There's nothing worse than dealing with a house that's hotter than it should be during the summer. Unfortunately, there are a variety of reasons why your home may not get as cool as you'd like it to be. One reason for your home not cooling down to a comfortable temperature may be your air conditioner. If it's not functioning properly, you're not going to stay cool this summer. That's why it's crucial that you start off the season with a service call. During the service call, your HVAC technician will take care of any HVAC repairs that need to be performed. In addition to the service call, here are three steps you should take to stay cool this summer.

Switch to Zone Coverage

If your HVAC system doesn't allow for zone coverage, you need to consider an upgrade. With zone coverage, your HVAC system can be modified to allow for the heating and cooling of specific zones within your home. That way, you won't waste energy on the areas of the house that you're not using. Not only that, but it will ensure that the areas that are being used will remain a comfortable, and consistent temperature.

Take Your Thermostat Off "Auto"

If you have your thermostat set to the "auto" setting, you need to switch over to the fan. You might not realize this but when you have your thermostat set to auto, your fan will only operate when the heater or air conditioner is running. That means that the air in your home won't circulate the way that it should. To keep your home a comfortable temperature, and to reduce the number of times that your heater or air conditioner needs to cycle on and off during the day, you should switch to fan. That way, the air is able to circulate in your home.

Have Your Ducts Inspected

If you haven't had your ducts looked at in a while, you need to have them inspected. Settling, aging, and even rodent infestations can cause your ducts to separate, which can cause leaks. Once your ducts are leaking, you're going to lose air before it can get through to your home. That means your home will never reach the right temperature, no matter how long you leave your HVAC unit running. To catch those leaks, make sure you have your ducts inspected when you have your HVAC unit serviced this summer.