Hot summer weather can push any air conditioner to the breaking point. As temperatures in New Castle rise, many families notice increased energy bills, uneven temperatures throughout the home and cooling systems that seem to run all day without keeping up.
You may think the air conditioner is the only thing that affects how comfortable your home feels. However, your home’s airflow, insulation and shade all play a significant role in cooling performance.
This guide highlights three simple strategies that can enhance comfort and cooling efficiency: increasing airflow in your home, making sure your home has proper insulation and creating shade to reduce heat from the sun. Using these summer AC tips from the pros at Central Heating & Plumbing, you’ll keep your house cool in even the hottest weather.
Start with Airflow: Help Your AC Work Smarter
AC units cool air and distribute it through ductwork to rooms in your home. For that cooled air to make rooms comfortable, it must be able to move freely throughout your house. Whenever airflow is blocked, some rooms may not cool properly.
Many homeowners blame their air conditioner for poor cooling performance. The truth is, the AC is often working just fine—the real problem is restricted airflow. A clogged air filter, blocked vents and other HVAC issues can all inhibit airflow.
Home Airflow Improvement Tips
Taking these easy steps to improve airflow in your home can enhance comfort, lower strain on your AC and decrease energy costs.
- Swapout dirty air filters. Consistent AC air filter replacement helps your HVAC system increase airflow while helping improve indoor air quality.
- Ensure supply and return vents are unblocked. Furniture, rugs and curtains can create blocked air vents that prevent cooled air from circulating throughout your home.
- Openinterior doors. Doing so helps air to move more evenly between rooms.
- Relocate furniture covering registers.Making sure registers are free of obstructions allows conditioned air to circulate freely.
- Schedule preventiveAC maintenance services. As part of a professional HVAC tune-up, a technician can inspect and clean debris-covered blower components that may reduce your system’s ability to circulate air.
Insulation Plays a Bigger Role Than Many Homeowners Think
Insulation serves as a barrier against the warm air outside your home. While your air conditioner removes heat from inside your home, insulation helps keep that heat from getting inside. High-quality insulation enhances comfort, decreases cooling run times and can help extend the life of your HVAC system.
The attic is one of the biggest sources of unwanted heat gain during hot weather. Proper attic insulation and cooling go hand in hand because attic insulation reduces heat transfer through the roof. Sealing gaps and sealing around doors and windows also help prevent hot outdoor air from sneaking inside.
If insulation levels are too low or air leaks allow hot air to sneak inside, your air conditioning has to work harder. This often causes homeowners to ask, “Why is my house hot with the AC running?” Frequently, home insulation levels—not the air conditioner—are the problem.
Signs of Low Home Insulation Levels
- Warmsecond-floor rooms
- Uneventemperatures
- Risingenergy bills
- AnAC system that runs nonstop
Use Shade to Help Lower Cooling Costs
Sunlight shining through windows and heating your roof and exterior walls raises indoor temperatures, forcing your air conditioner to work harder.
Direct sunlight can also reduce the efficiency of your outdoor air conditioning unit by making it more difficult to release heat efficiently. Using shade around your property can reduce solar heat gain, improve comfort and lower summer energy bills. Shading your air conditioner’s outdoor unit can also help—but never restrict airflow around the condenser. Avoid fences, enclosures or dense landscaping that limit air movement.
5 Summer AC Tips for Using Shade to Cool Your Home
- Plan trees and landscaping strategically. Position trees to shade your roof, walls, windows and outdoor AC equipment. If you’re shading your outdoor AC unit, maintain at least 2–3 feet of clearance on all sides and 5 feet above the unit to ensure it receives enough airflow.
- Install window coverings. Light-colored curtains, cellular shades and thermal drapes limit heat gain from direct sunlight coming through windows.
- Add solar screens in your home. Solar screens, which are specially designed mesh curtains, placed on sun-facing windows help block the sun’s heat while still allowing in natural light.
- Incorporate outdoor shade. Use landscaping and design features such as awnings, pergolas, shade sails or exterior shutters to keep direct sunlight off windows so it doesn’t heat up your home.
- Keep blinds closed during high heat. Shut blinds or shades closed on west- and south-facing windows during the hottest part of the day to help reduce indoor temperatures and ease the load on your cooling system.
Additional Hot Weather Survival Tips
Airflow, insulation and shade make a big difference, but these AC efficiency tips can also increase comfort during intense summer heat.
- Settheappropriate ceiling fan direction. Run ceiling fans counterclockwise to create a cooling breeze.
- Limit heat-generating appliances during the hottest part of the day. Use ovens, dryers and dishwashers in the morning or evening to helpreduce indoor heat.
- Adjust thermostat settings. Don’t make frequent temperature changes that make your AC to work harder.
- Schedule preventative maintenance. Routine service helps your system run efficiently before peak cooling season.
- Watchfor unusual system performance. Take care of strange noises, weak airflow or inconsistent cooling before they become more expensive repairs.
The Importance of Knowing When It’s Time to Call an HVAC Professional
Basic AC maintenance and energy-efficient cooling strategies can help, but some problems call for professional attention. If warm air is coming from your vents, airflow feels weak, your air conditioner runs almost constantly, energy bills suddenly increase, rooms cool unevenly or your system turns on and off repeatedly, you should consider an expert evaluation.
At Central Heating & Plumbing, our cooling specialists inspect airflow, duct performance, insulation-related comfort concerns and overall system health to identify the underlying cause to help your HVAC system run at its best throughout the summer.
Stay Comfortable All Summer Long
Keeping your home cool during a heat wave involves more than just your air conditioning. Proper airflow, adequate insulation and effective shade work together to enhance comfort, improve efficiency and decrease cooling costs. Combined with regular summer HVAC maintenance, these strategies can help your system run at its best when you need it most.
has the training and experience to keep you comfortable no matter how hot it gets outside. If you’re looking for AC maintenance, a cooling system inspection, an airflow evaluation or a complete summer tune-up, we’re here to help boost efficiency and comfort during hot summers. Schedule cooling services online or call today to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions About Summer Air Conditioner Efficiency
Why is my house still hot even when the air conditioner is running?
If your living space remains hot even though your AC is running, the problem isn’t always your AC. Poor airflow, too little insulation, improper thermostat settings or HVAC system issues can all affect cooling performance and keep cool air from reaching every room.
Does shade really help cut cooling costs?
Absolutely. Trees, landscaping, awnings and window coverings block solar heat gain, helping your home stay cooler. Less heat entering your home means your cooling system doesn’t have to work as hard to cool your home. That uses less energy, which can lower your cooling expenses.
How often should I change my HVAC air filter during summer?
For most homes, homeowners should check their air filter every month during peak cooling season and replace it as necessary. The best air filter replacement schedule depends on the type of filter, pets, allergies and the amount of time your air conditioner runs.
Can insulation {help|make my air conditioner work better?
Yes. Proper home insulation limits heat transfer into your home, reducing strain on your air conditioning. Ensuring your home has proper insulation levels, especially in your attic or around windows, helps maintain more consistent indoor temperatures while using less energy.
Should I put a cover over my outdoor AC unit during hot weather?
No. You should never cover your outdoor air conditioning unit while it’s operating because the condenser needs unrestricted airflow to release heat. Adding shade for your outdoor air conditioner unit is beneficial, but always maintain at least 2–3 feet of clearance around the unit and 5 feet above it to allow proper airflow.
What temperature should I set my thermostat at when it’s hot outside?
For many homes, setting the thermostat around 78 degrees when you’re home offers the right balance of comfort and energy efficiency during a heat wave. Choose the highest temperature that keeps your family comfortable, and try not to make large thermostat adjustments that force your air conditioner to work harder.