Not necessarily. It is important to purchase an air conditioner that is the right size for your home. If you buy an AC unit that’s too big, it will cool your home faster, but it will also be less efficient and will not eliminate humidity well enough. It will have short-run cycles. While it will cool the air quickly, it will shut off before it blows enough air across the indoor coil to drain water from your system. This will leave too much moisture in the air, which can lead to mold and mildew in your home.

Increasing the efficiency of your home’s HVAC system can be relatively easy. Most importantly, be sure to change your filters regularly and have a preventative maintenance plan in place. Also, make sure your thermostat is set at higher temperatures in the summer and lower temperatures in the winter. It doesn’t take the body long to adjust to incremental changes of 2-5 degrees, and these changes can save you a lot of money on your energy bills.

Lastly, you’ll want to make sure you keep blinds closed on windows that let in direct sunlight, or use curtains to shade your home while still letting in some light. Though natural light is something we all crave, keeping your blinds and curtains closed during the hottest days of the year, especially if you are not home, can drastically decrease the effort your AC system is required to make.

Regular maintenance on your HVAC system should be performed twice a year. Our licensed professionals recommend having your system serviced in the spring before the weather heats up again, and in the fall before the weather cools down. Having regular maintenance performed on your system allows for a longer system life, higher efficiency, and proactive service to stop issues before they happen. Every homeowner should be enrolled in a maintenance program for their HVAC system.

It’s hard for the average homeowner to know when to replace an air conditioning system, but if you schedule regular AC maintenance, an HVAC technician can alert you when the cost of repairs is greater than the cost of replacing the system with one that saves you more money on your energy bill. If your utility costs are increasing or you notice your AC is no longer keeping your home cool, those are clear signs it’s time for an inspection and possibly a new AC system.