my A/C?

This is a question our customers ask us often. Typically your system will last a good 10 years, maybe more.

Beyond that, you will often need to get a new one.

If you experience foul odors around the unit, notice leaks or pooling water or feel like your home isn’t cooling properly no matter what you do, your unit is in need of replacement.