Circulating cool air throughout your home is the basic way your air conditioner in Atlantic Beach, FL, operates. Here’s why getting adequate airflow is important and how you can improve it.

Maintain HVAC Efficiency

To cool your home, your AC system must draw air in, cool it and push it back out again. Inadequate airflow means there’s not enough air moving through your system to cool. This makes your AC system run longer while working to achieve your set temperature.

Not only does this increase your utility bills, but it also adds unusual stress on your system. The added stress wears on each component, leading to additional AC repairs and a shortened service life if you don’t take steps to improve your airflow.

Improve Indoor Air Quality

Air quality is the measurement of how many contaminants float around in the air. These contaminants can lead to allergies and respiratory distress along with problems for your HVAC system.

The primary tool for improving your indoor air quality is the air filter. The more air that flows through it, the more contaminants it can remove.

Air circulation helps prevent the air from stagnating and seeming uncomfortable. Even a mild amount of air circulation around your home can help it feel a degree or two cooler.

Part of what your air conditioner does over the hotter, humid months is dehumidify the air. The more air that moves through your system, the better it can provide this effect. Humidity is another important aspect of your air quality, helping control how many contaminants remain airborne.

Ensuring that you have adequate airflow through your system and around your home is important. How can you improve it to make sure you’re getting enough?

Change Your Filters Regularly

The more air that circulates through the system, the more quickly the filters clog. However, you need adequate air flowing through the system to ensure that it works well. This is why your filter needs frequent attention and regular replacements.

How often you need a new filter is dependent on your air quality and filter type. For most 1/2- to 1-inch air filters, every 90 days should be about right with average air quality.

Plan to check your filter monthly so that you can catch it early once it’s dirty enough to replace. You can also gently vacuum the intake side of the filter to help extend its usefulness.

Open and Clear Your Vents

As your system runs, the air coming from your vents creates positive pressure at your output vents. The circulating fan creates negative pressure at the return vent, drawing in air. Together, these create the circulating air movement in your home.

However, closed or blocked vents inhibit circulation. Ideally, keep all vents open with at least two inches of clearance both above and around them.

Use Some Fans

Fans can help improve circulation throughout your house as well. You can always set the fan in your HVAC system to “ON,” but that only helps where the vents are open and clear.

Using ceiling fans helps create additional air circulation in a room. Over the summer, a ceiling fan makes the air feel about two degrees cooler just because of the air movement. Just be sure to set the fan correctly; it should turn counterclockwise for the summer and clockwise over the winter.

Get Professional HVAC Maintenance

Finally, be sure you schedule routine professional maintenance. Ideally, you will have an AC maintenance professional visit in the spring for cooling and in the fall for heating. During the spring visit, a service technician will clean the evaporator coil; for the fall visit, they’ll clean the heat exchanger. They will also test your system to ensure that there are no problems.

Keep your system running efficiently by keeping the air flowing freely around your home and through your system. If you need a visit from an expert service technician, call Ocean State Air Conditioning & Heating to schedule your HVAC maintenance appointment.

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