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Summer is upon us! Get a move on prepping your home for the Golden State’s seasonal heat wave by tending to your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit.

The average American homeowner spends $2,200 a year on utilities and half of this is for heating and cooling costs. So it’s important to keep your AC unit up-to-date and in shape to get maximum efficiency and last longer.

Add these to-dos to your summer AC maintenance checklist:

For your AC unit

  • Shade the unit: Use a tarp, install a fence or plant some vines or shrubs!This can make the unit five to six degrees cooler.
  • Tidy up: Clear the area within two feet of the unit of plants, grass and debris.
  • Replace the filters: It’s best to replace or clean washable air filters every month during the summer. (Be sure not to run the unit while removing or replacing the filter!)
  • Take your temperature: Adjusting the temperature on the thermostat by a single degree can save up to nine percent of your utility costs.
  • Check the refrigerant: Having too much or too little refrigerant will increase your costs and reduce the life of the unit.
  • Moving parts: Tighten and lubricate all of the unit’s moving parts – electrical connections, components and all. This will increase the unit’s life and efficiency. It’s recommended a professional do this. (You don’t want to get electrocuted.)
  • Clear the pipes: A plugged condensate drain will cause water damage and fool around with your home’s humidity levels. Make sure they’re working properly.
  • Clean the coils: Dirty coils make the unit work harder and raise your utility costs. Be sure the evaporator and air conditioning coils are clean.
  • Adjust the blowers: Check the blower components so they’re well adjusted. Improper components reduce energy efficiency as much as 15%.
  • Upgrade the unit: If you haven’t already, look into getting a new energy-efficient HVAC system. California offers $200-$1,000 rebates for EnergyStar appliances. [For more information on maintaining your HVAC unit, see the EnergyStar article, Maintenance Checklist.]

For your home

  • Stay moderate: Install a programmable thermostat and don’t keep the AC on high when no one is home. Set it to 78 degrees when you’re in the house and 85-88 degrees when you’re out.
  • Keep the air in: Look into blower door testing and weatherization work to check if your home is keeping cool air inside. It’s a waste to let that expensive air escape to the great outdoors.
  • Use ceiling fans: Ceilings fans are inexpensive, come in a variety of styles to suit your home and will make you feel five degrees cooler. Remember, they cool people, not rooms, so turn them off upon exiting a room.
  • Light it down: Interior lighting produces heat so use natural light during the day if you can. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs which produce a fraction of the heat and cut energy use up to 12%.
  • Chores are cool: Cooking and cleaning create heat. Save the laundry and dishes for the coolest hours of the day. It’s summertime – why not try out that unused grill sitting in your backyard?

Alright California, stay cool, save money and happy summer.