Summer temperatures really heat up electric bills. Scott Kreuger and Joe Autry from the Home Depot show simple maintenance steps that can save you from replacing an ailing cooling system during the extreme heat.
Air Filters
Air filter should be replaced every thirty days. There are some filters that can go longer, but in general once a month is a good rule of thumb. All dust and dirt from the air going through the HVAC system is caught by the filter. The more dirt that builds up, the less air flow that goes through the system and the more the HVAC system has to work. That can cause ice to build up on the air conditioning coils.
Each air filter has an HPR (filter performance rating) code. The higher the number, the more the filter clears out of the system. If you have breathing problems, a higher filter will help with air quality. But, if you don't have any animals, allergies or wood floors, a cheaper filter with a lower HPR code is just fine.
There are air filter air fresheners. You just install it every month with the air filter.
Coil Maintenance
It's a great time to go out and clean the coils on your air conditioning unit. You just spray on the foam cleaner and rinse it off. You only need to clean your coils once a season.
Remove any Weeds
An air conditioning unit needs plenty of air flow. You want to make sure there aren't any weeds or brush restricting that airflow.
