Tips to Keep You Cool…Even in a Heat Wave
Heat wave. Hot streak. Summer scorcher. Whatever you want to call it, a run of high temps can make the best of us, well, lose our cool. Extreme heat also puts even the best of air conditioners to the test. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to stay cool, and give your A/C a fighting chance.
Maximize the Cool
To make it easier for your A/C to keep things cool when it’s 90+ degrees outside, you need may need to give it some help. You’ve seen a lot of these tips before, but with hot temps in the forecast, it’s always a good reminder…
Adjust your thermostat. Every little bit helps. Turning the thermostat up a couple of degrees to 76 or 78, for example, means your home’s air conditioner has to work a little less to get indoor temps to the desired level. In fact, if you can keep the difference between the temp outside and the inside temp inside to about a 20 degree difference, you’ll put less stress on your HVAC system, keeping you comfy, and your home happy.
Block out the sun and look for hot spots. A little natural light is always nice. But during hot summer days, that extra sunlight can bring a lot of heat. Shading your windows on the sunny side of the house can go a long ways in ensuring your home stays a little cooler and your AC has to work a little less. And look for other hot spots as well. Drafty doors or windows (anywhere you feel warm air coming in to the home), should be properly sealed to keep hot air out and the comfy cold air in.
Give the oven a summer vacation. Stovetops and ovens do a great job creating heat. And while most of that heat goes to good use helping to prepare your food, a fair amount is also lost in to your home. When the temps soar, consider firing up the outdoor grill and preparing food outside. In a nice, shady spot, of course : )
Be mindful of other heat-producing appliances as well. Did you know…the heated dry cycle on your dishwasher exhausts heat in to your home? IT’s true! So does your dryer (even with the proper exterior venting). If you can hold off running the dishwasher or dryer until temps cool off for the day, your A/C will thank you.
Keeping your home cooler, even a little bit, means the A/C does not need to be running as long for each cooling cycle.
A Little Maintenance Goes a Long Way
Your home’s HVAC system should be getting a maintenance checkup at least once a year. Ideally, the A/C unit should be checked before peak demand in the summer heat, to ensure it's running at its best when you need it most. It will be running long and hard through these multiple 90+ degree days and may even need a check-up later on after all that heavy use.
If a full check-up isn’t in the cards, at least check your media filter. A clean filter allows more cool air to flow through your system. More air means more efficiency. If your filter looks dirty (or you know you haven’t replaced it in a while) we have a full selection of filters for nearly every system. Our filters are priced lower than the big box hardware stores and we even beat WalMart and Amazon in most cases. Plus, we’ll ship your filter to your home for free. Shop our selection of media filters here.
If you’re not comfortable replacing your own filter, give us a call. We’re always happy to help.
Some Commonly Asked Questions
How cool should my house be if it's 90+ degrees outside?
The majority of air conditioning units are designed to only cool the air about 20 degrees from the outside temperature. If the temperatures outside are approaching the high-90s, you should set your thermostat at about 78 dgrees. A higher setting helps to reduce stress on your AC system.
Can it be too hot for your home AC to work?
While it may be hot enough to give your AC a little fight, a well-maintained and appropriately-sized system should be up to the task of keeping your home at a reasonably cool temperature (meaning, no system is designed to cool your home to 55 degrees when it’s over 100 outside…but 78? You bet!).
If your AC is not up to the task, give us a call. We’re always happy to help troubleshoot your system. You home’s comfort system, including your AC, is our expertise. We want you to be cool, safe, and happy. We’re here to help anytime you need us.
