Your air conditioner is a welcome escape on a blazing afternoon. When the hot weather arrives in Front Royal, VA, nothing feels quite so good as a refreshingly cool home. Unfortunately, running your AC in extreme heat can have harmful consequences on your HVAC system. From reduced efficiency that spikes energy costs to wear and tear that causes failures, operating your AC in extreme temperatures can cause damage to your system—and your budget.
The problem is, oppressive heat is when most people really count on their air conditioner to keep their home cool. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help your air conditioner make it through the heat. This blog will cover ways high temperatures affect your AC and summer cooling tips to maintain comfort while safeguarding your cooling system.
Why Your AC Might Struggle to Keep Up
When it's very hot outdoors, there's a significant gap between the hot outdoor temperature and the ideal indoor climate you expect. Closing that difference between the two temperatures requires a lot of effort on the part of your air conditioner, requiring it to run constantly to try to cool down your home.
How Extreme Heat Impacts Air Conditioning Performance
When your air conditioner has to run more often, or even constantly it becomes less effective—which in turn raises your electricity costs. Using your air conditioner in on hot days can overload your cooling system, especially the compressor, possibly causing damage or for it to stop working. The stress from high temperatures also can cause wear and tear on other parts, leading to equipment failure that require air conditioning repair.
Why It's So Important to Have the Right Size AC in Your Home
Reducing the risk of your AC breaking down in high heat starts with selecting the right size air conditioner for your home. An air conditioner that's too small can have trouble ensuring your comfort even on a mild day. Units that are too big waste energy and may cause uneven cooling or high humidity.
During air conditioning installation at Dave's Diversified Services, our experienced HVAC technicians carefully evaluate your property and your comfort preferences to recommend the right unit for your home. Factors like your home's square footage, floor plan and insulation levels are all evaluated to make sure your air conditioner has the capacity to maintain comfort.
Ways that AC Maintenance Helps Protect Your AC During a Heatwave
One of the most effective strategies to increase air conditioning efficiency during hot summer spells is to schedule expert air conditioning maintenance. During our pre-summer service calls, qualified professionals inspect your system—checking things like internal components, connections and fluid pressure. They also enhance system performance by cleaning your unit and installing clean filters, easing the load by improving airflow through the system. The technicians at Dave's Diversified Services also inspect for potential issues or brewing problems to repair, which can help prevent avoidable breakdowns during extreme heat.
Homeowners can help by doing basic AC system chores in hot weather. Activities such as swapping out old AC air filters and cleaning the outdoor coils go a long way in maintaining optimal performance.
Common Misunderstandings About Air Conditioning Homes During Heatwaves
Several misconceptions exist about keeping your home cool in high temperatures. Here are three clarifications to the most common myths we hear about how to stay comfortable during a heatwave:
- Drastically lowering the temperature setting does not cool your home faster. Your AC runs at the same speed no matter how low you set the temperature.
- Turning off your air conditioner when you're not home does not improve energy efficiency. Instead, it gives heat a chance to build and leave your system with extra work when you come home and turn the air back on. It's better to dial the temp back a few degrees when you leave—but still keep the system on.
- Installing an oversized AC for your home isn’t the best choice. While high-capacity models have more power, they can cool a small space too quickly, causing uneven cooling, high humidity and other performance issues. A properly-sized AC delivers consistent comfort.
Strategies to Help Your AC Handle Extreme Heat
There are many things homeowners can do to avoid an AC overload during heatwaves—while also staying comfortable:
- Adjust your thermostat a little higher and use fans to move air and make the room more comfortable
- Do basic AC chores in between professional HVAC maintenance visits like checking and replacing air filters, and rinsing outdoor unit coils
- Draw blinds and curtains to reduce heat gain from sunlight
- Weatherproof windows and doors to stop cool air from leaking out or hot air getting inside
- Don't run heat-generating appliances such as ovens, stoves, dishwashers and clothes dryers when it's hot outside
Avoid Air Conditioning Breakdowns in Hot Weather with AC Maintenance from Dave's Diversified Services
Make sure your air conditioner is all set for the hot weather in Front Royal, VA, with AC maintenance from Dave's Diversified Services. Our crews will carefully check and tune up your unit, making sure it’s running at its best. Book your appointment by contacting us at 540-636-3396 today!