Summer heat waves can push your air conditioner to its limits. As temperatures in Pflugerville climb, many families notice increased energy bills, warm areas throughout the home and cooling systems that appear to run all day without keeping up.
People often think the AC is the only thing that affects how comfortable your home feels. The fact is, your home’s airflow, insulation and shade all play a significant role in cooling performance.
This guide covers three practical strategies that can enhance comfort and cooling efficiency: increasing airflow in your home, making sure your home has enough insulation and using shade to reduce heat from the sun. When you follow these summer AC tips from the pros at Evenaire Heating & Air Conditioning, you’ll keep your house cool in even the hottest weather.
Start with Airflow: Improve Airflow for Better Cooling
AC units cool air and send it through ductwork to rooms in your home. For that cool air to keep your home comfortable, it must be able to move freely throughout your home. When airflow is restricted, some rooms may not cool properly.
Many people blame their air conditioning system for an uncomfortably hot home. However, the AC is often working fine—the real problem is limited airflow. A clogged air filter, blocked vents and other HVAC issues can all inhibit airflow.
Home Airflow Improvement Checklist
Taking these easy steps to improve airflow in your home can increase comfort, minimize strain on your AC and decrease energy costs.
- Swapout dirty air filters. Consistent AC air filter replacement helps your HVAC system circulate air more efficiently while improving indoor air quality.
- Check that supply and return vents are clear. Furniture, rugs and curtains can create blocked air vents that prevent cooled air from circulating throughout your home.
- Openinterior doors. This helps air to move more evenly between rooms.
- Reposition furniture covering registers.Making sure registers are free of obstructions allows conditioned air to circulate properly.
- Book preventiveAC maintenance services. During a professional HVAC tune-up, a technician can inspect and clean debris-covered blower components that may affect your system’s ability to circulate air.
Insulation Matters More Than Most Homeowners Realize
Insulation serves as a barrier against the warm air outside your home. While your AC removes heat from inside your home, insulation helps keep that heat from getting inside. Proper insulation improves comfort, decreases cooling run times and can help extend the life of your HVAC system.
The attic is one of the biggest sources of solar heat gain during hot weather. Proper attic insulation and cooling are closely connected because attic insulation slows heat transfer through the roof. Weatherstripping and sealing around doors and windows also help prevent hot outdoor air from getting inside.
When insulation levels are too low or air leaks allow hot air to sneak inside, your AC has to work harder. As a result, many homeowners ask, “Why is my house hot with the AC running?” In many cases, home insulation levels—not the air conditioner—are the problem.
Signs of Low Home Insulation Levels
- Warmsecond-floor rooms
- Uneventemperatures
- High utilitybills
- An air conditioner that rarely shuts off
Use Shade to Keep Your Home Cooler
Sunlight shining through windows and heating up your roof and exterior walls raises indoor temperatures, forcing your air conditioner to work harder.
Direct sunlight can also impact your outdoor cooling unit by reducing its ability to release heat efficiently. Using shade around your property can limit solar heat gain, improve comfort and lower summer energy bills. Using trees or other landscaping to shade your air conditioner’s outdoor unit can also help—but never restrict airflow around the condenser. Keep away fences, enclosures or dense landscaping that block air movement.
5 Summer AC Tips for Using Shade to Cool Your Home
- Plan trees and landscaping strategically. Use trees to shade your roof, walls, windows and outdoor air conditioning equipment. While providing shade for your outdoor AC unit, keep 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 reduce heat gain from sun streaming through windows.
- Use 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 providing natural light.
- Make use of exterior shading. Add landscaping and design features such as awnings, pergolas, shade sails or exterior shutters to keep direct sunlight off windows before it enters 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 reduce indoor temperatures and ease the load on your AC.
Additional Summer Heat Survival Tips
Airflow, insulation and shade all make a big difference, but these AC efficiency tips can help improve comfort during intense summer heat.
- Adjust ceiling fan direction. Run ceiling fans counterclockwise to provide a cooling breeze.
- Reduceuse of heat-generating appliances during the hottest part of the day. Run ovens, dryers and dishwashers in the morning or evening to helpreduce indoor heat.
- Manage thermostat settings. Don’t make frequent temperature changes that make your AC to work harder.
- Schedule preventative maintenance. Professional service helps your system perform efficiently before peak cooling season.
- Watchfor unusual system performance. Call a professional to investigate strange noises, weak airflow or inconsistent cooling before they become more expensive repairs.
Recognize When It’s Time to Call an HVAC Professional
Basic AC maintenance and efficiency-focused cooling strategies can help, but some problems call for professional attention. If you notice warm air is coming from your vents, airflow feels weak, your air conditioner seems to run constantly, energy bills suddenly increase, rooms cool unevenly or your system turns on and off repeatedly, it’s a good idea to schedule an expert evaluation.
At Evenaire Heating & Air Conditioning, our cooling specialists inspect airflow, duct performance, insulation-related comfort concerns and overall system health to pinpoint the real cause to help your HVAC system perform at its best throughout the summer.
Enjoy Reliable Cooling All Summer Long
Keeping your home cool during a heat wave involves more than just your air conditioning. Proper airflow, adequate insulation and well-planned shade work together to increase comfort, increase efficiency and lower cooling costs. Combined with regular summer HVAC maintenance, these strategies can help your system perform at its best when you need it most.
has the training and experience to keep you comfortable in even the hottest weather. 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 Cooling Your Home in Summer
Why is my home still warm even when the AC is running?
When your house stays hot even though your AC is running, the problem isn’t always the AC. Restricted airflow, too little insulation, inefficient thermostat settings or HVAC system issues can each reduce cooling performance and keep cool air from reaching every room.
Does adding shade really help reduce cooling costs?
Absolutely. Trees, landscaping, awnings and window coverings reduce solar heat gain, helping your home stay cooler. Reducing the amount of heat entering your home means your air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard to cool your home. That saves energy, which helps decrease your cooling expenses.
How often should I replace my HVAC air filter in the summer?
For most homes, homeowners should check their air filter every month during peak cooling season and replace it as needed. The best air filter replacement schedule depends on the filter type, pets, allergies and how frequently your air conditioner runs.
Can insulation {help|make my air conditioner work better?
Yes. Proper home insulation slows heat transfer into your home, reducing the workload on your AC. Ensuring your home has adequate insulation levels, especially in your attic or around windows, helps create more consistent indoor temperatures while reducing energy.
Should I put a cover over my outdoor AC unit to keep it cooler?
No. You should never cover your outdoor air conditioning unit while it’s operating because the condenser needs open airflow to release heat. Adding shade for your outdoor AC unit is helpful, but always keep at least 2–3 feet of clearance around the unit and 5 feet above it to allow proper airflow.
What temperature should I adjust my thermostat to during hot weather?
For most homeowners, setting the thermostat around 78 degrees when you’re home offers a good balance of comfort and energy efficiency during a heat wave. Choose the highest temperature that keeps you comfortable, and don’t make large thermostat adjustments that force your air conditioner to work harder.
