Residential Air Conditioning Tips

As heat increases during the warmer months of the year, you may be faced with elevated utility costs and potentially a malfunctioning air conditioning unit in your Portland home. The HVAC department at AAA Heating & Cooling has compiled some helpful tips and resources for saving money and keeping your home climate-controlled during spring and summer.

Residential AC Tips

1. Invest in a programmable thermostat that you can set to turn up during times when you won’t need as much cool air. 
2. Turn your thermostat up a few degrees at night and when you leave the house. The majority of residential air conditioning systems work most efficiently at full-speed for shorter periods of time as opposed to moderately throughout a 24-hour period. 
3. Close all the blinds in your home during the day. Since the hot sun can heat a room through windows, your air conditioner will need to work harder to keep a sunny room cool.
4. Use a fan. Fans can make a room feel 10 degrees cooler. In moderate heat, a fan can temporarily replace the need for a running air conditioner.
5. Keep your home air conditioner running smoothly with regular service and maintenance. Residential air conditioning manufacturers recommend annual tune-ups, and so do we.
6. Replace your air filter every 30 to 60 days. If your residential air conditioning unit has a permanent filter, clean it every 30 to 60 days.
7. Make sure all vents are free from obstruction such as furniture, curtains, or rugs that will block cold air from entering a room.
8. Seal and insulate any leaky ducts in your home to ensure airflow is running efficiently through your space. You can do this yourself or hire a professional.
9. If your home has a crawl space underneath it, open your foundation vents every spring.
10. If you have a window AC unit, prune back surrounding shrubs and remove debris that may block air flow.
11. Shade your residential air conditioning unit from direct sunlight to reduce its workload.
12. If possible, position your air conditioner on the most shaded side of your home.
13. Close the fresh air intake option on your air conditioner on very hot days. Residential air conditioning units require less energy to cool air that is already in your home than to cool warm air from outside.
14. If your home has an attic, try installing an attic fan. The temperature in an attic can reach up to 150 degrees on a hot summer day. Improving ventilation in your attic will exhaust hot air and allow your air conditioner to work less hard.
15. Try to do your cooking, laundry, and showering in the early morning or late evening during the summer. These activities increase humidity levels in your home, making the air hotter and causing your HVAC unit to work harder.

Buying a New Air Conditioning Unit for Your Home

Regular maintenance of your residential AC unit will allow it to run efficiently for several years. However, if you’re in need of a new cooling system for your home, AAA Heating & Cooling offers a line of air conditioning units from Daikin that will help you and your family cut down on costs and beat the heat all summer long.

The knowledgeable team at AAA will assist you in finding the best air conditioning system for your home based on the size of your space as well as the other unique needs of your household. Our residential cooling systems are designed for efficiency and reliability.

We Offer:

• Daikin DX20VC split system commercial air conditioners with variable-speed swing and scroll compressors
• Daikin DX18TC and DX16TC split system air conditioners with R-410A chlorine-free refrigerant
• Daikin DX16SA and DX14SA split system air conditioners with high-efficiency Copeland scroll compressors

For more information and resources on residential air conditioning and HVAC services in the Portland metropolitan area, contact us today!