Four Tips to Improve Family Home Comfort

Add Five Degrees to Manage Heat Load

Particularly in the warmer months of the year, the heat inside of the house can reach triple digits, especially if no one is home to turn on the air conditioner. When the temperature grows this high, it is nearly impossible to reduce it down to a reasonable level quickly enough for you to cool off. Air conditioning a house this quickly places an immense amount of stress on the central air system. It has to work twice as hard, expend additional energy with extended run time and experience excessive wear and grind.

Instead, we recommend leaving the air conditioner on while you are out and setting the thermostat about five degrees warmer than where you would like it if you were home. This helps control the heat load inside of the home so that when you do need the air conditioner, unnecessary stress is removed and cool air occurs more promptly. Though it may seem counter intuitive to leave the air conditioner running when no one is home, in the end, it saves you time and money while helping your central air system last longer.

Have Your Windows Sealed

The cracks and crevices from windows and doors may seem slight but are oftentimes the culprit of uneven air temperature. Hot and cold air from outside can easily enter the home and sweep in allergens as well. Properly sealing windows helps eliminate variables that alter the indoor air quality and temperature.

Simple DIY solutions include plugging gaps and crevices with foam, caulking or rubber strips. You can also employ draft snakes for a more temporary arrangement. Draft snakes are long cylindrical pillows used to block out air by placing them along the bottom of doors or windows.

Weather stripping and sealing windows and doors ultimately aids in lowering energy expenditure when using the central air system and keeps the air inside of your home cleaner.

Insulate the Attic

To the same effect of sealing windows, insulating the attic is one of the best ways to create a more comfortable home atmosphere.

The attic is a dirty space packed with airborne pathogens and particles. For certain homes, the air ducts of the central air system are kept in the attic. Even if your ducts are held someplace else, the temperature of the attic plays a huge role in the overall temperature of the home.

This is because the attic climate can easily reach up to 130 degrees, most of which is heat absorbed from outside, especially during the summer.

When the air conditioner operates and cooled air runs through the ducts, the surrounding dirty, hot air of the attic reacts with the cooled air. Leaks and holes in the ductwork introduce dirty air into the clean air supply, contaminating and heating it. The central air system has to work longer and harder to condition the same air over and over again.

Attic insulation helps control the heat load in the attic space. With the blown-in fiberglass method, up to 12 inches of fiberglass is spread over the attic deck. Heat that enters the attic is absorbed into the fiberglass before it can contaminate anything else.

A second method to attic insulation is the radiant-barrier insulation. Your preferred HVAC technicians panel the underside of the roof with aluminum sheets. This prevents heat from ever penetrating the attic space, eliminating the external heat source.

Make Good Use of Ceiling Fans

Ceilings fans are often overlooked when the option for central air conditioning is available. However, ceiling fans are surprisingly economical and efficient when used correctly.

Ceiling fans come with two settings. One is set for summertime and spins the blades counterclockwise. This movement causes the blades to blow air directly downward and into the center of the room. The counterclockwise movement creates a breezy feel by stirring up the air. To get the most amount of cool breeze with the summer option, set the fan on high power.

The second setting is for the wintertime and spins the blades clockwise. The movement of the blades is designed to mix two bodies of stratified air by sucking in cold air from the bottom center and pushing warmer air from the top layer down to the sides. Use the winter setting for warm air at the lowest speed available for the greatest effect.

Always clean your fans of dust before using them and ensure that the blades are positioned at an angle greater than 12 degrees. By using your ceiling fans in this manner, you can cut down on the amount of time your central air system runs and the energy it uses to condition your home, thereby reducing your utility bill.

Service Champions for Superior Home Comfort

Making these four tips your good habits is the care you give to your central air system and your method to elevate home comfort to new heights.

Service Champions Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning is the only Diamond Certified HVAC provider in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Our experts have helped thousands of families in Southern California achieve exceptional home comfort through superior air conditioning.

We are proud to deliver the absolute best in both customer service and technical care. With our team, you can have your attic insulated, furnace maintained and plumbing system cared for to perfection.

To learn more about Service Champions’ approach to air care or to schedule a visit for AC maintenance, contact one of our friendly representatives in the call center or book an appointment online today.