Don't Let an AC Breakdown Happen in Your Home This Summer

An AC breakdown probably isn’t included in your plans for fun and relaxation this summer. There’s nothing like the loss of indoor cooling at the worst possible time to make this season suddenly less inviting. But an overheated house can be more than merely uncomfortable. For small children, the elderly, and individuals with certain existing health issues, it can be an unsafe indoor environment. While today’s HVAC systems are more reliable than ever, there are still important steps you can take to reduce the chances of an AC breakdown this summer.

Schedule Professional Maintenance

At the outset of the cooling season, preventative maintenance by a qualified HVAC service technician helps ensure continued reliability throughout the summer. In addition to critical service procedures that support optimum efficiency and performance, the procedure includes an up-close inspection of all components to identify and resolve any incipient issues that could turn into an AC breakdown later in the summer.

Replace the Air Filter More Often

Summer AC operation circulates air for more daily hours than winter furnace operation. Therefore, the system air filter should be changed more frequently. Install a fresh filter every month to support proper airflow and indoor comfort. Constricted airflow due to a clogged filter can cause ice on the AC evaporator coil, which may trigger an automatic system shutdown.

Don’t Overdo Cooling

A residential air conditioner is engineered to keep the indoor temperature up to 20 degrees cooler than the outdoor temperature. This is a fixed specification that cannot be adjusted.  For example, if the outdoor temp is 100 degrees, your AC will not be able to cool the house below approximately 80 degrees. Attempting to make indoor temperatures lower by setting the thermostat more than 20 degrees below the outdoor temperature causes your air conditioner to run almost nonstop. It won’t make the home any cooler, and resultant stress and wear may seriously damage costly, critical components like the system compressor, leading to a total breakdown.

For professional advice and service to avoid an AC breakdown this summer in the Coastal Bend, contact the experts at CCAC.