As home owners, we need to efficiently use and take care of our heating and cooling system. Always schedule regular maintenance of your heating and cooling equipment by your provider. Here are some during maintenance:
Drafty electric boxes in your exterior walls will let out warm air. To fix this, remove the cover plates and fill small gaps around the boxes with acrylic latex caulk. If the gaps are large, use foam sealant. Then place a foam gasket over the outlet or switch and replace the cover plate.
Avoid outside air and pests by filling the gaps around pipes, gas lines, and electrical cables that enter your home. Use expanding foam to fill them.
Practice good maintenance of air registers. Regularly vacuum your registers to get rid of dust. And make sure no appliance or furniture are blocking them.
Don’t delay repairing or have your air conditioner repaired when you smell gas or is making strange noises. Waiting too long for it to be repaired can leave your air conditioner in a much worse situation.
Clean your air conditioner filters regularly. Depending on the type of AC, you need to clean between twice a month to once per year.
Have your air ducts checked periodically for leaks by your air conditioning and heating company. Having your ducts checked will save you a lots of money and keep the warm/cool air inside your home.
A good and well-maintained air-conditioner and heating system can last for 15-20 years. With the new technological improvements, it is better to replace your old model every 10 years or so with a new advanced most energy efficient one.
Source: Energy.gov, Air-Conditioning and Heating