How to Reduce Stress on Your AC While Keeping Your Home Cool

The swampy, summer weather is back in Gainesville and other parts of Florida, and the team here at A+ Air Conditioning & Refrigeration wants to help you beat the heat. It’s important to keep your home cool and free from too much humidity in the summertime, as it can have damaging effects on your home, but it’s also important not to run your air conditioner to the ground to achieve that cool indoor environment. Our tips will not only bring you comfort during Florida’s hottest days, but they will also prolong the life of your AC and save you money on your energy bills.

Tips to Reduce AC Usage and Stay Cool

Everyone knows Florida summers are hot, but not everyone knows how to stay cool while running your air conditioner less. Follow these tips to reduce stress on your AC while still keeping your home cool.

• Keep your home as dark as possible during the day when the sun is out. Close all blinds, curtains and other window coverings. The Florida sun is at its strongest from 11 a.m to 3 p.m. The heat absorbs into the roof, walls, and windows of your home, so be sure to keep them closed during these times especially.
• An easy way to keep your home cool in the hot summer months while limiting AC stress is to invest in shady landscaping around your home. Trees, vines and other shrubs have been found to reduce temperatures by as much as 9 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Another easy way to keep cool is to make sure you set your thermostat to appropriate temperatures at different times of the day. This tip serves to keep your electric bills low by ensuring that your AC system is not wasting any energy.
• You can also reduce stress on your AC by limiting oven and stove usage during the summer months. Opt for cool salads or outdoor barbecuing instead.
• Washers, dryers, dishwashers and water heaters can also add large amounts of heat and humidity to the home. It’s best to reduce the use of these appliances as much as possible.
• Install ceiling fans and keep them on throughout the day and night to keep cool air circulated.
• Ensure all attic insulation and caulking are secured so that any cool air that your AC is producing isn’t being wasted.
• A longer-term solution for keeping your home cool while reducing stress on your AC is to paint your home a lighter color. Dark or dull colored home exteriors absorb 70 to 90 percent of the radiant energy from the sun that strikes the home’s surfaces. Light colored homes reflect the sun’s hot rays from absorbing into your home.
• Radiant barriers and other insulating, reflective coating on roofs, windows, and walls of the home will also help to reflect solar radiation that causes hot homes.

Contact A+ Air Conditioning to Reduce Stress on Your AC and Keep You Cool

Did you know that we size AC units according to your home and they are designed for 90 degrees or below outdoor temps? Also, on hotter days when the heat index is 10 degrees or higher, it isn’t unusual for an AC system to run longer than normal.

If you need any other tips on how to reduce stress on your AC while keeping your home cool, please don’t hesitate to contact the heating, ventilation and air conditioning experts at A+ Air Conditioning in Gainesville, Fla. Our team of trained HVAC technicians take the health of your home and your family seriously, and we are here to diagnose and solve problems of all scopes and sizes. Our friendly, on-call representatives are here to answer any questions you may have.