It’s so important to plan a trip to get away and enjoy the spring and summer vacation season, and it’s just as important to have a plan for your cooling system while you are away. To get you started, we’ve compiled a few HVAC tips that are a good idea to add to your preparation checklist before you leave for any trip.
Schedule Planned Maintenance
Your HVAC system should be checked by a qualified technician twice a year to keep the equipment running at peak performance. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to schedule an appointment before you leave for your next trip. This will help ensure that there are no underlying issues that need to be addressed before you pack up for vacation. Keep in mind that regular planned maintenance is a cost effective way to save energy, maintain high indoor air quality, and increase the operational lifespan of the sytem.
Turn Up the Thermostat
While you’re on vacation, there’s no reason to blast the air conditioner. A good temperature to maintain a comfortable interior while saving money on your utility bill is 80-85 degrees. If you have pets or plants that you’re concerned about, you can turn up your home’s thermostat a bit and they’ll be perfectly fine while your away and whoever is taking care of them in your absence can check the comfort level when they stop by each day.
Replace the Filter
Depending on the type of filter you need, changing it as often as every 30 days or up to 6 months or more will depend on the recommendation of the filter manufacturer as well as what your HVAC professional feels is best for your home. Keep in mind that when planned maintenance is performed by your HVAC technician the filter(s) will be changed when the system is serviced if needed at that time.
Close the Blinds and Curtains
You can’t control the weather, but you can do the next best thing by keeping the sun’s rays out of your home to help curtail heating it up too much. This can be accomplished by closing all of your blinds and curtains. And if you have any windows that face the sun during the day, hanging up blackout curtains will help a great deal.
To schedule maintenance and check off that task on your HVAC vacation checklist, contact the professionals at Jackson & Sons. We’ve been serving Eastern North Carolina since 1974.
