Salvatore Sutera is originally from Sicily. A warm climate but for even for him, this week has been hot.
“It’s crazy,” said Sutera. “It has been warm pretty much every day luckily air conditioning helps.”
Like many in Connecticut, Sutera said he’s been running his AC around the clock. A costly expense, pros say could be even more expensive without proper attention.
“You should be treating your system like you treat your car,” says air conditioning service technician, Patrick Murphy.
Like car maintenance, experts say, many costly repairs can be avoided by cleaning filters every three months. Dirty filters block air flow, reducing efficiency and making it harder to deliver the cool air.
“Filters are very important,” adds air conditioning technician, Michael Campbell. “This simple five or six dollar part can wreak havoc on your system and make it not work on those 100 degree nights.”
Campbell, who works for his family’s Campbell Cooling in Newington, also recommends cleaning coils and drain traps. Easy fixes which could save big money.
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“Homeowners can do it themselves. Flushing, making sure the trap is clear, can save you thousands of dollars in repairs,” says Campbell.
You can save on electric bills too. Eversource recommends setting a consistent and moderate temperature throughout the day, which uses less energy than periodically cranking the unit up.
To help conserve energy, Eversource also recommends using appliances like clothes washers and dryers early in the morning or late in the evening, when there is less demand on the electric system.
“My best advice would be, turn the system on in the morning to a temp that you’re gonna want when you get home. And just let it run,” adds Air conditioning technician, Patrick Murphy.
Bottom line though, is homeowners just want their units to work and are something they’re just not willing to live without this week.
“It’s a necessity. You have to have it. It’s Impossible not to have it,” says Sutera.
