Extreme summer heat can push even a well-maintained air conditioner to the edge. As temperatures in Morgantown continue to increase, many homeowners notice increased energy bills, uneven temperatures throughout the home and cooling systems that seem to run all day without keeping up.
It’s easy to assume the AC is the one thing that determines how comfortable your home feels. The fact is, your home’s airflow, insulation and shade all play an important role in cooling performance.
This guide covers three effective strategies that can increase comfort and cooling efficiency: increasing airflow in your home, making sure your home has proper insulation and using shade to reduce heat from the sun. By following these summer AC tips from the pros at Mountain Air, you’ll keep your house cool in even the hottest weather.
Start with Airflow: Make Your Air Conditioner Work More Efficiently
Air conditioners lower the temperature of air and move it through ductwork to every room in your home. For that cooled air to keep your home comfortable, it has to move freely throughout the house. If airflow is blocked, some rooms may feel warmer than others.
It’s common for homeowners to blame their air conditioning system for a hot home. However, the AC is often working fine—the real problem is restricted airflow. Dirty air filters, blocked vents and other HVAC issues can all prevent good airflow.
Home Airflow Optimization Tips
Following these simple steps to improve airflow in your home can improve comfort, minimize strain on your AC and decrease energy costs.
- Swapout dirty air filters. Regular AC air filter replacement helps your HVAC system circulate air more efficiently while helping improve indoor air quality.
- Makesure supply and return vents are free from obstructions. Furniture, rugs and curtains can lead to blocked air vents that prevent cooled air from circulating throughout your home.
- Open up doors in unused rooms. This helps air to move more evenly between rooms.
- Reposition furniture covering registers.Making sure registers are uncovered allows conditioned air to circulate freely.
- Arrange preventiveAC maintenance services. By doing a professional HVAC tune-up, a technician can examine and clean debris-covered blower components that may affect your system’s ability to circulate air.
Insulation Is More Important Than You Might Expect
Insulation acts as a barrier against hot outdoor air. Although your air conditioner removes heat from inside your home, insulation helps prevent outdoor heat from entering. Better insulation increases comfort, decreases cooling run times and can help maximize 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 go hand in hand because attic insulation limits heat transfer through the roof. Proper weatherstripping and sealing around doors and windows also help stop hot outdoor air from sneaking inside.
Whenever insulation levels are too low or air leaks allow hot air to sneak inside, your AC has to work harder. That often leads homeowners to ask, “Why is my house hot with the AC running?” In many cases, insufficient insulation—not the air conditioner—is the problem.
Signs of Inadequate Home Insulation Levels
- Upper floor rooms are always hot
- Uneventemperatures
- High utilitybills
- Air conditioner runningconstantly
Use Shade to Keep Your Home Cooler
Sunlight streaming through windows and warming your roof and exterior walls boosts indoor temperatures, forcing your air conditioner to work harder.
Direct sunlight can also reduce the efficiency of your outdoor AC unit by making it more difficult to release heat efficiently. Creating shade around your property can minimize solar heat gain, improve comfort and reduce summer energy bills. Putting in shade over your air conditioner’s outdoor unit can also help—but never obstruct airflow around the condenser. Don’t install fences, enclosures or dense landscaping that restrict air movement.
5 Summer AC Tips for Using Shade to Cool Your Home
- Plant 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.
- Add window coverings. Light-colored curtains, cellular shades and thermal drapes limit 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 limit the sun’s heat while still allowing in natural light.
- Strategically use outdoor shade. Use landscaping and design features like awnings, pergolas, shade sails or exterior shutters to block direct sunlight off windows so it doesn’t heat up your home.
- Lower blinds in the afternoon heat. Maintain blinds or shades closed on west- and south-facing windows during the hottest part of the day to lower indoor temperatures and ease the load on your cooling system.
Additional Heat-Wave Survival Tips
Airflow, insulation and shade make a big difference, but these AC efficiency tips can help improve comfort during periods of extreme summer heat.
- Adjust ceiling fan direction. Operate ceiling fans counterclockwise to create a cooling breeze.
- Avoid heat-generating appliances during the hottest part of the day. Operate ovens, dryers and dishwashers in the morning or evening to helpreduce indoor heat.
- Manage thermostat settings. Don’t make frequent temperature changes that cause your AC to work harder.
- Arrange preventative maintenance. Professional service helps your system operate efficiently before peak cooling season.
- Pay attention to unusual system performance. Address strange noises, weak airflow or inconsistent cooling before they become more extensive repairs.
Know When It’s Time to Contact an HVAC Professional
Basic AC maintenance and energy-efficient cooling strategies can help, but some problems call for professional attention. When warm air is coming from your vents, airflow feels weak, your air conditioning runs almost constantly, energy bills spike, rooms cool unevenly or your system turns on and off repeatedly, you should consider an expert evaluation.
At Mountain Air, 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 perform at its best throughout the summer.
Stay Comfortable All Summer Long
Staying comfortably cool during a heat wave involves more than just your AC. Proper airflow, adequate insulation and effective shade work together to improve comfort, increase 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 expertise and experience to keep you comfortable in even the hottest weather. If you’re in need of AC maintenance, a cooling system inspection, an airflow evaluation or a complete summer tune-up, we’ll 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 AC is running?
If your home is hot even though your AC is running, the problem isn’t always your AC. Poor airflow, inadequate insulation, inefficient thermostat settings or HVAC system issues can each reduce cooling performance and prevent cool air from reaching every room.
Does adding shade really help cut cooling costs?
It can. Trees, landscaping, awnings and window coverings help reduce solar heat gain, helping your home feel cooler. Less heat entering your home means your air conditioning doesn’t have to work as hard to cool your home. That uses less energy, which helps reduce 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 the busiest cooling season and replace it as needed. Your recommended air filter replacement schedule depends on the filter type, pets, allergies and how often your air conditioner runs.
Can insulation {help|make my air conditioner work better?
Absolutely. Proper home insulation reduces heat transfer into your home, reducing the workload on your air conditioning. Ensuring your home has adequate insulation levels, especially in your attic or around windows, helps create more consistent indoor temperatures while lowering energy.
Should I cover my outdoor AC unit to help it run better?
You shouldn’t. You should never cover your outdoor AC unit while it’s operating because the condenser needs unrestricted airflow to release heat. Providing shade for your outdoor air conditioning unit is beneficial, but always make sure there’s at least 2–3 feet of clearance around the unit and 5 feet above it to maintain proper airflow.
What temperature should I adjust my thermostat to in the summer?
In many households, setting the thermostat around 78 degrees when you’re home offers the right balance of comfort and energy efficiency during hot summer weather. Use the highest temperature that keeps you comfortable, and try not to make large thermostat adjustments that force your AC to work harder.