No homeowner wants their air conditioner to break down all of a sudden – not only does it cause discomfort and a great hassle to you and your home’s other inhabitants, it can also leave a significant dent in your wallet.

Read on to find out about a few different ways you can help avoid emergency air conditioning repair.

1. Put your programmable thermostat to good use. The less work your air conditioner needs to exert, the less chances of it breaking down or failing on you. Your programmable thermostat can manage your air conditioning unit’s amount of work, especially when no one is home. You can adjust the settings of your thermostat so that your air conditioner maintains a relatively higher temperature when the house is empty (meaning it would need to exert less effort keeping the room cool), and will only adjust to a cooler temperature once you and the other members of your family are home. With a programmable thermostat that cleverly manages the work load of your air conditioner, you’re helping your air conditioner last a little longer.

2. Ensure that your home has proper insulation. Especially during the summer months, insulation for your home is critical in keeping it considerably cool. Without the proper insulation, your air conditioning system will have to work that much harder to keep your house cool, and the harder your air conditioning unit works, the more prone it is to breaking down and eventually requiring immediate split system air conditioning repair.

3. Make sure the area where your air conditioning system’s outdoor unit is located is always clean and well-maintained. Foreign materials like fallen leaves, branches, dried twigs and other debris can enter your air conditioner’s outdoor unit, potentially damaging some of its vital components. You must also keep the area around your air conditioning system’s outdoor unit free from potential hazards, such as trees that can fall on the unit during extreme weather. Such accidents will almost certainly entail emergency air conditioning repair.

4. Don’t ignore your air conditioner’s little nuances and changes. If you notice little things like a relatively higher electrical bill this month versus the previous month, though you are certain you used the air conditioner at only around the same frequency, or if you hear small noises coming from your air conditioning unit or detect strange subtle smells, these little nuances can be an indication of bigger problems. And you should have your unit checked immediately before the problem gets worse. Contact your trusted air conditioning service company immediately should you notice any of these subtle signs.

5. Regularly change your air filters. The filters on an air conditioning unit is a simple component of a relatively complex machine, but it is a critical one. Unfortunately, this critical component also experiences the most wear and tear, and at a relatively frequent pace. Regularly cleaning or replacing your air conditioning unit’s filters can save you from bigger problems with your unit in the long run, so never put it off!

Don’t forget to schedule regular air conditioning service. Prevention is always better than the cure, and this is most definitely true when it comes to air conditioning maintenance.