Tips and tricks With tech air owner ryan withouski - how to maximize efficiency with your HVAC Unit

1. Keep your unit clean. You need to make sure the units stay clean, both inside and out, in order for them to work properly and with the least amount of effort. Don't be afraid to lightly hose down the outside and surrounding area of your unit to wash away any dust or dirt that is collecting. On the inside of your condenser unit, you need to pay attention to the coils, drip pan and drain line.  It's important these remain clean for your unit to run efficiently. Dirty units tend to have mold or debris build up in the drip pan. As the mold and/or debris builds up it can affect the air quality in  your home and also clog the drain line, causing your unit to leak.

2. Change your filters. It is important that your filters get changed out every year at a minimum. We actually recommend changing filters up to four times a year for families or businesses who run their units often. Many people don't realize the damage a dirty filter can cause, not just to the efficiency of your heating and air conditioning unit but also to the air quality in your home.

3. Use a counter-clockwise ceiling fan in the summer months. This will not only provide a pleasant cooling sensation but more importantly this can lower your energy consumption (and bill) by up to 40%! This works by creating a down draft and pushing the cool air from your AC unit down toward the ground. Not to sound too much like a HVAC nerd here but this actually decreases the humidity in the room and creates a wind chill affect. This allows you to feel cooler while your thermostat is set at a higher temperature.

4. Use a clockwise rotation on your ceiling fan in the winter months. This one sounds like a scam but it really works. The clockwise rotation creates an updraft, sucking the cold air up and pushing the hot air from the ceiling (where it will stay naturally as warmer air rises) down along the walls and ultimately to the floor. I recommend using the lowest setting on your fan for this and you can expect a 15% increase in efficiency as the heat is more easily distributed across the room.

5. Set your thermostat a couple degrees higher during the peak summer months. Your AC unit will not have to work nearly as hard to keep your living space at around 72-74 degrees as it will to keep it at 68-70 degrees. If you can live with your room at 78 degrees with a counter clockwise ceiling fan you'll notice huge savings on your energy bill. If you leave the thermostat at a lower temp setting it will have to crank the whole time chewing up tons of electricity.

6. Use a smart thermostat or a learning thermostat. The thermostat technology has gotten so much better in the last handful of years and they really do a great job at helping to maximize efficiency with your system. They can be controlled remotely from an app on your phone and there are several now that actually learn common patterns in your home and adjust automatically. I have installed a ton of these in the last few years and people absolutely love them. One that I recommend is called NEST.

7. Consider switching to Ductless Mini-Splits. If you don't currently have an HVAC system in your home or office building or are looking to replace an outdated system I would strongly recommend installing the new Ductless Mini-Splits by Fujitsu. There are no ducts involved so retro-fitting these units into an older home is much easier than installing duct-work. Another great benefit is how efficient these systems are. You can run single rooms at a time and connect multiple units to one condenser. Because there are no ducts to fill with air and force into each room there's no energy loss as the supply and return air are built right into the wall mounted unit. These units also circulate the air in the room much more effectively and don't require the extra help from ceiling fans.

I actually believe these are the smarter choice for both residential and commercial buildings moving forward because of their incredible efficiency. My team and I have installed hundreds of these units over the last few years alone in any kind of building you can imagine... new, old, big, small, commercial, residential, hotels, etc. and the owners really seem to love the flexibility these systems offer. Another benefit is the extended warranty I can offer as an accredited Fujitsu Elite Dealer.

Hope these pro tips and instructions can help you enjoy energy savings while remaining comfortable in your homes! Don't forget to do the following and feel free to give us a call if you have any questions or need a technician to come pay you a visit.

1. Replace air filters
2. Keep units clean including coils, drip pans and drain lines.
3. Use a counter clock-wise ceiling fan in the summer
4. Use a clock-wise ceiling fan in the winter
5. Set your thermostat a couple degrees higher during peak summer months, especially when you are not in that room or area of the house/office.
6. Use a smart thermostat
7. Consider switching to ductless mini-splits