SAN DIEGO — If you have air conditioning at home, you're probably using it to stay cool through this heat wave.
But if you haven't given your air conditioner some TLC lately, it could end up costing you.
CBS 8’s Abbie Alford called up ASI Hastings to walk through her home to see if her AC was running efficiently.
Turns out her unit was working harder than it needed to be and could cost her.
She 'Worked for You' to find out how you can maintain our AC unit and when to call the professionals.
Shutting the windows and doors and closing the blinds will help keep the house cool but how often should you change your air filter?
“The filter should be replaced at least twice a year, it all depends on the indoor air quality and environment in the home,” said Eddie Sandoval, ASI Hastings technician.
He and technician Daren Gandy checked the air filter and found there was a filter in a vent in the hallway and one next to the furnace in the attic.
“If there is a filter there and filter here it causes a restriction for the unit causing your unit to work harder and causing your energy bill to go higher because it's pulling from two filters,” said Sandoval.
The one in the hallway is incorrect because manufacturers require that there be a door and not a grill that you have to unscrew.
“You'll definitely want a return door that drops down,” said Sandoval.
You can find most filters next to your furnace. Depending on how much dust and debris you want to keep out of your home and cooling system, filters can run from $9 to $30 at a local retail store.
You should also write down the date on the filter to know when it was last changed.
Before we head outside, Eddie points out that the thermostat should be set at the beginning of the day and not when you get home when the house is hot.
“We try to make sure we set it at the beginning so it’s not working as hard but also keep the temperature where we want it to be comfortable in our home and not wait until the end where the unit is running into the night,” said Sandoval.
Also, he recommends that you make sure that your thermostat is set to auto and the fan as well.
And closing some of the vents to keep the cool air out of unused rooms could actually be worse for your system.
“We get that a lot, ‘I'm going to save money by doing that’ but it's totally opposite you are actually using more money. Creating your system to be inefficient and more breakdowns in the middle of the summer,” said Sandoval.
Now, this is where you may want to hire a technician to come out and run a tune-up.
“The last thing we want is to have your system run all day every day 24 hours a day in the middle of the summer if it's not cooling properly,” said Sandoval.
Outside he unplugs the air conditioning unit and discusses after you do that you can hose down the unit once a year and apply coil cleaner or have a technician do it which is included in the $87 AC maintenance check.
“Let’s see where we're at with refrigerant levels here,” said Sandoval.
He has a refrigerant gauge that shows whether more is needed. It can vary by the pound and costs between $40 to $150.
Before Eddie and Daren head out, they check to make sure the air temperature inside is cool with the air going in and out and find the house is properly cooling.
SDG&E says proper AC maintenance can save customers anywhere from 5% to 15% on their energy bill.
Experts recommend you have your heating and cooling systems maintained twice a year, say in the fall and spring.
ASI Hastings charges $87 for a maintenance check but saves you some cash down the road. New central air systems can cost you thousands of dollars.
The Department of Energy also offered ways to maintain your AC unit.
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