They don’t call it “sunny California” for nothing, and Los Angeles is a prime example of when heat beating down from the bright sun above and the hustle and bustle of a busy city come together to raise the temperature of your home.
Whether you live in a house or apartment, your air conditioner is going to work hard in L.A., which is why we’re going to look at a few ways to help provide it with some relief. Here are some quick tips to get you started:
- Use fans whenever possible — We Angelenos have a tendency to come home and immediately switch on our A/C. But in some places — especially small apartments — this may not be needed. Fans can work wonders at cooling you off at only a fraction of the cost.
- Switch off fans when not in use — Here’s a simple mantra to remember: “Fans cool people, not rooms.” Fans do not produce cold air. So if a fan is left on in an unoccupied room, you’re doing nothing to alleviate discomfort.
- Close doors and windows — This should go without saying, but leaving doors and windows open while your A/C unit is trying to cool off your home will be counter-productive.
- Clean the air filters — A clean filter is a happy filter, and it will show its gratitude by continuing to allow air to flow freely throughout your home while helping to improve its air quality.
- Raise the temperature — If you’re not going to be home for an extended period of time, turn your thermostat up so that the A/C doesn’t come on as often.
- Hire a professional technician — Even if you believe your unit is running smoothly, getting a professional to check it out once a year is always a good idea. Plus, doing so can help you quell any potential problems.
For more expert advice about relieving your air conditioner, or for questions relating to home comfort, please contact the friendly professionals at Around the Clock Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc. We’ve been serving Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, and the surrounding areas since 1967.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Los Angeles, North Hollywood and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about A/C maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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