How to Keep Your Family Cool and Comfy This Summer

Ahh, summer. It’s time for family vacations, warm-weather activities and a much-needed break from school. It’s also time for rising temperatures that can make your family lose their cool and make your home feel uncomfortable.

The good news is you can avoid these problems. By preparing your home for summer you can spend more time enjoying your family. Proactive maintenance is key to ensuring that your air conditioning system runs properly this summer. Just follow these easy tips from American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning:

* Schedule a check-up in the spring. Call your local heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) professional to do a routine check of your cooling system before the summer heat wave arrives and before contractors get really busy with emergency or last-minute calls. A typical maintenance visit should include checking thermostat settings, tightening all electrical connections, lubricating all moving parts, inspecting the condensation drain, checking system controls, cleaning any air conditioning coils and air filters, and adjusting blower components.

* Replace the furnace filter. A dirty filter can increase energy costs and damage your equipment -- two problems you especially want to avoid in the summer heat. To help save on replacement filter costs, some manufacturers, such as American Standard, have cleanable filters that can be rinsed or vacuumed. Make sure the replacement filter is approved by your furnace manufacturer. In addition, your HVAC professional can show you how to replace your filters on an ongoing basis to ensure your system is running smoothly all year-round.

* Breathe easier. While you may be able to open your windows in the spring, most families need to close the windows and doors in the summer to keep the cool air inside and the hot air outside. In addition, your kids may be bringing dust, dirt and pollen in the house after playing outside. This means that all these particles are getting trapped in your home. This can be especially troubling for any family members suffering from allergies that flare up in the spring and summer.

A whole-house air cleaner can help remove unwanted particles from the air in every room of a house, versus other air cleaners that just do the job in one specific room. The American Standard AccuClean whole-house air filtration system removes up to 99.98 percent of unwanted particles from the filtered air. The air cleaner attaches to your furnace or air handler to help your family breathe easier in the summer and throughout the year.

* Reprogram your thermostat settings for spring and summer. With a programmable thermostat, you can stay more comfortable inside by setting the temperature based on the changing weather outside -- whether it’s a hot, scorching day followed by a cooler night or sunny and hot during the day and warm and muggy at night. If you go away on vacation, you can also reprogram your thermostat to higher temperatures before you leave to help save energy costs.

With these easy steps, your family can enjoy the summer even more knowing your home is clean, cool and comfy. For more information on whole-house air filtration systems or to find an American Standard independent dealer near you, visit www.americanstandardair.com.



Courtesy of ARAcontent