AC Repair: Energy Saving Tips to Keep Your Unit Running Longer

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A little routine attention to your AC system pays off twice — in a lower electric bill this summer, and in fewer repair calls over the life of the unit. Here's where to focus.

Rethink Your Thermostat Setting

Bumping your thermostat up just a few degrees — the Department of Energy generally points to 78°F as a good summer baseline when you're home — can meaningfully lower your cooling costs without making the house uncomfortable. Setting it lower than you actually need doesn't cool the house any faster; your AC runs at the same rate either way, so a too-low setpoint just means more runtime and a bigger bill for the same comfort.

Stay on Top of Your Filter

A clogged filter is one of the simplest things to fix and one of the most common causes of an inefficient, overworked system. Restricted airflow forces your unit to run longer to reach the same temperature, and in bad cases can lead to a frozen coil. Most households should check their filter monthly and replace it every one to three months depending on pets, dust, and usage.

Block Heat Before It Gets In

Every degree of heat that gets into your house through windows is a degree your AC has to remove. Closing blinds or curtains during the hottest parts of the day — especially on windows that get direct afternoon sun — takes real load off your system without costing anything.

Don't Skip Annual Maintenance

A yearly tune-up catches small problems — a slightly low refrigerant charge, a coil that's starting to get dirty, electrical connections that are just beginning to loosen — before they turn into a breakdown in the middle of July. It's also simply the best way to keep your system running at the efficiency it was designed for.

The Payoff

None of these steps require replacing your system. Combined, they extend the life of the equipment you already have and keep your summer electric bill from creeping up year over year. If it's been a while since your last tune-up, schedule AC maintenance with Blake & Sons and we'll get your system running the way it's supposed to.