With the weather heating up, your cooling costs are no doubt going up. While you want to be comfortable when it is sweltering outside, you need to get your energy costs under control in the easiest way possible. Take this advice from your AC service in St. Louis, MO on how you can reduce your home energy bill even when you have your AC running:
Invest in a programmable thermostat: A programmable thermostat is the first recommendation from your AC service in St. Louis, MO that can help to reduce your cooling expenses. Simply installing one of these automatic units will allow you to manage the temperature in your home when you are away. You can set the temperature higher when you will not be home and have it automatically lower when you arrive
Change your air filter: Making sure your air filter is clean is an easy way to ensure your AC system isn’t operating harder than it needs to. Dirty filters are the leading cause of air conditioner breakdowns as well as increased energy costs, as your air conditioning system will have to cycle on more often to keep your home clean. Your AC service in St. Louis, MO suggests that you change your air filter every month to maintain the efficiency of your AC unit.
Check your air ducts for leaks: If you have holes or gaps in your home’s air ducts, you may be allowing cool air to escape. This can render your AC system ineffective at cooling your home, as cold air can’t flow into the different rooms as it should. Inspect your air duct system for any damage that has occurred that may be allowing cold air to leak out before it reaches your living space.
Raise the temperature: By bumping the temperature on your thermostat a few degrees higher, you most likely won’t notice any difference in your comfort level. This simple activity can reduce your cooling costs significantly, while still allowing you to stay cool by running your AC system.
Clean your air conditioner: If it has been a while since you have had a tune up of your air conditioning system, it is a good idea to have an AC service in St. Louis, MO come and clean your unit. Dirt and debris can build up over time and cause your AC to run harder than it should have to in order to cool your home. This can help lower your cooling costs, as your air conditioner will be able to operate without difficulty.
Upgrade your AC: Now may be a good time to upgrade your AC unit, especially if it is older and not energy efficient. You will be able to purchase an Energy Star model that will operate using less energy, helping you to save on your cooling expenses each month.
Take this advice from your AC service in St. Louis, MO to help get your cooling costs under control. When you are in need of AC repairs, maintenance or installation, contact Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling. We provide 24/7 emergency service to ensure our customers’ continued comfort all year long.
It is important for people to be able to cool off when they are hot. When you need to beat the heat, there are many ways you can go about doing so, including powering up your AC. An air conditioner will definitely keep you cool, but if you want to survive the summer, you’ll want to ensure you know the facts and avoid believing some of the many common myths related to air conditioning.
If you are planning for AC installation in St. Louis, MO this summer, here are a few myths you should know about first:
The bigger the air conditioner, the better: You might have heard that, the bigger the air conditioner, the better it will be at cooling your home and keeping you comfortable when the outside temperature is high. Air conditioners come in different sizes, and there is a particular size that will be perfect for your home. A unit of the right size will keep your home cool, but it won’t leave you with a ridiculously high energy bill every month.
Air filters should only be changed once a year: Your air filter is an important part of your AC unit. Many people believe that you are only supposed to change it once a year, but if you are expecting your unit to run efficiently, you will have to change it much more often. In fact, most air filters need to be changed every three months, if not every month. To avoid having a high energy bill and issues with airflow, you should change your air filter more frequently.
Regular maintenance isn’t necessary: After you first purchase your air conditioner, it can run efficiently for quite a while. You may be under the impression that as long as your unit isn’t making strange noises, emitting strange odors or failing to keep your home cool, maintenance isn’t necessary. Maintenance is actually going to help keep your AC in good working order, so instead of waiting for your unit to break down, you should be having a technician perform regular maintenance on the unit.
Lowering the thermostat will help cool your home: Although lowering the thermostat will help you avoid feeling hot while you are at home, you will also be increasing your energy bill. As most ACs are designed to run at one speed and cut off once they reach the desired temperature, when you set your thermostat too low, your unit will have to run longer. It won’t cool your home any faster, and it could cost you big, so just avoid excessively lowering your thermostat.
Being hot can make a person unhappy, uncomfortable and irritable. When you want to cool off, using an AC to do it is a wise option. You just want to make sure you don’t ignore the facts and believe the myths, because doing so can greatly affect your ability to keep cool on a hot day, and ultimately has a negative impact on your comfort and your wallet.
Do you want to speak to a professional about AC installation in St. Louis, MO? Contact the experts at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling today for assistance.
An air conditioner can make things a lot better when the outside temperature is just a bit too much to handle. As the cool air blows and lowers the temperature in your home, you can relax and enjoy the fact that you are able to beat the heat. However, you might find this difficult if you haven’t performed the necessary routine maintenance on your unit.
Here’s why routine professional air conditioning service in St. Louis, MO is such an important part of keeping the unit operating smoothly:
Reduces the risk of needing repair: Anything can go wrong with your air conditioner at any time of the year, and sometimes this happens when you need it the most. When you don’t perform the necessary maintenance, you are only increasing the risk of needing a repair. Because regular maintenance can help you address potential issues that could turn into bigger problems, it is important for people to realize just how crucial it is to pay attention to their AC unit.
Saves you money on repairs: It is no secret that repairs for your AC can be costly. Even something seemingly small can end up costing you hundreds of dollars, and that can be an inconvenience when you haven’t budgeted to cover this expense. Since maintenance can reduce the risk of your unit needing repairs by allowing you to address those small problems before they grow into larger ones, it will keep you from having to spend money on those avoidable repairs.
Ensures your AC is always running efficiently: One of the many problems people experience with their AC is inefficient operation. When this occurs, they may find that their energy bill is steadily increasing and their AC isn’t providing them with as much cool air as they need. If your unit is properly maintained, you won’t have to question whether it is running efficiently or worry about your home not being at the temperature you like on those hot days.
Provides peace of mind: Between paying for repairs and the air not being cool enough, you’ll find yourself becoming frustrated with your AC. Not only can your happiness be disrupted by issues with your AC, so can your comfort. It can drive anyone crazy having to worry about their air conditioner, but this can be avoided if you get the necessary maintenance. If you do, you will have peace of mind because you’ll know your unit is problem-free and functioning properly.
In some ways, your AC isn’t any different from your car or the appliances in your home. If you want it to last for many years, or at least another summer, you have to put in the effort to maintain it. Since those warm summer days can make you want to stay inside in an attempt to avoid the heat, having an air conditioner that works is important, so it would be wise to have a professional technician perform regular maintenance.
Do you need air conditioning service in St. Louis, MO to ensure your unit last all summer? You can contact Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling today to schedule an appointment.
Although it’s certainly not the case for everyone, it seems like a lot of our customers wait a while before they call us for AC repair in St. Louis, MO. For one reason or another, people seem to think it’s okay to wait for repairs. This is especially true if it’s not too hot outside and a ceiling fan is keeping them cool enough. Here are a few reasons to call us as soon as your AC breaks, or if it shows signs that it’s about to fail:
You won’t be miserable: The first reason you should call us for AC repair in St. Louis, MO right after your unit breaks down is to avoid sweating in your own home! A ceiling fan, a cold beverage and an open window might keep you cool for a little while, but if a sudden heatwave hits, you’re going to be very uncomfortable for a potentially long time while you wait for a technician to make it out to your house. The sooner you call us to fix your air conditioner, the sooner you’ll be able to enjoy cool air once again.
Calling soon can save money: We know that having to pay for AC repairs is a bummer. But the longer you wait to get your AC unit repaired, the more expensive the technician’s visit to your house may be. Small issues are generally easier (and cheaper) to repair. Unfortunately, those small issues—which would have been relatively inexpensive to fix—can escalate and get a lot worse rather quickly. The longer you wait, and the worse the problem gets, the more expensive the repair is likely to be. Call us to fix your air conditioner as soon as you notice any problems. We’ll be able to make the necessary repairs before the costs begin to skyrocket.
We get busy fast: Although we pride ourselves on our fast response time to any emergency, maintenance or repair call, we can’t be everywhere at once. We tend to get really busy in spring and summer with phone calls from people wanting their units worked on for one reason or another. While we’d like to be able to service everyone’s units as soon as they call, we just can’t. Don’t wait around before you call us to repair your air conditioner this summer—you never know when we might be too busy to make it to your home as quickly as you’d like!
The best way to avoid the need for AC repair in St. Louis, MO this summer is by calling us to perform general maintenance on your unit sometime within the next few weeks. Our certified technicians can clean, tune up and check every aspect of your air conditioner to ensure that it’s running correctly and efficiently all summer long.
If your AC system happens to run into trouble sometime this year, be sure to call Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling as soon as possible. Our fast, reliable and affordable service has made us the area’s number one choice for air conditioner repair for nearly 20 years, and we look forward to helping you soon.
As the temperature rises and the days begin to grow longer, it’s probably safe to say that most of us are happy that summer is right around the corner. The only people that may dread this time of year are folks who don’t have air conditioning in their homes. It can be nearly impossible to get comfortable in your own home if you don’t have central air.
We know that air conditioning units aren’t perfect; they break down from time to time, and waiting for a repairman to make it out to your home to fix this issue can take a while. If you find yourself in that predicament, here are a few things you can do to keep cool inside while you wait for an air conditioner service in St. Louis, MO to repair your unit:
Close your blinds: Having big, beautiful windows in your home is wonderful. They look great and add a ton of value to your home. Unfortunately, they’re also the source of up to 30 percent of unwanted heat in your home. Closing your blinds during the day can help to lower the indoor temperatures by a significant amount. If you don’t want to close them all, just close the windows on the west and south sides of your home—those are the ones that are liable to let in the most heat.
Utilize fans: Although they usually don’t have anywhere the same kind of cooling power as an air conditioning unit, a couple of fans can do wonders to cool down a room. You can maximize a box fan’s effectiveness by placing a bowl of ice or cold water in front of it and letting it blow that cool air towards you! Bathroom fans and the exhaust fan in your kitchen work to effectively pull hot air out of those rooms, so be sure to keep those on while you’re at home. The best part is that fans don’t use up much energy, so you’ll save some money on your electricity bill while you’re waiting for a repairman to fix your AC unit.
Crack your windows: The hardest time to live without air conditioning may be late at night while you’re trying to fall asleep. Sweating while you’re lying in bed is no way to live. Utilize the cool night air by cracking your windows before you go to sleep. Just remember to close the windows before you head out to work or school in the morning.
Enjoy the outdoors: As long as you have enough bug spray, summer is the best time of the year to spend outside. We recommend utilizing your backyard to its fullest by grilling out each night instead of cooking in your kitchen. The last thing you want is to crank on a 400-degree oven inside of a home that’s already too hot.
Be sure to give Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling a call right away if your AC unit goes kaput anytime this summer. We’ll be at your home as quickly as possible to perform the best air conditioner service in St. Louis, MO you could ask for.
