Extreme summer heat can push your air conditioner to its limits. As temperatures in Saint Louis climb, many families notice rising energy bills, hot spots throughout the home and cooling systems that often run all day without keeping up.
People often think the air conditioner alone determines how comfortable your home feels. In reality, your home’s airflow, 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 proper insulation and adding shade to reduce heat from the sun. When you follow these summer AC tips from the pros at Morgner Inc. Air Conditioning & Heating, you’ll keep your house cool during heatwaves.
Start with Airflow: Make Your Air Conditioner Work More Efficiently
Air conditioners cool air and move it through ductwork to rooms in your home. For that cooled air to keep your home comfortable, it must move freely throughout the house. If airflow is restricted, some rooms may not cool properly.
Many people blame their air conditioning system for poor cooling performance. However, the AC is often working just fine—the real problem is restricted airflow. A dirty air filter, blocked vents and other HVAC issues can all restrict airflow.
Home Airflow Improvement Checklist
Following these simple steps to improve airflow in your home can improve comfort, lower strain on your AC and lower energy costs.
- Replace dirty air filters. Consistent AC air filter replacement helps your HVAC system move air more effectively while improving indoor air quality.
- Check that supply and return vents are unblocked. Furniture, rugs and curtains can lead to blocked air vents that stop cooled air from circulating throughout your home.
- Open up doors in unused rooms. This allows air to move more evenly between rooms.
- Reposition furniture covering registers.Keeping registers clear allows conditioned air to circulate freely.
- Schedule preventiveAC maintenance services. As part of a professional HVAC tune-up, a technician can examine and clean debris-covered blower components that may limit your system’s ability to circulate air.
Insulation Matters More Than Most Homeowners Realize
Insulation acts as a barrier against hot outdoor air. While your air conditioner removes heat from inside your home, insulation helps keep that heat from getting inside. Proper insulation increases comfort, lowers cooling run times and can help increase the life of your HVAC system.
The attic is one of the largest sources of solar heat gain during hot weather. 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 keep hot outdoor air from sneaking inside.
When insulation levels are too low or air leaks allow hot air to sneak inside, your air conditioning has to work harder. That often leads homeowners to ask, “Why is my house hot with the AC running?” Often, the real problem is inadequate insulation, and the AC is not the problem.
Signs of Inadequate Home Insulation Levels
- Warmsecond-floor rooms
- Hotand cold spots
- Higher cooling costs
- Air conditioner runningconstantly
Use Shade to Reduce Heat Gain
Sunlight coming 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 AC unit by making it more difficult to release heat efficiently. Adding 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 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
- Plan trees and landscaping strategically. Use trees to shade your roof, walls, windows and outdoor AC equipment. While providing shade for your outdoor AC unit, maintain at least 2–3 feet of clearance on all sides and 5 feet above the unit to allow for enough airflow.
- Use window coverings. Light-colored curtains, cellular shades and thermal drapes help reduce heat gain from sun streaming 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.
- Incorporate outdoor shade. Use landscaping and design features such as awnings, pergolas, shade sails or exterior shutters to keep direct sunlight off windows so it doesn’t heat up your home.
- Close your blinds during the afternoon. 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 air conditioner.
Additional Heat-Wave Survival Tips
Airflow, insulation and shade can make a big difference, but these AC efficiency tips can help improve comfort during extreme summer heat.
- Adjust ceiling fan direction. Rotate ceiling fans counterclockwise to produce a cooling breeze.
- Avoid heat-generating appliances during the hottest part of the day. Run ovens, dryers and dishwashers in the morning or evening to helpreduce indoor heat.
- Set thermostat settings. Don’t make frequent temperature changes that cause your AC to work harder.
- Book preventative maintenance. Routine service helps your system run efficiently before peak cooling season.
- Pay attention to unusual system performance. Call a professional to investigate strange noises, weak airflow or inconsistent cooling before they become more extensive repairs.
Recognize When It’s Time to Call an HVAC Professional
At-home 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 AC seems to run constantly, energy bills increase for no reason, rooms cool unevenly or your system turns on and off repeatedly, it’s a good idea to schedule an expert evaluation.
At Morgner Inc. Air Conditioning & Heating, our cooling specialists inspect airflow, duct performance, insulation-related comfort concerns and overall system health to determine the actual cause to help your HVAC system operate at its best throughout the summer.
Enjoy Reliable Cooling All Summer Long
Staying cool during a heat wave takes more than just your air conditioner. Proper airflow, adequate insulation and strategic shade work together to increase comfort, increase efficiency and decrease 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 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, 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 uncomfortable even when the AC is operating?
When your house stays 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 keep cool air from reaching every room.
Does adding shade really help lower cooling costs?
Yes. Trees, landscaping, awnings and window coverings help reduce solar heat gain, helping your home remain cooler. Reducing the amount of heat entering your home means your AC 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 check and replace my HVAC air filter throughout the cooling season?
Most homeowners should check their air filter every month during the busiest cooling season and replace it as needed. The best 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?
It can. Proper home insulation reduces heat transfer into your home, reducing the workload on your air conditioner. Making sure your home has appropriate insulation levels, especially in your attic or around windows, helps create more consistent indoor temperatures while using less energy.
Should I cover my outdoor AC unit during hot weather?
You shouldn’t. You should never cover your outdoor AC unit while it’s running because the condenser needs unrestricted airflow to release heat. Providing shade for your outdoor AC unit is beneficial, but always keep at least 2–3 feet of clearance around the unit and 5 feet above it to maintain proper airflow.
What temperature should I set my thermostat at in the summer?
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. Set the highest temperature that keeps you comfortable, and avoid large thermostat adjustments that force your AC to work harder.