Your air conditioner is blissful relief on a scorching summer day. When the summer heat kicks in in Rockford, IL, nothing feels quite so good as a pleasantly cool home. Unfortunately, running your AC in intense summer heat can have damaging impacts on your HVAC system. From energy inefficiency that runs up your power bills to wear and tear that causes malfunctions, operating your AC in hot weather can cause expensive problems.
The problem is, sweltering heat is when the average household relies on their air conditioner to keep their home cool. Fortunately, there are simple things you can do to help your cooling system make it through the heat. This blog will discuss ways high temperatures affect your AC and summer cooling tips to help you stay cool while avoiding unnecessary wear and tear on your AC.
Why Your AC Has Problems Keeping Up in Hot Weather
When it's very hot outdoors, there's a huge difference between the hot outdoor temperature and the ideal indoor climate you expect. Closing that difference between the two temperatures requires a lot of energy from your AC unit, making it cycle continuously to try to cool down your home.
How Extreme Heat Impacts AC Performance
When your AC unit has to work extra hard in high heat it loses efficiency—which in turn drives up your energy expenses. Running your AC in intense summer weather can overload your cooling system, especially the compressor, possibly causing damage or for it to fail entirely. The strain heat puts on your AC also can cause wear and tear on other components, leading to mechanical issues 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 overheating and failing starts with picking the correct size AC system for your home. An air conditioner that's too small can have trouble ensuring your comfort even on a moderate summer day. Units that are larger than necessary waste energy and may cause uneven cooling or high humidity.
During air conditioning installation at Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling, our skilled cooling professionals carefully evaluate your property and your personal cooling needs to choose the best-cooling system for your home. Factors like your home's overall dimensions, number of windows and insulation levels are all taken into account to make sure your air conditioner has enough power to cool your home efficiently.
Ways that AC Maintenance Helps Protect Your AC During a Heatwave
One of the most effective strategies to increase air conditioning efficiency during heat waves is to invest in professional air conditioning maintenance. During our pre-summer service calls, qualified professionals thoroughly check your AC—checking things like internal components, connections and coolant amounts. They also boost efficiency by cleaning out buildup and debris and replacing dirty air filters, easing the load by allowing air to move freely through the system. The technicians at Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling also inspect for potential issues or brewing problems to address, which can help prevent avoidable breakdowns during extreme heat.
Residents can help safeguard their AC by doing basic AC system chores in the summer heat. Activities such as inspecting HVAC filters regularly and clearing debris from the outside unit go a long way in helping your system run better.
Common Misconceptions About Staying Cool in Extreme Temperatures
Several myths persist about keeping your home cool in extreme heat. Here are three clarifications to the most popular misconceptions we hear about how to keep your AC trouble-free during hot weather:
- Setting your thermostat extremely low does not cool your home faster. Your AC operates at a fixed rate no matter how low you set the temperature.
- Shutting your AC off completely when you're not home does not reduce your utility bills. Instead, it lets indoor temps rise and leave your system with extra work when you come home and turn the air back on. It's better to adjust the setting slightly when you leave—but still leave your AC running.
- Installing an oversized AC for your home isn’t the most effective option. While large systems have more power, they can finish cooling quickly and shut off too soon, causing temperature swings, high humidity and other performance issues. A right-sized system cools your home better.
Strategies to Help Your Air Conditioning Handle Extreme Temperatures
There are many things homeowners can do to avoid an AC overload during heatwaves—while also staying comfortable:
- Adjust your thermostat a few degrees higher and turn on fans to move air and make the room feel cooler
- Do routine AC chores in between professional HVAC maintenance visits like inspecting and replacing air filters, and cleaning outdoor unit coils
- Draw blinds and curtains to reduce heat gain from sunlight
- Seal windows and doors to stop cool air from leaking out or hot air getting in
- Don't run heat-generating appliances such as ovens, stoves, dishwashers and clothes dryers when there are high temps
Avoid AC Issues During Hot Weather with AC Maintenance from Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling
Ensure your air conditioner is prepared for the hot weather in Rockford, IL, with AC maintenance from Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling. Our crews will thoroughly check and tune up your unit, making sure it’s working as efficiently as possible. Schedule your appointment by reaching out to our team at (815) 914-6197 today!