Extreme summer heat can push your air conditioner to the breaking point. As temperatures in Crestview continue to increase, many families notice rising energy bills, warm areas throughout the home and cooling systems that often 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 air circulation, insulation and shade all play a significant role in cooling performance.
This guide explains three practical strategies that can increase comfort and cooling efficiency: boosting 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 Gordon AC, you’ll keep your house cool in summer.
Start with Airflow: Improve Airflow for Better Cooling
AC units cool the air and move it through ductwork to every room in your home. For that conditioned air to make rooms comfortable, it has to move freely throughout the home. If airflow is blocked, some rooms may not cool properly.
Many homeowners blame their air conditioning system for a hot home. The truth is, the AC is often working properly—the real problem is limited airflow. A clogged air filter, blocked vents and other HVAC issues can all prevent good airflow.
Home Airflow Optimization Tips
Taking these easy steps to boost airflow in your home can improve comfort, reduce strain on your AC and reduce energy costs.
- Replace dirty air filters. Regular AC air filter replacement helps your HVAC system increase airflow while helping improve indoor air quality.
- Makesure supply and return vents are unblocked. Furniture, rugs and curtains can create blocked air vents that keep cooled air from circulating throughout your home.
- Keep interior doors open. Doing so helps air to move more evenly between rooms.
- Relocate furniture covering registers.Keeping registers clear allows conditioned air to circulate properly.
- Schedule preventiveAC maintenance services. By doing a professional HVAC tune-up, a technician can examine and clean dust-covered 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 air conditioning removes heat from inside your home, insulation helps keep that heat from getting inside. Better 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 work together because attic insulation slows heat transfer through the roof. Sealing gaps and sealing around doors and windows also help stop hot outdoor air from getting inside.
Whenever insulation levels are too low or air leaks allow hot air to sneak inside, your air conditioner has to work harder. As a result, many homeowners ask, “Why is my house hot with the AC running?” Frequently, home insulation levels—not the air conditioner—are the problem.
Signs of Poor Home Insulation Levels
- Hot upstairsrooms
- Hotand cold spots
- 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 boosts indoor temperatures, forcing your air conditioner to work harder.
Direct sunlight can also affect your outdoor air conditioning unit by making it more difficult to release heat efficiently. Creating shade around your property can reduce 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. Don’t install fences, enclosures or dense landscaping that block air movement.
5 Summer AC Tips for Keeping Your Home Cooler with Shade
- Plant trees and landscaping strategically. Position trees to shade your roof, walls, windows and outdoor air conditioning equipment. If you’re shading your outdoor AC unit, keep at least 2–3 feet of clearance on all sides and 5 feet above the unit to maintain enough airflow.
- Install window coverings. Light-colored curtains, cellular shades and thermal drapes help reduce heat gain from sunlight shining 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 providing natural light.
- Strategically use exterior shading. Use landscaping and design features such as awnings, pergolas, shade sails or exterior shutters to stop 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 help reduce indoor temperatures and reduce the load on your air conditioning system.
Additional Summer Heat Survival Tips
Airflow, insulation and shade can make a big difference, but these AC efficiency tips can help improve comfort during extreme summer heat.
- Settheappropriate ceiling fan direction. Operate ceiling fans counterclockwise to produce a cooling breeze.
- Reduceuse of heat-generating appliances during the hottest part of the day. Operate ovens, dryers and dishwashers in the morning or evening to limit indoor heat.
- Manage thermostat settings. Avoid frequent temperature changes that make your AC to work harder.
- Book preventative maintenance. Professional service helps your system perform efficiently before peak cooling season.
- Monitor unusual system performance. Address strange noises, weak airflow or inconsistent cooling before they become larger repairs.
The Importance of Knowing When It’s Time to Call an HVAC Professional
DIY AC maintenance and efficiency-focused cooling strategies can help, but some problems require 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 time for an expert evaluation.
At Gordon AC, our cooling specialists inspect airflow, duct performance, insulation-related comfort concerns and overall system health to identify the real cause to help your HVAC system run 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 enhance comfort, increase efficiency and decrease cooling costs. Combined with regular summer HVAC maintenance, these strategies can help your system operate at its best when you need it most.
has the knowledge and experience to keep you comfortable all season long. If you’re looking for 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 house still warm even when the air conditioning is operating?
If your home is hot even though your AC is running, the problem isn’t always your AC. Limited airflow, too little insulation, incorrect thermostat settings or HVAC system issues can all affect cooling performance and stop cool air from reaching every room.
Does shade really help reduce cooling costs?
Absolutely. Trees, landscaping, awnings and window coverings block solar heat gain, helping your home stay cooler. Reducing the amount of heat entering your home means your cooling system doesn’t have to work as hard to cool your home. That saves energy, which can lower your cooling expenses.
How often should I change my HVAC air filter throughout the cooling season?
Most 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 air filter you use, pets, allergies and how frequently your air conditioner runs.
Can insulation {help|make my air conditioner perform better?
Absolutely. Proper home insulation slows heat transfer into your home, reducing the workload on your air conditioning. Making sure your home has proper insulation levels, especially in your attic or around windows, helps create more consistent indoor temperatures while using less energy.
Should I put a cover over my outdoor AC unit to help it run better?
You shouldn’t. You should never cover your outdoor air conditioning unit while it’s operating because the condenser needs unobstructed airflow to release heat. Providing shade for your outdoor AC 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 in the summer?
In many households, setting the thermostat around 78 degrees when you’re home offers a good balance of comfort and energy efficiency during hot summer weather. Choose the highest temperature that keeps your family comfortable, and don’t make large thermostat adjustments that force your AC to work harder.