90% of the time, you probably don't give your air conditioning a second thought. As long as it is keeping your house nice and cool, what's to think about? Most people only give their system consideration at one of two times: when the electric bill comes and when it breaks down. While you shouldn't have to spend a great deal of time performing A/C maintenance, it doesn't hurt to know a bit more about one of man's greatest gifts. This information can help you get more efficiency from your system, know when to replace it, and maybe even keep your bills at a manageable level.
When to Replace the System
If your air conditioning system breaks down, you'll be confronted with a choice. Do you pay to have it repaired or do you bite the bullet and buy a replacement? This is a difficult decision for many homeowners, but it should be guided by the age of the system. If you've owned your system for less than ten years, it probably has a decent amount of life left in it. As long as the repair isn't going to cost more than 50% of a new system, go ahead and get it fixed. If it's an older system, however, it may be time to see what else is out there.
Humidity
If you don't feel as though your air conditioning is keeping your house as cool as it should be (or if the number on the thermostat doesn't match your actual comfort), you could have a humidity problem. While the A/C system itself is designed to take a great deal of the humidity out of the air, you may need more help in certain areas of the country. Consider purchasing a dedicated dehumidifier for the house. The lower the humidity, the less likely it is that you will feel uncomfortable when the thermometer says you shouldn't.
Filters
One of the best things you can do for the continued health and efficiency of your air conditioning system is also one of the easiest: change the filter on a regular basis. Some experts advise changing the filter once a season, while others recommend doing it on a monthly basis. Let your own experiences guide you here. If you change it out in the summer and it is clogged to the point of being completely opaque, it might be a sign that you need to do it more often. Changing the filter regularly not only will help you house cool down more quickly, it will cut down on the number of allergens circling in the atmosphere.
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