BEAUMONT, Texas — Summer officially starts next week but we are feeling the sweltering heat in Southeast Texas already. Experts say now is the time to ensure your air conditioning unit is properly cooling your home.
The experts tell 12News that overworking your A/C unit by not knowing how it's designed to operate can hurt your pockets in the long run.
"In the summertime, whenever it gets 96 degrees outdoor temperature or even hotter, if you can get the indoor temperature 20 degrees lower than the outdoor temperature, the unit is doing what it's designed to do," said HVAC expert Tommy Stanford.
Stanford says lowering the thermostat below 73 degrees is overworking your A/C unit.
"I would say 73, 74 degrees temperature inside the house. Set your temperature right there," Stanford said.
That's the rule of thumb when you're at home. The experts also say to not turn the A/C off completely when you leave your home.
Stanford has been in the air conditioning business for nearly 50 years. He says routine maintenance year round can go a long way during a hot summer, starting with your outdoor condensing unit.
"Make sure that it is clear of any debris, any blockage. Make sure that you don't have any grass clippings as you're mowing to push the grass clippings into the air, into the condensing unit," he said.
There are also things to remember for the inside of your house, where the air is much cooler.
"Have a clean filter. Indoor unit must have the proper amount of airflow passing through that indoor unit. If the air filter is dirty, it's going to have an airflow restriction system. It's not going to work properly," Stanford said.
Stanford advises cleaning your air filter once a month, in addition to fall and spring maintenance by an HVAC expert will keep you and your electricity bill cool this summer.
Although it may be tempting to shade your outdoor unit to keep it cool, experts say that's unnecessary because they're designed to operate in the heat.