The hot temperatures that come with island life in Hawaii makes an air conditioner vital to maintaining comfortable temperatures indoors. When you’re relying on a piece of equipment like your HVAC unit to make your living space comfortable, you should be taking measures to ensure that it lasts a long time.

HVAC unit outdoors

1) Be Eco-Friendly

In addition to being great for the environment, using eco-friendly HVAC settings can also extend the lifespan of your system. There are a couple of ways you can achieve this result. 

First, you can turn up your air conditioner when no one is home. Doing this allows your air conditioner to stop working overtime to keep your home cool. We’re not suggesting that you turn it off completely! Instead, turn the temperature up a bit so that your home isn’t quite as cool when you aren’t home. Not only is this great for your air conditioner’s lifespan and the environment, it’s also great for your pocketbook! Reduced energy expenditures will save you money in the short- and long-term. 

Another way you can be eco-friendly is to use a thermostat with built-in eco-friendly settings. Nest thermostats have several settings available that make eco-friendly choices easy! This includes an all-encompassing eco mode which prevents the user from lowering the air conditioning temperature below 76. This is particularly handy if someone in your house (*cough* your kids *cough*) tries to lower the temperature without permission. The Nest prevents them from doing so, and it can also be password protected. 

Additionally, the Nest also has automatic fan settings that allow you to have the fan kicked on during certain times of the day to ensure air is circulating around your home. This reduces the temperature without turning the air conditioner on.

2) Replace Air Filters Regularly

Utilizing eco-friendly settings is a moot point, however, if you aren’t changing your air filters at the appropriate intervals. Air filters work to filter out dust and other particulates that can damage your air conditioner. This is important because your air conditioner works by sucking in air from your home and cooling it over the evaporator coil, before blowing it back out through your vents to cool your home down. Removing these fine particles from the air during this process keeps them from clogging up numerous parts of your air conditioner. 

Replacing your air filter is quick and easy! Simply locate the return air duct to your HVAC unit—it’s usually a 20- by 20-inch air vent, but sizes may vary. Once you’ve found it, open it up to remove the old air filter. Insert the new air filter in its place, and toss out the old one. Repeat these steps each month to help keep your air conditioner in good condition. 

3) Regular AC Tune-Ups

HVAC maintenance should be carried out twice each year to preserve the life of your unit. These tune-ups include a comprehensive inspection of your air conditioner. As a result, minor maintenance issues can often be caught before they cause major problems. Your AC technician should be testing the fuses, compressor, fan blade, and other key components of your air conditioner in addition to checking for safety concerns. If there are components that need to be cleaned or replaced, they should be able to advise you as needed. 

There are several measures you can take to make your HVAC last longer in a tropical climate like Hawaii. At Island Comfort, our technicians perform thorough 32-point AC tune-ups to maintain and prevent damage to our customers’ air conditioners. If your HVAC isn’t running properly, or you’d like to have a 32-point AC tune-up, visit our website for more information.

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