Summer has finally arrived!
For Texans, summer heat is nothing new, but this year might be the hottest in years. This much heat this early in the year is reminiscent of two historically hot years, 1980 and 2011, when an excruciating heat wave broke records by July. (Telegram, 2022)
A little forethought before severe weather strikes might help to reduce the damage to your home. Many air conditioning systems struggle to keep up with the exceptionally high temperatures seen during a heatwave. Don't be startled if your air conditioner never switches off during an exceptionally hot day.
Breakdowns are a common occurrence. Every home should have a strategy in place to maintain its HVAC system. Not only to avoid suffering during the heat but also for keeping your home cool without increasing your energy bill. Here are a few recommendations that can help you to protect your Air Conditioner:
Recognize Its Restrictions: A thermostat that is more than 20 degrees below the outside temperature will not make the house any cooler. It will just force the air conditioner to run longer cycles or keep running nonstop. This puts an undue strain on essential AC components, such as the pricey compressor. It has the potential to cause a total system shutdown, leaving your home hot.
It's better to avoid turning up the AC in high temperatures, as this puts your AC unit up against an uphill battle to cool down your house. Adjust your thermostat to 75-78 degrees (or greater) and get used to the heat. (Chip, 2020)
Replace Air Filter: A blocked air filter restricts airflow, forcing your system to work considerably harder than necessary. During the summer, your HVAC system's air filter gets a lot more use. Replace your air filter at the intervals advised by the manufacturer of your system. Throughout the summer, check it every 30 days and replace it as needed. (Wattson, 2021)
Clean your AC coils: Your air conditioner has two kinds of coils: the evaporator coil and the condenser coil. If any of these don't work properly, your AC won't be able to keep you cool.
The evaporator coil of the air conditioner is designed to absorb heat from the air within your house. Condenser coils, on the other hand, function by dissipating stored heat into the air. The coil in the outside AC unit is more susceptible to becoming unclean due on to dust, pollution, soot, leaves, and other particles.
Install a Programmable Thermostat: This is especially important if you need to be away from your home for several hours at a time during a heatwave.
If you want your home to cool down fast, turning your thermostat as low as it will go won't help. It's usually better to plan the temperatures you desire ahead of time because it provides greater comfort. A programmable thermostat can help with that.
Call for Professional Help: A professional energy audit can determine the optimal approaches for your home. By contacting in-home energy specialists, you can have a better understanding of where your home is wasting energy, how to fix the problem, and which rebates and incentives are available to make your renovations both energy and cost-efficient.
What Texas Comfort Solutions Offers You
At Texas Comfort Solutions, we provide honest HVAC services at a reasonable cost. We're a local family-owned company committed to providing excellent customer service and care for you and your home. Our team of reliable and experienced technicians has been repairing, maintaining, and installing HVAC systems in the Houston area since 2004.
Whether you’re looking for a system check-up or a completely new system upgrade, we’re here to help you with all your air conditioning and heating needs. To get in touch with us, visit https://www.txcomsol.com/ or call us at (832) 597-4191.
Work Cited
Texas heat wave of 2022 may be a bad omen for coming summer | fort ... (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2022, from https://www.star-telegram.com/news/weather-news/article261254497.html
Chip. (2020, June 5). How can you protect your AC when a heat wave hits? Make it Mowery. Retrieved May 24, 2022, from https://makeitmowery.com/how-can-you-protect-your-ac-when-a-heat-wave-hits/
Posted by Wattson on Jun 24, & Wattson. (2021, December 8). 10 ways to prepare your home for a hot summer. MyEnergyMonster Massachusetts. Retrieved May 24, 2022, from https://myenergymonster.com/ma/10-ways-to-prepare-your-home-for-a-hot-summer/
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