Hot summer weather can push any air conditioner to its limits. As temperatures in Edmond climb, it’s common to notice higher energy bills, uneven temperatures throughout the home and cooling systems that often run all day without keeping up.
It’s easy to assume the air conditioner is the one thing that determines how comfortable your home feels. However, your home’s airflow, insulation and shade all play a major role in cooling performance.
This guide highlights three practical strategies that can improve comfort and cooling efficiency: boosting airflow in your home, making sure your home has adequate insulation and creating shade to reduce heat from the sun. When you follow these summer AC tips from the pros at Prudhom Mechanical, you’ll keep your house cool in even the hottest weather.
Start with Airflow: Help Your AC Work Smarter
AC units cool air and distribute it through ductwork to rooms in your home. For that cool air to cool every room effectively, it has to move freely throughout the home. When airflow is restricted, some rooms may feel warmer than others.
Many people blame their air conditioning system for a hot home. However, the AC is often working fine—the real problem is limited airflow. Dirty air filters, blocked vents and other HVAC issues can all prevent good airflow.
Home Airflow Improvement Strategies
Following these simple steps to improve airflow in your home can enhance comfort, lower strain on your AC and reduce energy costs.
- Change dirty air filters. Routine AC air filter replacement helps your HVAC system circulate air more efficiently while improving indoor air quality.
- Check that supply and return vents are unblocked. Furniture, rugs and curtains can cause blocked air vents that prevent 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.Making sure registers are uncovered allows conditioned air to circulate more easily.
- Book preventiveAC maintenance services. By doing a professional HVAC tune-up, a technician can inspect and clean dust-covered blower components that may limit your system’s ability to circulate air.
Insulation Is More Important Than You Might Expect
Insulation provides a barrier against outdoor heat. As your AC removes heat from inside your home, insulation helps prevent outdoor heat from entering. High-quality insulation enhances comfort, decreases cooling run times and can help maximize the life of your HVAC system.
The attic is one of the primary sources of unwanted 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 stop hot outdoor air from getting inside.
If insulation levels are too low or air leaks let warm air into your home, your air conditioning has to work harder. That often leads homeowners to ask, “Why is my house hot with the AC running?” Frequently, insufficient insulation—not the air conditioner—is the problem.
Signs of Poor Home Insulation Levels
- Warmsecond-floor rooms
- Inconsistent room temperatures
- Higher cooling costs
- Air conditioner runningconstantly
Use Shade to Help Lower Cooling Costs
Sunlight coming through windows and warming your roof and exterior walls raises 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. Creating shade around your property can minimize 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 block airflow around the condenser. Avoid fences, enclosures or dense landscaping that restrict air movement.
5 Summer AC Tips to Reduce Heat with Outdoor Shade
- Plant trees and landscaping strategically. Place trees to shade your roof, walls, windows and outdoor cooling 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 allow for enough airflow.
- Use window coverings. Light-colored curtains, cellular shades and thermal drapes help reduce heat gain from direct sunlight coming through windows.
- Use solar screens in your home. Solar screens, which are specially designed mesh curtains, used on sun-facing windows help block the sun’s heat while still allowing in natural light.
- Incorporate outdoor shade. 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.
- Close your blinds during the afternoon. Leave blinds or shades closed on west- and south-facing windows during the hottest part of the day to reduce indoor temperatures and lighten 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 further improve comfort during intense summer heat.
- Adjust ceiling fan direction. Rotate ceiling fans counterclockwise to provide a cooling breeze.
- Reduceuse of heat-generating appliances during the hottest part of the day. Use ovens, dryers and dishwashers in the morning or evening to reduce indoor heat.
- Set thermostat settings. Don’t make frequent temperature changes that cause your AC to work harder.
- Schedule preventative maintenance. Regular service helps your system operate efficiently before peak cooling season.
- Monitor unusual system performance. Take care of strange noises, weak airflow or inconsistent cooling before they become larger repairs.
Recognize When It’s Time to Contact an HVAC Professional
Basic AC maintenance and energy-saving cooling strategies can help, but some problems call for professional attention. When warm air is coming from your vents, airflow feels weak, your air conditioner seems to run constantly, energy bills increase for no reason, rooms cool unevenly or your system turns on and off repeatedly, it’s time for an expert evaluation.
At Prudhom Mechanical, our cooling specialists assess airflow, duct performance, insulation-related comfort concerns and overall system health to identify the underlying cause to help your HVAC system run at its best throughout the summer.
Stay Comfortable All Summer Long
Staying cool during a heat wave requires more than just your air conditioner. Proper airflow, adequate insulation and strategic 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 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 air conditioner is on?
If your living space remains hot even though your AC is running, the problem isn’t always your air conditioner. Restricted airflow, inadequate insulation, incorrect thermostat settings or HVAC system issues can all affect cooling performance and keep cool air from reaching every room.
Does outdoor shade really help lower cooling costs?
It can. Trees, landscaping, awnings and window coverings 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 check and replace my HVAC air filter throughout the cooling season?
Most homeowners should check their air filter every month during the peak cooling season and replace it as necessary. 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 perform better?
Yes. Proper home insulation limits heat transfer into your home, reducing the workload on your air conditioner. Ensuring your home has proper insulation levels, especially in your attic or around windows, helps keep more consistent indoor temperatures while lowering energy.
Should I put a cover over my outdoor AC unit to keep it cooler?
You shouldn’t. You should never cover your outdoor AC unit while it’s operating because the condenser needs unobstructed airflow to release heat. Providing shade for your outdoor air conditioner unit is helpful, but always maintain at least 2–3 feet of clearance around the unit and 5 feet above it to allow proper airflow.
What temperature should I set my thermostat at when it’s hot outside?
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. Choose the highest temperature that keeps your family comfortable, and avoid large thermostat adjustments that force your air conditioner to work harder.