The excitement leading up to vacation with your family, friends, and loved ones is a feeling that can’t be beaten. Plenty of work goes into getting ready for the big day, and you’re counting down the days until you leave. You might prepare your home, but do you also prepare your AC unit?

On one hand, you don’t want to waste money by running your air conditioner as normal the entire time you’re on vacation. On the other hand, is it the best idea to completely shut down your air conditioner and return to a humid and uncomfortable home? In this article, we provide tips to preparing your home’s AC system before you leave for vacation and AC tips for when you return!

Open & Clean All Your Vents

Contrary to popular belief, closing air vents will not save money on utility bills! While it does make sense to close air vents in unused rooms, it actually creates more pressure within your air ducts rather than simply redistributing air. To avoid problems and high bills while on vacation, be sure all air vents are open and clear of furniture! Your air conditioner will struggle to cool your home and reach the perfect temperature if your vents remain closed or blocked.

Additionally, it is beneficial for airflow and air quality to regularly clean air vents. Simply remove the vent cover, wipe down with soap and water, vacuum out the inside of the duct, and place the vent cover back on.

Clean Around Your Outdoor AC Unit

You should never cover your outdoor air conditioner with plants, debris, or other items. It’s a good idea to check that it is in an open and unobstructed space before leaving for vacation. Again, your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard when nothing is blocking it from normal operation.

We almost never recommend completely shutting off your air conditioner for vacation. Extreme amounts of heat can build up in your home, like they would if you never had a cooling system at all, creating dangerous humidity problems. Paint may peel, your house could smell, and you may create perfect conditions for mold to grow if you don’t prepare your AC unit for your vacation.

Adjust Your Programmable Thermostat

The way you should set your thermostat depends on several factors, including what time of year it is. You don’t want your house to be too hot or cold upon your arrival back home or to damage your property with unsafe conditions. Consider these essential questions before making any changes:

• Is someone watching your home while you’re away?
• Do you care for any indoor plants?
• What humidity levels are common in your area?
• Do you have pets that will be staying at home?

If people or pets are going to be staying at your home, adjust your smart thermostat to what will be safe and comfortable for them. If no one is spending time at your home, you can be more flexible. We suggest not setting your thermostat any higher than 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer to prevent furniture damage and uncomfortable humidity levels and any lower than 50 degrees in the winter.

Shut Your Blinds & Curtains

While you don’t want anyone peeking into your empty property, closing your curtains and blinds can also help your home’s temperature. You’ll block large amounts of heating from entering your home through your windows and messing with the temperature. Your air conditioner won’t have to try and keep up with the excess heat if it’s unable to get inside.

Schedule AC Maintenance With Anchor Air

At Anchor Air, we provide impeccable AC maintenance services to homeowners in Foley, AL. Completing AC maintenance provides peace of mind that your air conditioner will function flawlessly during and after your vacation. Technicians will take care of all potential problems during the appointment, and you’ll know exactly how to prepare your AC unit before leaving for your trip.

You can also ask your AC specialist how to set your system before you go. They can make recommendations and inform you of your air conditioner’s current condition. You’ll feel much better about leaving home than you would if you hadn’t booked maintenance with us!

Setting Your AC System When You Return from Vacation

After your vacation is over and you’re ready to come home, what do you do? Avoid blasting your air conditioner to cold temperatures and beat the heat as soon as you walk in the door. Your air conditioner will cool your home at the same rate no matter the thermostat setting, so just be patient and wait for your air conditioner to do its job rather than excessively lowering the temperature. You might want to enjoy that initial cool feeling, but it could harm your HVAC system and utility bills.

If your home utilizes a smart thermostat, it is beneficial to set your thermostat to your desired temperature before arriving home. That way, you’ll return to the perfect indoor air conditions and wreak less havoc on your system. If you get home and your unit is acting up, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Benefits of Preparing Your Air Conditioner for Vacation

When you’re preparing for vacation, nothing else may matter besides getting to your destination. However, taking a little bit of time to care for your air conditioner will pay off immediately and in the long run. Before you head out the door and off to your adventure, consider these benefits of preparing your air conditioner:

• Return to a safe home with a fully-functioning HVAC system.
• You’ll put less strain on your air conditioner when it isn’t necessary.
• You may save money on your next energy bill and future repair costs.
• Your plants and guests will feel comfortable while you’re away.
• If you book maintenance, you’ll have a detailed report from an expert.

Unfortunately, some homeowners have ended their vacation by dealing with air conditioning problems. At Anchor Air, we never want to see our clients return to a frozen home or uncomfortable space. Avoid the headache and potential issues by taking the right steps with your air conditioner.

Contact Anchor Air for AC Maintenance in Foley, AL

You should schedule your annual AC maintenance appointment if you haven’t already for the year. If you have a vacation coming up or are looking to prepare for the changing temperatures, our team at Anchor Air in Foley, AL, can help prepare your AC unit. We have 24/7 availability and will quickly travel to your home if you have an emergency situation.

Call our Anchor Air team at (251) 979-5736 to schedule an appointment for AC repair in Foley, AL. You can also chat online with our team or request a service directly through our site. Either way, professional air conditioning support is on its way to improving your property’s HVAC system!

The summer season is on the horizon in Foley, and the Anchor Air team is here to make sure your home is in EGG-cellent shape! It is essential to have an efficient air conditioning system during the hot and humid temperatures to keep you and other resident’s comfortable. Air conditioning maintenance ensures your AC system is operating effectively without any underlying malfunctions that could lead to a repair or breakdown. In this blog, we discuss everything you need to know about AC maintenance in Foley, AL and the benefits the preventative service can provide.

What Is Air Conditioning Maintenance?

Air conditioners are one of the most important appliances in our everyday lives, similar to your car. When your car is due for an oil change or necessary maintenance, we take it to a professional to perform the preventative service that keeps it functioning efficiently and effectively. We encourage homeowners to treat air conditioners as they do their cars, because we rely on both for comfort and convenience.

Air conditioning maintenance is a preventative home service to keep your air conditioner running smoothly all spring and summer. Our technicians perform a variety of maintenance tasks to catch underlying malfunctions and prevent new issues from arising. Different air conditioning systems require different maintenance tasks, but an Anchor Air technician will thoroughly inspect your AC and perform the following at each maintenance appointment:

• Lubricate all moving parts
• Check refrigerant levels
• Clean drain line
• Confirm electrical connections
• Change air filters
• Calibrate thermostat

Is AC Maintenance Necessary?

Picture this: We are experiencing a heatwave in Foley and temperatures are in the 90’s for the next few days. You plan to beat the heat from inside your cool home, but you suddenly notice your home feels warmer than it should. You discover warm air blowing from your air vents even though your thermostat reads 68 degrees. An Anchor Air technician is on the way to investigate the problem due to our 24/7 AC repair in Foley, but your home is already heating up and becoming uncomfortable as the sun beams in. Once an Anchor Air technician arrives, they identify the problem to be frozen condenser coils. This problem is often caused by lack of AC maintenance, dirty air filters, a clogged drain line, or a refrigerant leak. Each one of these causes can be avoided with air conditioning maintenance.

We promise – our expert technicians have seen and found a solution for almost every air conditioning repair out there. We have seen it all and guarantee most repairs can be avoided by regular AC maintenance each spring season. To ensure your home remains comfortable and experiences no AC breakdowns or repairs, air conditioning maintenance is necessary!

5 Benefits Of AC Maintenance

It is easy to forget about your air conditioning system as long as it is running effectively. Air conditioners work behind the scenes to provide us with home comfort each day and night. However, an air conditioner operating with broken or obstructed components can raise utility costs and result in an uncomfortable breakdown! Scheduling air conditioning maintenance in Fairhope, AL and surrounding areas can provide various benefits for your home, including:

• Lower Utility Bills
• Fewer Repairs
• Increase Lifespan
• Improve Air Quality
• Provide Peace Of Mind

Lower Utility Bills

If your air conditioner is operating with an underlying malfunction, it is using more energy to operate. The more energy your AC unit uses, the more it will cost you each month. Air conditioning maintenance allows our trained technicians to identify broken components and malfunctions before they raise your cooling costs.

Fewer Repairs

Allowing an Anchor Air technician to perform AC maintenance in Fairhope, AL can minimize needed repairs throughout the rest of the season. If your AC unit is operating with a broken component, it can damage other parts of the system and result in many costly repairs. Air conditioning maintenance avoids situations similar to these all together and prevents new repairs from arising.

Increased Lifespan

Homeowners turn their air conditioners on after being unused all winter long. If you begin using your air conditioner with a broken component, it can cause wear and tear to other components and the system itself. This can decrease the system’s predicted lifespan of 15-20 years and cause you to replace it much sooner than expected. We want homeowners to utilize their air conditioners for as long as possible before investing in a new system! When the time comes to replace your air conditioner in Foley, AL and surrounding areas, Anchor Air can help select the perfect system to best meet your needs and budget.

Improved Air Quality

It is important to maintain good indoor air quality in your home for a variety of reasons, but mainly to keep you and other residents healthy and comfortable. While Anchor Air offers indoor air quality services in Fairhope, AL, did you know AC maintenance can help provide cleaner air for your home? One of the many preventative tasks a technician will perform is cleaning the inside and outside of your air conditioner. This removes dust and other harmful pollutants from entering your home and harming your air quality. Additionally, an Anchor Air technician will ensure each air filter in your home is clean to further improve air quality!

Provides Peace Of Mind

The spring and summer season is full of activities for many homeowners in Foley, such as taking a trip to Waterville USA or enjoying one of the many beaches. The last thing homeowners should have to worry about is if their home is cool and comfortable when they return from a hot summer day. Air conditioning maintenance lowers the risk of AC breakdowns and costly repairs, which provides homeowners with peace of mind their comfort is secured.

The spring season is the perfect time to schedule AC maintenance in Foley, Fairhope, and surrounding areas! We are here to help homeowners HOP into home comfort before an EGG-citing summer! Give one of our trained technicians a call today for your air conditioning needs in Alabama.

When there are low temperatures in Foley, homeowners should be able to set their thermostat to their desired comfort temperature without worrying about what it will cost. However, many feel as if they must choose between comfort and low heating bills. At Anchor Air, we aim to make sure home comfort is affordable and accessible for everyone. To help combat high heating costs, we list tips in this blog to help lower your heating bill.

Save Money This Winter With These Tips!

There are many tasks homeowners can do to maintain a cozy home in the winter without breaking the bank. Incorporating just one or all of these simple tips can help save energy and money. Below are nine tips to keep your heating costs low this winter in Fairhope, Alabama.

• Seal Air Leaks
• Add Insulation
• Utilize Sunlight
• Maintain Clean Air Filters
• Turn On Your Ceiling Fan
• Schedule Heating Maintenance
• Get Cooking!
• Hangout At Your Favorite Local Spot
• Install A Smart Thermostat

Seal Air Leaks

Your heating unit works hard to meet the thermostat setting in your home and only rests until the cycle needs to be repeated. If your home has air leaks in windows, doors, walls, or air ducts, warm air easily exits through the cracks. Air leaks cause heating units to work overtime, because the unit struggles to meet the thermostat setting if air is escaping. An easy and cost effective way to seal leaks in your home is by caulking or weather stripping.

Add Insulation

Similar to air leaks, a home without insulation allows air to easily escape. Insulation provides resistance to heat flow and can help your heating unit maintain a comfortable environment. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, homeowners can save up to 15% on heating and cooling costs by sealing and insulating their homes. One of the best places to add insulation is your attic, because warm air rises and insulation can hold it inside your home. Other important places to insulate are basements, crawlspaces, garages, and other unheated areas.

Utilize Sunlight

If you are looking to keep your home warm while saving money, we strongly encourage using sunlight! The sun is a free heat source and blinds and curtains can stop heat gain. We recommend opening blinds and curtains during the day to allow sunlight to naturally warm your home. This process can allow you to turn back your thermostat setting a few degrees without feeling the difference. Be sure to close curtains and blinds at night for your privacy and to keep heat inside!

Maintain Clean Air Filters

We cannot stress the importance of clean air filters enough! A dirty air filter can be the cause of a malfunctioning heating unit, poor air quality, little airflow, high bills, and many more comfort issues. If your air filter is clogged, your heating unit uses more energy to push air through. The more energy used, the higher your bills will be. We recommend changing each air filter in your home and furnace at least every 90 days or sooner depending on factors such as indoor animals.

Turn On Your Ceiling Fan

We know it sounds silly to use your ceiling fan in the winter, but it is the truth! Ceiling fans have different settings for summer and winter seasons and can be changed with one simple flip of a switch. Summer ceiling fan settings create a breeze and make rooms feel cooler. However, winter settings do the opposite. Switching the ceiling fan setting reverses the fan rotation and should rotate clockwise in the winter. Ceiling fans in winter mode create and upward draft aiming to relocate warm air trapped by the ceiling. This process can help keep rooms more comfortable and allow homeowners to turn down the thermostat setting without feeling a temperature difference. The lower your thermostat, the more you will save on heating bills!

Schedule Heating Maintenance

High utility bills can often be due to an underlying issue with your heating unit. Parts can come loose or the system can have an internal obstruction while still functioning normally. Heating maintenance allows an Anchor Air technician to inspect each component of your heating system and prevent issues from arising. While the other tips can help lower heating bills, we recommend starting with heating maintenance to begin the season with an efficient heater!

Get Cooking!

The winter season is one of the best times to cook all of your favorite meals. Utilizing your oven and stove can help heat your home and improve comfort. While this process still uses energy, cooking is a necessity and will be done anyways in most homes. Consider lowering your thermostat setting while cooking to save energy!

Hangout At Your Favorite Local Spot

If you are looking to lower your heating bill without sacrificing your comfort, consider spending your day off elsewhere! Foley is filled with many local spots, such as The Drowsy Poet coffee shop at Foley Station. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are just minutes away, so consider spending the day walking on the beach. Leaving your house allows you to alter the thermostat many degrees and give your heating unit a much needed break.

Install A Smart Thermostat

As we have suggested, altering your thermostat can help save money on heating bills. Installing a smart thermostat can take the job of remembering to lower the temperature off your plate. Smart thermostats operate on programmable settings and lowers the temperature according to your schedule. The device can be controlled on a smartphone, so your home is the temperature you want it to be when you arrive!

Home comfort does not have to break the bank, so we recommend utilizing one or all of these tips to lower your energy bill in Fairhope and surrounding areas. To schedule heating maintenance or heating repair, give one of our experienced technicians a call!

‘Tis the season for holiday activities and family gatherings! Whether you are hosting this year’s secret Santa or cookie decorating with loved ones, you want to ensure your home is a comfortable place to gather. While preparing your home for guests this holiday season, don’t forget about your heating system! Your home’s heating unit works behind the scenes to provide a cozy environment, but can malfunction if not given proper care. In this article, we put together a heating maintenance checklist to keep your home comfortable this holiday season.

Making A (Maintenance) List, Checking It Twice!

Our holiday to-do list includes many things, such as visiting the Holly Days on Main Festival or the annual Christmas Bazaar at Live Oak Village. When making your holiday to-do list, be sure not to forget your heating unit! Below we have listed 5 ways to ensure your heating unit is ready for your holiday festivities.

• Change Air Filters
• Turn Down Thermostat
• Clean Heating Unit & Vents
• Schedule Heating Maintenance
• Check Safety Devices

Change Air Filters

Illnesses such as the flu and common cold are more common in the winter months, which is why it is important to maintain good indoor air quality! Air filters determine the amount of pollutants that enter your home. To allow your guests to breathe clean air, ensure each air filter is clean and free of debris. Additionally, new air filters reduce stress on your heating unit and lower the chance of a breakdown! We can help select the perfect air filters for your home. Visit our website to view quality filters we offer!

Turn Down Thermostat

Before hosting guests, we recommend turning the temperature down on your thermostat. Additional people in one space tends to warm up the room due to body heat. Not only will your guest be more comfortable, but your heating unit will get a much needed break. The lower the thermostat setting, the less energy used and the more you will save on bills.

Clean Heating Unit & Vents

If your heating unit and air vents are dirty, additional allergens are added into your air. If your heating unit is outdoors, remove debris such as leaves and branches that could harm efficiency. If your unit is indoors, remove dust and other items like boxes from around the unit. To clean your vents, remove the vent cover and clean with a rag. Vacuum out the inside of your vents to clear dust and dirt. Not only will cleaning your heating unit and vents improve air quality, efficiency and airflow, but look and feel cleaner as well.

Related Article: Tips To Maintain Better Airflow

Schedule Heating Maintenance

Heating maintenance is the most effective way to prepare your heating unit for the holidays and upcoming winter months. Heating maintenance is a preventative service that allows an Anchor Air technician to identify any underlying issues before they arise. Our technicians can repair components as needed and prevent further problems from forming, which creates a reliable heating system for your home. Heating maintenance in Foley can benefits your home in more ways than one, such as:

• Longer Unit Lifespan
• Better Air Quality
• Fewer Repairs
• Lower Utility Bills
• Peace Of Mind

Before your holiday party, we encourage you to schedule heating maintenance so everyone’s comfort remains!

Check Safety Devices

If you are hosting a family or friend gathering, it is important they are safe in your home. Accidents happen even over holidays, and your home should be prepared. Fuel burning appliances such as furnaces emit carbon monoxide and can harm your health if inhaled. Christmas trees and holiday cooking can potentially start a house fire. Before guests arrive, test safety devices such as carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. To do so, simply press the “Test” button and replace batteries as needed. Your safety is our top priority!

We hope you have a wonderful and cozy holiday season spent with loved ones. To ensure your comfort remains through each holiday event, we strongly encourage you to follow our HVAC holiday checklist and schedule heating maintenance! Happy Holidays from the Anchor Air family to yours!