What To Do If Your AC Can’t Keep Up With The Heat?

Summer is the favorite season of so many people. Going swimming, spending time outside, and enjoying the warmer weather are some of the things that make summer special. However, as the temperatures rise into July and August, almost everyone has that moment where they wish for some colder weather.

Thanks to modern technology, we have air conditioners that keep our homes cool and comfortable throughout the summer. But occasionally, a heatwave rolls through that’s so hot, your air conditioner can’t keep up. When this happens, it can be frustrating and incredibly uncomfortable.

However, there are some simple things you can do to give your air conditioner an extra boost and keep your home cooler during the summer heatwaves.

Help Your Air Conditioner

Your air conditioner can usually function without your help. But during a heatwave, you can take measures to improve your AC’s functionality and keep your utility bills low.

Don’t Turn Down The Thermostat

Turning down the thermostat won’t actually make your air conditioner cool your home quicker. In fact, it will only make your air conditioner work harder. This means your AC will use more energy and cost more to run to reach the temperature set on the thermostat. If your air conditioner isn’t cooling, that’s a separate issue to address.

Open Your Vents

Try to keep the vents and registers around your home open to give the air from the AC an unobstructed path through your home. This can drastically improve how cool your home is.

Change Your Air Filter

If you find that your air conditioner isn’t keeping up with the heat, one of the most simple ways to help your air conditioner is using a fresh filter. This gives the airflow a completely unobstructed path through the unit. It may be tempting to try and save a few dollars by washing the filter, however, doing so has negative impacts on your HVAC system.

Using a dirty filter makes your air conditioner use more energy and may cost more on your utility bills.

Clean Off The Outdoor Unit

When your outdoor AC unit gets dirty, the airflow through the unit can get blocked. Before the heatwave sets in, check your outdoor unit and remove any debris including grass clippings, dirt, leaves, pet hair, etc.

Check Your Home

Other issues in your home can contribute to your air conditioner not keeping up with the heat. Leaky ductwork and poor insulation throughout your home can let the cool air escape. Before the summer heatwave sets in, it can be helpful to have your ducts checked by a professional.

Other Ideas

Sometimes, your air conditioner is doing all it can to keep up with the heat. Here are some tips to keep your home cool that will ease the pressure on your air conditioner system.

Close Your Blinds and Curtains

While the natural light may be nice, leaving your blinds open during the day brings unnecessary heat into your home. If you hate having your home so dark, close your curtains where the sun is shining. In the morning, close your curtains on the east-facing windows, and in the afternoon, close curtains on the west-facing windows.

Run Major Appliances in the Evening

It’s great to do some laundry or a load of dishes after lunch but you should wait to use major appliances until the evening when it’s cooler out. This is especially true for appliances that warm up the house such as an oven or clothes dryer.

Have A Heat Pump Installed

Heat pumps are versatile devices that both heat and cool a home, without requiring the expense of having ductwork installed like central air does. These can operate at a fraction of the cost of baseboard or wall heaters, as well as far more efficiently than something like a room AC unit.

Bonus Tip: Grill Outdoors

If you’re fortunate enough to own a barbeque, try grilling outside on the hotter days so your oven and stove aren’t adding to the heat inside the house.

Limit Ingress and Egress

Either stay inside as much as possible or stay outside as much as possible to limit how much warm air blows into your home. Opening doors and windows will only let in more hot air and make your air conditioner run longer to cool your home back down.

Be Patient

Our final advice? Be patient and stay hydrated. The summer heatwave won’t last forever and your home will be cool again before you know it. Plus, when the warm days of summer are over and winter sets in, we’ll miss hot summer days.

J.A. Bertsch

J.A. Bertsch Heating & Cooling offers professional residential air conditioning services throughout Kootenai County. Our licensed AC technicians are equipped with the tools to service any air conditioning system regardless of age or model. Whether it’s the latest Coleman system or an antiquated window unit, our experienced team has training and resources to service them all. Call us today to schedule an appointment at 208-635-5480.