As you start packing away your winter wardrobe and freshening up your summer clothes, you should consider preparing your home for the summer season. With a little basic preparation, you can ensure that your home is not only safe, but saves energy during the long hot summer days.
Outdoor Tasks:
While you are working on your garden in spring, it is a good time to complete your outdoor summer tasks. This should include inspecting and testing your air conditioner. At this stage, it is a good idea to schedule a maintenance visit to ensure that your system is operating at peak efficiency. Waiting until the temperatures hit 100ยบ to see if your system will effectively cool down your home is just asking for trouble.
You should also ensure that your yard, gutters and other areas around your home have been cleared of winter debris and spring growth. Summer wildfires are always a possibility, but you can minimize this risk. You should also ensure that your condenser is free of dried leaves, grass or brush. This will avoid an AC obstruction and prevent a fire from spreading.
If your home has a pool, ensure that the perimeter gates and safety fences are still in good order. Check that latches are secured and in working order. Your pool is likely to see lots of activity when the hot weather starts, so you will want to minimize the risk of accidents.
It is also a good time to inspect any play equipment in your backyard. Check for potential trip hazards or sharp points that could cause injury. Ensure that the structure and hardware are still secure and in good condition, so it is safe for children.
Indoor Jobs:
Summer preparation is not limited to packing up your winter woolens. You should check your ceiling fans are set to run counter-clockwise. Ceiling fans require less energy than needed for a light bulb, but circulating the air can make rooms feel far more comfortable, without the need to crank up the AC. You should also consider setting a programmable thermostat on your system. Customizing your settings will mean that you can enjoy a comfortable temperature, without massive energy bills. Consider when you are likely to want the air conditioning to be turned on and when you are not likely to need it. If your system has zone controls, you should think about whether you need sleeping areas to be as cooled as living areas and whether they need air conditioning during the day. Even this small consideration could save you a great deal on your energy bills.
It is also a good time to check your air conditioning filters. With increased pollen counts and other allergens, you will need to ensure that your filters are clean, so your indoor air quality is not compromised.
Finally, check that your caulking and weather stripping is still intact. Having properly sealed doors and windows is vital to conserve energy when you are cooling your home. If any cracks or gaps have appeared, you will need to reseal or replace any worn stripping.