Verne Hill
TIPS: Your AC in Extreme Heat
These crazy hot temperatures not only put stress on your family, your pets and anyone working outside.
Extreme heat stresses your air conditioning system too.
The first thing you should know is that your system is typically not designed for 100º heat. HVAC systems are designed for an average temperature in your area.
Your system is also designed to cool to a maximum of 20º below the temperature outside. Example: At 100º degrees outside, units should be cooling to 80º inside!!
While it may seem as if your system is not working, it is probably doing all it can during extreme temperatures.
Some easy ways to tell if you are actually having an HVAC problem or if it is just the heat…
- Does the system eventually start keeping up in the middle of the night or early morning when the outside temperatures have cooled down? If the answer is yes, the problem is more than likely just the extreme heat outside.
- Is the system cooling some? If it is close to 20º cooler than outside, it is probably doing all it can. If it is closer to the outside temperature, you probably have an issue that needs service.
- Are there any signs of a problem such as a water leak at the indoor unit, ice on the indoor or outdoor coils, or it is not catching up over night? If yes, you probably need a service call.
Things you can do to help keep your house cooler during the Summer (when the A/C just can’t keep up)…
- Use your ceiling fans.
- Keep your blinds closed.
- Run your dishwasher and laundry at night.
- Set your thermostat higher than you normally would to give your system a break. Operating in extreme heat can cause breakdown of motors, capacitors and other parts.
- Make sure your filter is clean, this will ensure your system is operating at peak efficiency with no airflow restrictions.
- Cut back shrubbery and anything else that is around your outdoor unit, it needs room to “breathe.”
- Cook outside on your grill. Avoid heating up the house with the oven if possible.
- Keep doors and windows closed and try not to open and close the doors to outside too often.
- One of the best things you can do is have your system serviced seasonally to ensure weak parts are detected before they break down in the extreme heat. Check out our maintenance plans.
*Please contact a reputable HVAC professional with questions or when a problem arises .
