Summer heat waves can push your air conditioner to the edge. As temperatures in Ellsworth continue to increase, it’s common to notice increased energy bills, uneven temperatures throughout the home and cooling systems that often run all day without keeping up.
People often think the air conditioning is the only thing that affects how comfortable your home feels. However, your home’s airflow, insulation and shade all play an important role in cooling performance.
This guide highlights three effective strategies that can improve comfort and cooling efficiency: increasing airflow in your home, making sure your home has enough insulation and adding shade to reduce heat from the sun. Using these summer AC tips from the pros at Walter's-Eaton's Electric, Plumbing, Heating & AC, you’ll keep your house cool in even the hottest weather.
Start with Airflow: Help Your AC Work Smarter
Air conditioners cool the air and send it through ductwork to rooms in your home. For that cooled air to keep your home comfortable, it must move freely throughout the house. When airflow is restricted, some rooms may feel warmer than others.
Many homeowners blame their AC for a hot home. However, the AC is often working just fine—the real problem is limited airflow. A clogged air filter, blocked vents and other HVAC issues can all inhibit airflow.
Home Airflow Improvement Tips
Following these simple steps to boost airflow in your home can increase comfort, minimize strain on your AC and lower energy costs.
- Swapout dirty air filters. Routine AC air filter replacement helps your HVAC system circulate air more efficiently while supporting indoor air quality.
- Check that supply and return vents are clear. Furniture, rugs and curtains can cause blocked air vents that stop cooled air from circulating throughout your home.
- Openinterior doors. This helps air to move more evenly between rooms.
- Relocate furniture covering registers.Making sure registers are free of obstructions allows conditioned air to circulate properly.
- Book preventiveAC maintenance services. As part of a professional HVAC tune-up, a technician can examine and clean dirty blower components that may affect your system’s ability to circulate air.
Insulation Plays a Bigger Role Than Many Homeowners Think
Insulation acts as a barrier against outdoor heat. As your AC removes heat from inside your home, insulation helps prevent outdoor heat from entering. High-quality insulation improves comfort, decreases cooling run times and can help increase the life of your HVAC system.
The attic is one of the primary sources of solar heat gain during summer. Proper attic insulation and cooling go hand in hand because attic insulation limits heat transfer through the roof. Sealing gaps and sealing around doors and windows also help stop hot outdoor air from sneaking inside.
When insulation levels are too low or air leaks let warm air into your home, your air conditioner has to work harder. This often causes homeowners to 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
- Inconsistent room temperatures
- Higher cooling costs
- AnAC system that runs nonstop
Use Shade to Reduce Heat Gain
Sunlight shining through windows and warming your roof and exterior walls increases indoor temperatures, forcing your air conditioner to work harder.
Direct sunlight can also reduce the efficiency of your outdoor air conditioning unit by reducing its ability to release heat efficiently. Using shade around your property can reduce solar heat gain, improve comfort and decrease 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. Don’t install fences, enclosures or dense landscaping that block air movement.
5 Summer AC Tips for Using Shade to Cool Your Home
- Add trees and landscaping strategically. Place trees to shade your roof, walls, windows and outdoor air conditioning equipment. When shading 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 sunlight shining through windows.
- Install solar screens in your home. Solar screens, which are specially designed mesh curtains, used on sun-facing windows help reduce the sun’s heat while still allowing in natural light.
- Make use of outdoor shade. Use landscaping and design features such as awnings, pergolas, shade sails or exterior shutters to block direct sunlight off windows so it doesn’t heat up your home.
- Keep blinds closed during high heat. Maintain blinds or shades closed on west- and south-facing windows during the hottest part of the day to lower indoor temperatures and reduce the load on your cooling system.
Additional Heat-Wave Survival Tips
Airflow, insulation and shade can make a big difference, but these AC efficiency tips can further improve comfort during intense summer heat.
- Adjust ceiling fan direction. Run ceiling fans counterclockwise to create a cooling breeze.
- Limit heat-generating appliances during the hottest part of the day. Operate ovens, dryers and dishwashers in the morning or evening to limit indoor heat.
- Adjust thermostat settings. Don’t make frequent temperature changes that make your AC to work harder.
- Book preventative maintenance. Routine service helps your system run 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 extensive repairs.
The Importance of Knowing When It’s Time to Turn to an HVAC Professional
Basic AC maintenance and energy-saving cooling strategies can help, but some problems require 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, it’s a good idea to schedule an expert evaluation.
At Walter's-Eaton's Electric, Plumbing, Heating & AC, our cooling specialists evaluate airflow, duct performance, insulation-related comfort concerns and overall system health to determine the real cause to help your HVAC system operate 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 well-planned shade work together to increase comfort, increase efficiency and reduce cooling costs. When paired with regular summer HVAC maintenance, these strategies can help your system run at its best when you need it most.
has the knowledge and experience to keep you comfortable no matter how hot it gets outside. If you’re in need of AC maintenance, a cooling system inspection, an airflow evaluation or a complete summer tune-up, our team can 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 operating?
If your living space remains hot even though your AC is running, the problem isn’t always the air conditioner. Restricted airflow, too little insulation, improper 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 remain cooler. When less heat enters your home means your air conditioning doesn’t have to work as hard to cool your home. That saves energy, which helps decrease your cooling expenses.
How often should I check and replace my HVAC air filter throughout the cooling season?
For most homes, homeowners should check their air filter every month during the peak cooling season and replace it as needed. The ideal air filter replacement schedule depends on the type of filter, pets, allergies and how frequently your air conditioner runs.
Can insulation {help|make my air conditioner run more efficiently?
It can. Proper home insulation limits heat transfer into your home, reducing strain on your air conditioning. Making sure your home has appropriate insulation levels, especially in your attic or around windows, helps keep more consistent indoor temperatures while reducing energy.
Should I put a cover over my outdoor AC unit to help it run better?
No. You should never cover your outdoor air conditioning unit while it’s running because the condenser needs unrestricted airflow to release heat. Adding shade for your outdoor air conditioning unit is helpful, but always maintain at least 2–3 feet of clearance around the unit and 5 feet above it to maintain proper airflow.
What temperature should I keep 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. Set the highest temperature that keeps your family comfortable, and don’t make large thermostat adjustments that force your air conditioning to work harder.
