Every year, people across America must brace for heat waves during the spring, summer, and sometimes autumn months. Hot weather is an unavoidable fact of life for most of us, and though many of us thrive on being able to pursue active summer sports and other exciting outdoor hobbies, many Americans wish that hotter weather could just be skipped over like a dull program on television. Most Americans make use of their homes’ air conditioning systems for at least three months of the year, and we spend more to cool our homes every year than some foreign nations’ entire GDP.
What many Americans do not realize, however, is the vital role that air conditioning has played in our country’s economic expansion over the last century. The first air conditioner in a public building was in the stock exchange of a major American city back in 1903, and there are hundreds of medical research companies that would not be able to conduct research without maintaining air conditioned buildings and laboratories. In addition, many major vacation destinations in America’s southern states rely upon tourism that relies upon their proximity to outdoor sporting activities. Once the sun goes down, however, tourists are encouraged to take advantage of relaxing, air-conditioned, indoor locales such as casinos, restaurants, and musical performances.
Closer to home, Americans are strongly encouraged to perform regular maintenance on their HVAC units. Sometimes, local heat waves can be much stronger than expected, and school-aged children, senior citizens, and family pets are especially vulnerable during an expected heat wave. Any local HVAC company can come to your commercial or residential property and perform an inspection: homeowners are encouraged to let the pros tackle HVAC repair projects, as freon — a refrigerant that circulates through window air conditioning units — can leak unexpectedly in older units.
An air conditioning contractor can also help homeowners with older homes perform system-wide retrofitting and upgrades: there is a variety of HVAC solutions for homes without existing ductwork. Heat waves can cause children and seniors to become rapidly dehydrated, and having current, operational HVAC systems in place can be essential to ensure both safety and comfort during extreme summer weather. Heat waves can be more dangerous to seniors than snowstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes combined, especially in larger urban areas with multi-story apartment complexes where the heat inside an apartment can exceed outside temperatures by more than 20 degrees.
During a scheduled air conditioning maintenance call, an air conditioning contractor may examine your home’s air filters and ductwork to check for leaks and blockages. Homeowners who change their HVAC filters at least three times per calendar year may also notice a reduction in their electric bills: new high-efficiency HVAC systems are designed to be used for longer periods of time without burnout, but making sure to perform routine filter changes can help your home’s HVAC system run more efficiently as a whole.
How do I find a local air conditioning contractor? Neighbors can be an excellent resource during the process of narrowing down your local air conditioning repair options, and there are also websites online that allow customers to review local businesses and to discuss their experiences with repair companies. Once you find an air conditioning contractor, experts recommend scheduling yearly reviews and system upgrades well in advance of summer heat waves. Just as roofing and gutters should be inspected before harsh winter months bring heavy snow, air conditioning systems should be inspected before summer is in full effect.
Whether the property is commercial or residential, having an operational, optimized HVAC system is a project that must be attended to on a yearly basis. Customers will naturally choose to frequent businesses where they can guarantee a comfortable shopping or dining experience, and homeowners are smart to want to make sure every member of their families — even their furry friends — is comfortable and safe during the hottest months of the year.