You don’t need to deal with an A/C unit that’s gone rogue. Call in Progressive Heating & Air and our Raleigh HVAC specialists will have your home cooling system under control and running smoothly in no time.

Don’t let your A/C act like this:

This short video gives a good primer on the basic functions of your home air conditioning system:

And, as always, call Progressive Heating & Air for professional Raleigh air conditioning system repair!

Here are some ideas for staying cool in Raleigh this summer without relying on round-the-clock air conditioning at home:

Strategic A/C system use

If your air conditioning is on and you’re about to leave your house for more than a half hour, turn it off! Switching it on and off every time you step outside won’t help (it takes some energy to get it going again), but turning it off when you’ll be out for a significant amount of time will help you save money and energy.

Programmable thermostats are also a good way to use your home’s A/C system efficiently. If you know that everyone in your family is out during the day on weekdays, install a programmable thermostat and set your air conditioning to turn off when your family leaves in the morning and turn back on when you get home.

Easy peasy, nice and breezy

Take advantage of Raleigh’s natural climate on cooler, breezy days. Turn off the air conditioning, open the windows and let the breezes in! It’s important to remember to open windows on more than one side of your house to take advantage of cross breezes.

Ceiling and standing fans can also be a good way to cool down. If you know you’re only going to be at home for brief intervals on a given day, forgo A/C in favor of turning the fans on when you’re around.

Nighttime tips

Though Raleigh’s summer heat can be unbearable during the day, it does cool off a little at night. Set your programmable thermostat to turn the A/C off during later evening hours and sleep with the windows open instead.

The lack of nighttime air conditioning will be a lot more comfortable if you’re not sleeping under all those blankets – in summertime, make a switch from the heavy blankets you usually use in favor of lighter versions that are more appropriate for the season. A fun trick: Turn your pillow case into a cooling agent by sticking it in the fridge or freezer for a half hour before going to bed.

Water, water everywhere

Skip the A/C during even the hottest parts of the day by taking the family outside to cool down while washing the car in driveway, playing in the sprinkler, or hanging out at the neighborhood pool. The Raleigh area is also fortunate to have plenty of rivers and lakes nearby. Find the one closest to you here.

With the hot weather Raleigh’s been having lately, you want your air conditioner to work. Call us for quick, professional installation and repairs, as well as savings!

Our A/C service coupons include:

• $10 off any service call
• $20 off work over $200
• $30 off work over $300
• Up to $2,000 savings on a new system

Visit the Progressive Heating & Air site for more details!

Raleigh AC service & inspection
But here’s the problem: your AC system can only keep your home cool and allergens at bay if it’s functioning properly. Air conditioners that have been long-unused during the winter often have not been inspected in quite some time. That’s why it’s important to get an AC system inspection along with your regular spring cleaning routine.

The Raleigh HVAC technicians at Progressive Heating & Air offer inspections, service and repair for all makes and models of air conditioning systems. If you’re worried about all that pollen floating around outside, it’s important that you get your AC system checked — and especially the air filter.

If the filter in your air conditioner hasn’t been changed recently, your AC unit may not be protecting your home’s interior from allergens. Depending on the type, filters may need to be changed monthly or yearly. Contact Progressive Heating & Air to determine whether your filter needs to be replaced or for any other AC maintenance.

Annual home inspections

Having your heating, AC, plumbing and electrical systems checked once a year will help you understand minor problems before they become major repair projects. Call a professional Raleigh HVAC technician, plumber or electrician to do a thorough check on your home’s systems to make sure everything is running smoothly. If not, they will be able to make minor fixes for you before problems get out of hand and become expensive to fix.

Fix plumbing and piping leaks

Your Raleigh plumber will check for leaks as a part of your annual inspection, but there are also ways you can inspect for plumbing leaks on your own. Take a look under cabinets to make sure pipes aren’t leaking, turn valves on and off to make sure everything is working properly and keep a close eye on your water bill. If your bill is unusually high, it probably means you have a plumbing leak somewhere in your home. Have all leaks fixed immediately to make sure you don’t waste money on wasted water.

Install a programmable thermostat

Or have one of the professionals at Progressive do it for you! A programmable thermostat enables you to maintain a comfortable, reliable temperature in your home while also increasing the efficiency of your home’s heating and air conditioning system and allowing it to function properly for longer. According to the MSN Money article, installing a programmable thermostat can save you $180 a year on heating and air conditioning bills by more accurately regulating the temperature of your home.

There are lots of ways to save energy at home, but it’s best to get the facts before making a lot of changes. A home energy audit will determine where energy is being wasted in your home and what you can do to fix those problem areas.

Take a look at this article from HowStuffWorks.com to learn about DIY and professional energy audits. After you’ve determined where energy is being wasted in your home, give Progressive a call to help you fix the problems!

What can Progressive do to help you conserve energy? Our Raleigh HVAC division can replace your old heating or air conditioning system to a newer, more energy-efficient model. Our Raleigh electricians can fix energy leaks around electrical outlets, and recommend and install energy-efficient home appliances. Our Raleigh solar technicians can help you make big changes with a solar water heater or photovoltaic solar panels.

Are you ready to save money by conserving energy? Give Progressive a call today!

So this year, along with the usual list of resolutions, add this list of plumbing, HVAC, solar and electrical changes you can make at home to help the environment:

Resolution 1: Check your home for leaks in plumbing and piping. Or, call us to help! Leaky faucets, pipes and other plumbing fixtures can be an enormous waste of water.

Resolution 2: Use your dishwasher and clothes washing machine and dryer efficiently! Only run loads when these appliances are full – this will save gallons of water (in the case of the dishwasher and clothes washing machine) and lots of energy (in the case of the clothes dryer).

Resolution 3: Consider solar energy. There are more solar alternatives than just a rooftop solar array (though those are great). You can go solar with a solar water heater too! Contact Progressive’s solar division to learn how we can help your household switch to solar.

Resolution 4: Adapt to the climate, don’t make the climate adapt to you. Sure, turning up the heat in winter and cranking up the A/C in the summer makes sense. But it also uses a lot of energy. This year, don’t depend on your HVAC system to do all the work. Throw on a sweater if you’re cold; open the window and make a cold beverage if you’re hot.

Resolution 5: Turn off the lights and other electrical appliances when not in use. Ok, you’ve been hearing this your whole life. But have you ever made it a habit? Turn off the lights when you leave the room, unplug the blender when you’re finished with it, unplug your phone charger when it’s not in use, etc.

Resolution 6: Get creative! Reuse water from washing vegetables to water your houseplants. Open the blinds for light instead of turning on the lamp. Put a bucket under a leaky faucet to collect water to use for other purposes. Thinking of new ways to conserve water and energy can be fun, promise.

Do you have a profile on Facebook? We’d love to connect with you — check out the Progressive Plumbing and Piping Facebook page! We offer helpful links to all kinds of home maintenance information. Have a do-it-yourself plumbing question? Want to know the latest solar energy news? We try to keep you updated on it all at our Facebook page (in addition to random pieces of plumbing humor).

We’ve been handling Raleigh plumbing since 1983. Now the home maintenance name you trust has expanded to serve your air comfort needs. We’re happy to now provide Raleigh heating and air conditioning services through our Progressive Heating and Air division.

Our HVAC experts will provide the same quick, dependable service you’ve come to expect from Progressive. Emergency? Don’t sweat it. You can call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We service and repair all major brands of air conditioners and heat pumps. So next time you have a air comfort concern, don’t get overcharged by a big national chain. Call your locally owned and operated resource for home maintenance. Call your friends at Progressive.