Heat waves can push an air conditioner to the maximum. In the past few years, nearly all states in the U.S. have had at least one spell of unusually severe hot weather. During these times, an AC runs longer, and thus, cooling components incur more wear and tear. Heat waves are hard to predict far in advance. However, you can predict that your air conditioner will be subject to increased stress if one occurs. Here are some things to expect:
Air conditioners have limits.
A residential central air conditioner typically has a rated BTU capacity sufficient to cool a house down about 20 degrees below the outdoor temperature? If a heat wave sends temperatures above 100 degrees, you can’t expect your AC to reduce indoor temps below about 80 degrees. Pushing the thermostat setting lower won’t make the house any cooler than 20 degrees below the outside temperature. It will, however, make the unit run longer — even nonstop — cycles. This can inflict increased wear and tear on critical components like the compressor and possibly trigger a system shutdown.
Cooling takes more time.
An air conditioner removes the same amount of BTUs of heat from your home every hour whether it’s a summer heat wave or a milder day. Therefore, lowering thermostat settings excessively can’t speed up the process in a heat wave. As outdoor temperatures decline later, however, extremely low settings may cause the house to become overly cooled, wasting energy and boosting operating costs.
Leaving the AC on reduces wear.
Shutting off air conditioning while you're gone during a heat wave means the house becomes excessively overheated. Hours of almost nonstop AC operation are required to cool it back down, inflicting excess stress on system components like the compressor. A better strategy is to leave the air conditioner running all day, cycling on and off normally with the thermostat set at a moderate temperature somewhat higher than your normal comfort zone. This actually consumes less energy and reduces stress on AC components.
For more tips about efficient, effective air conditioner operation during heat waves, talk to the pros at Air Assurance.