Keeping your air conditioner running this summer

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The heat can be uncomfortable, but for homeowners, it can cause even more of a headache during the summertime if your air conditioning unit starts to struggle.

WTOC spoke to an HVAC tech says the need for AC maintenance skyrockets this time of year. It comes down to people’s AC units working overdrive when temperatures start to rise.

Zachary Friedman with Old Coast Heating and Air Conditioning says that the most common issues they see have to do with drain lines, filters, and small electrical issues.

Often, those issues stem from not keeping up with routine maintenance, Friedman says- and when it starts to get really hot and the system is working hard, that’s a recipe for it to fail.

Keeping up with routine maintenance is a good first step, but Friedman also says that not overworking your AC will also help.. and that might mean something different than you think.

“During a heat wave, you want to prioritize your comfort over your efficiency. The couple of dollars that you’re going to spend each day keeping your house comfortable will make a big difference compared to having it turn off and the system catching up. When it’s above 95 degrees, the system is really working at it’s hardest. So, at that point in time, it’s best to just keep it at the temperature you like. Leave it, set it, and walk away from it. Don’t turn it off and don’t turn it up,” Friedman said.

Friedman also adds that the summer is a challenge for the AC industry because there’s a shortage of HVAC workers- so if you need to schedule your maintenance, it’s better to reach out before something goes wrong to save yourself from waiting for someone to fix it later.

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