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How to Extend the Life of Your AC System

When you buy something that you know won’t last forever, what’s the next best thing? Getting it to last as long as possible, of course. Well, your central air conditioning system falls neatly into that category. Even better, there are numerous ways to help it reach or surpass its average life expectancy of 12 – 15 years. Here are several ways you can participate in its ongoing care and maintenance:

• Clean or replace the filter at least every 60 days. A clogged filter makes your system work overtime to keep you cool, and that adds significantly to its wear and tear.
• If you have one thermostat controlling your entire house and certain rooms that don’t get used at certain times of day, you can extend the life of your system by adding one or more zones – each with its own thermostat – to cool only those rooms or areas that are occupied.
• Keep all vents and registers clear of window treatments and other obstructions so cool are can flow unabated throughout your house.
• Replace or caulk or weather stripping where you can feel cool air escaping and warm air from outdoors taking its place.
• Don’t plant any flowers or shrubs too close to your outdoor condensing unit so the heat transfer process can proceed with interference.
• Cover any windows that receive direct sunlight during the day or have them covered with window film to help limit the amount of cool air needed during the day.
• Try to avoid cooking and baking as much as possible during the hottest times of day.
• Install one or more ceiling fans to pull cool air back up so, once again, your AC system doesn’t have to work quite as hard in certain rooms.
• Replace one or more of your thermostats with a programmable model that also comes with an app you can download to your mobile devices.  That way, you can change temperature settings to conserve even more energy while your away from home and your plans suddenly change.

With a little help from your friends at Messmer Mechanical, you can help your system last even longer. And all it takes is contacting us for annual system maintenance; if fact, and at your request, we can contact you each spring so you never have to worry about having your system professionally cleaned and inspected once a year, just as your system’s manufacturer advises.  Has it been a year or longer since preventative maintenance was last performed?  If so, why contact Messmer Mechanical today!