8 Ideas for Taking Care of Your AC Unit During Extreme Heat

Extreme heat waves are becoming increasingly common, with about six heat waves per season and heat wave seasons lasting significantly longer than in previous decades. Our air conditioners keep us safe and comfortable even as the mercury rises. Here’s what you need to know to keep your AC functioning during the hottest weather.

1. Change the Filter

Your HVAC system has an air filter that removes dust, dirt, and debris from the air moving through your air conditioner. Take a few moments to check the filter seasonally. If you have pets or live in a particularly dry or dusty climate, you might need to do this more often to simplify your AC’s job and decrease its workload.

2. Clean the Coils

AC coils transfer heat from the air to the refrigerant and move the heat outside your home. When they get dirty, they can’t do this job efficiently anymore, and they’ll need cleaning so that they can continue to keep you cool. An HVAC pro is the best person for that job because they’ll know how to reach the coils quickly and clean them effectively.

3. Be Proactive

Your AC works hard to keep you cool, but you can help it out. Use ceiling fans set to spin in a counterclockwise direction to push cool air down from the ceiling. Seal your ductwork as needed to avoid losing conditioned air to the gaps in your home. Use blinds, shades, or curtains during the warmer parts of the day, or add UV film over your windows to block the sun’s heat and help keep your home cooler.

4. Schedule Maintenance

Seasonal maintenance can help catch early signs of problems before they can cause a breakdown. This is especially important before summer heatwaves and periods of high use. At a routine maintenance visit with your local HVAC service, a technician will check the filter and refrigerant, clean the coils and condensate lines, tighten connections, lubricate moving parts, and calibrate and check the thermostat. Your AC will be set to run at maximum efficiency all season long!

5. Check the Thermostat

Have you ever walked into someone’s home and felt an arctic blast? While these chilly temps might feel good on a blazing hot day, they can be hard on your air conditioner. Running them constantly in extremely high temperatures can increase the risk of breakdowns and damage related to wear and tear. Check your thermostat, and set it to a more moderate temperature. Replacing a conventional thermostat with a smart thermostat can be a great way to do this. Smart thermostats often come with eco settings designed to save you money on your energy bills without compromising your family’s comfort or your air conditioner’s longevity.

6. Clean Up Outside

The outside air conditioning unit needs to be free of debris. That means no bushes, landscaping, mulch, tree limbs, or anything else. When you’re outside doing yard work, take a few moments to clean up around the air conditioning unit, too.

7. Add Some Shade

Did you know that shady spots under trees are about 6 degrees cooler than the surrounding air? The temperature difference is even bigger compared to sun-soaked blacktop, which can be 25 degrees hotter than shady, grassy spaces. Keep your home cooler and lighten the load on your air conditioner with the addition of some shade trees. The payoff for this change might be years in the future, but the rewards will be well worth it.

8. Tackle Humidity

A high dew point and relative humidity cause the air to feel damp and sticky and make us feel warmer. While our air conditioners serve to dehumidify the air, we can ease their burden somewhat by using a dehumidifier. Portable and whole-house dehumidifiers are available and work similarly to remove excess humidity from a space. You’ll feel cooler without necessarily having to lower the temperature.

Taking care of your air conditioner during the periods of highest use will ensure it can continue to take care of you when you need it most.