Get your home ready for spring

You still have plenty of time before you’ll need to crank up the air conditioning at home. Use the spring season to do some maintenance that could help your air conditioner run more efficiently and reliably this summer.

Here are five tips:

1. Replace air filters before you turn the air conditioning on for the first time. Then, replace them again about once a month until autumn. Clean air filters allow conditioned air to flow easily through your rooms. And they lower the amount of dust, dander and pollutants that get pushed into your indoor air.
2. Move lamps away from thermostats. Electronics and lamps give off heat when they’re turned on, which can fool your thermostat into thinking the room is warmer than it is.
3. Seal leaks. If you felt cold drafts coming inside during the winter, find the sources of the leaks and caulk them. Look around ducts, cables and wires on the interior side of outdoor walls. Those same leaks will let cool air escape during the summer.
4. Switch the direction of your ceiling fan blades. For warm weather, the blades should rotate counterclockwise.
5. Schedule an HVAC inspection. A qualified HVAC pro can spot problems before they occur and make sure your equipment is maintained and ready for warm weather.