Home Mistakes People Make Every Summer
If you’re anything like us at American Mechanical, then you love the summer season! No more worrying about your kids’ homework, you get to plan fun vacations and staycations, and the weather is a dream. While summer might be amazing, it doesn’t mean there’s nothing to look out for. One part of your life that’s most at risk during the summer months is your home’s air conditioning system. Once those temperatures start rising, your air conditioning system is really put to work, and any issues that might have been present before, are definitely going to come to light now.
Forgetting to Flush the Water Heater
Have you flushed out your water heater recently? If you haven’t, we would recommend moving this task to the top of your to-do list. Over time, the minerals and sediment from your water supply collect at the base of your water heater. This can cause a wide variety of problems, including:
- Rust forming on the tank
- Sediment coating the heating element, causing it to rust or heat inefficiently
- Premature breakdowns
- Clogging of the pressure relief valve
We recommend flushing your water heater at least twice a year to make sure that it remains free of sediment build-up and continues to heat your water thoroughly all summer long. Piping hot showers are just as important on a hot summer day as in the middle of winter!
Neglecting to Replace the Air Filters
We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it a hundred more times: don’t forget to replace your home’s air filters! They are a crucial part of protecting your home’s indoor air quality and are responsible for trapping dust, dirt, allergens, and even some bacteria. According to our air quality experts, you should go no more than 90 days without replacing your air filters. If you have any babies, pets, people with severe allergies, or smokers at home, we recommend replacing your air filters every 30 days instead. This will ensure that the filters are trapping the maximum amount of debris and keeping your home’s air clean.
On top of improving your home’s indoor air quality, replacing your air filters diligently will also improve the energy efficiency of your air conditioning unit by up to 15 percent!
Not Upgrading and Updating Your Thermostat
Your thermostat is central to the functionality of your air conditioning system. Without it, your AC would run all day or not at all because there would be no desired temperature for it to reach, leaving you either frustrated with your energy bills or incredibly uncomfortable at home. Additionally, if you haven’t upgraded your thermostat in a while, you could be missing out on some helpful and money-saving features.
Programmable Thermostat
If you opt for a programmable thermostat, you will be able to set a schedule of when you want your air conditioner to run and when you want it off so that you don’t have to manually do this every time you leave and return to your home.
Smart Thermostat
With a smart thermostat, you won’t have to adjust any time schedules because your thermostat will learn your schedule. All you’ll need to do is set the desired temperature, and the thermostat will take care of the rest.
Additionally, if there’s a day where your schedule is a little different, and you need to adjust the temperature of your home from the road, you can do that through an app for most smart thermostat models!
Do you have more questions about home mistakes to avoid this summer? Contact our team for answers either through our website or by calling us at (757) 703-1529 !
