Is Your AC Ready to Face Another Hot Summer?

Air Conditioning

Air conditioning is a popular choice for creating a comfortable home or workplace in climates with hot and humid summers, but every time you turn on your unit, you shorten its life. Here are a few upgrades and maintenance tips to help you stay cool and comfortable all summer long.

Ductless

Ductless air conditioning units are great for keeping small spaces and individual rooms cool. If you only require air conditioning in certain rooms (such as a hot, south-facing office or a muggy upstairs bedroom), ductless units can provide you with cool air even if you don’t have a duct system. The versatility of ductless units makes them popular for apartment buildings that rely on radiators or other non-ductless heating systems.

Forced-Air

Many households in Ontario opt for forced air central air conditioning units, which can be integrated directly into your current HVAC system.

Air conditioning is considered by many Ontarians to be a must. As of 2009, 74% of all households in Ontario had some form of air conditioning.

Why Your Air Conditioner Might Struggle

Humidity is a key factor when considering this system, particularly in the GTA, where the average humidity level typically fluctuates between 61% and 81%

The more humid the air is, the better it is at retaining heat. Water absorbs heat so effectively because of the peculiar way water molecules interact with each other, which causes them to absorb kinetic energy (heat) slowly and releasing that energy slowly.

What does that mean for HVAC then? It means your forced air system has to work harder as the humidity level rises. To help reduce unnecessary wear and tear on your unit, you should schedule it for regular maintenance and cleaning.

Though you can schedule your maintenance for any season, we strongly suggest booking an appointment in the spring so that any issues can be addressed before the summer’s heat really sets in.

A woman using a fan because her air conditioner isn't working.

Installing Central Air Conditioning

If you’ve decided to make the switch to forced air conditioning, the friendly experts at Mersey Heating and Air Conditioning are here to help!

It usually takes 4 to 6 hours to install the central AC component into your current HVAC system. When properly installed, the average lifespan of a unit kept in good repair is about 8-15 years.

Air Conditioner Maintenance

Regular maintenance not only prolongs the life of your unit, but it also saves you money! Not only are well-maintained units less likely to break down (saving you money on costly repairs), but they also run more efficiently, which means they require less energy to keep you comfortable.

When you schedule an air conditioning maintenance visit to help you prepare for the hot and humid summer, your technician can perform all the necessary checks for wear and tear, looking for leaks on the refrigerant lines, and assess the current quantity and composition of the refrigerant itself. 

Getting a check once a year would help you anticipate malfunctions before they arise, and having an HVAC professional spot a problem early on means there is often an affordable solution available.

Properly running refrigerant lines on the central AC unit will allow the fan on the forced air system to work easier, resulting in less runtime. Because forced air systems rely on pushing centrally conditioned air, regular duct cleaning can also help ensure your entire system is running a peak efficiency. Regular cleanings can also remove dirt and pollen, and discourage mold growth, all of which can impact your home’s air quality.

Regular duct cleanings are beneficial for your furnace, too, since that means your unit won’t need to work as hard to keep your home warm in the winter either.

Ductless units typically require less maintenance than their duct-dependant counterparts, but an annual tune-up and cleaning can still help ensure things are running smoothly.

Air Conditioner Maintenance Doesn’t Take Much Time

Regular maintenance not only helps your family stay comfortable all summer long, but it can also save you money and provide you with peace of mind. Maintenance appointments only require you to invest a small amount of time and money and can help you avoid costly repairs and extend the life of your unit.