4 Reasons why Warm Weather Affects Your AC & Ways To Prep Your AC For Summer
Summer is slowly creeping in, and we all know how exhausting it gets working during those hot days. Well, your AC feels the same way. Just like you, your air conditioner has to apply more energy during summer to keep the house cool. Sometimes, when working hard to produce more energy your AC can break down.
To make sure this does not happen, you have to know about the heat, airflow, and equipment, and make sure you provide the right maintenance.
Common Air Conditioner Problems During The Summer
It is better to know what kind of problems your AC might face during the summer. This way, you can be prepared to take care of the equipment the right way. The most common problems are-
- Gears may break down when it runs for a prolonged hour.
- When the humidity inside and outside the house are at different levels there can be a difference in room-to-room temperature.
- An increase in monthly electricity bill.
- An increased amount of dust in the air.
The worst among these is when the AC breaks down or some specific parts like the motor or compressor suffers damage. Either way, you should call in the professionals to take a look. But if you want to know more or want to fix the compressors yourself, you can visit this link https://serviceemperor.com/blog/how-does-an-air-conditioning-compressor-work/
How Does Heat Affect The AC?
Now that we know what problems your AC might suffer, let us look at how exactly heat affects it.
1. Heat Affects Your AC
Most modern air conditioners have two heat exchangers and work by capturing the heat inside the house and then transferring it outside. It works on a heat transfer system. Your AC exhausts huge energy capturing the heat inside and releasing it outside. Most of the energy is used when releasing the heat outside. During Summer the weather outside is extremely hot and humid. This makes the AC’s job more difficult because now it has to exert more power to transfer the captured heat outside. During summer the air inside our houses is also hot. Even if you do not have leaky doors, windows, the rooms can get hot due to the harsh sunlight. This disrupts the air conditioner’s ability to transfer the temperature so the AC has to stay on for prolonged hours.
2. Airflow Affects Your AC
The heat transferring system greatly depends on airflow and air circulation. If the airflow is disrupted or blocked for some reason then it will make the AC work harder and take much longer to provide cooling. One of the most common sources of blocked airflow is shrubbery or overgrown plants. These plants grow and block the air condenser. Before summer, make sure no overgrown plants are blocking the condenser. Clear out at least 12 inches of the area around the condenser. Another reason for blocked airflow is that you might have stored your AC in a condensed place. For instance, if you put it in a dense area or under the deck then the AC will run hotter than usual because the refrigerant pressure will be increased when it is transferring heat.
Due to excessive heat, sometimes, the lubricating oil inside the AC breaks down and disrupts the airflow. It even damages the insides of the AC. Unlike car oil, the oil inside air conditioners is not meant to be changed. The oil is designed to last 15 years or more. If the AC is maintained properly then the oil should last as long as the AC. Lastly, if the blower motor fan is not working properly it will be unable to circulate the air inside your home and even disrupts the AC’s airflow. You can easily check if there is anything blocking airflow from outside. Grab a digital cooking thermometer and turn your AC. Make sure it is not windy outside. Place the thermometer one or two inches away from your air conditioner’s inlet. Then measure it from 20 feet away. Both temperatures should match. If not, then there is a recirculating problem.
3. Humidity Affects Your AC
Aside from the heat, humidity also increases during the summer. You will physically feel this humidity during hot days. If there is a high level of humidity then there will be a high level of moisture and clammy air inside the house. The AC will take much longer to remove the moisture and if your AC is old and has functional problems then it will be difficult for you to avoid sweat, frizzed-up hair, and clammy skin.
4. If The AC’s is Already in bad condition, It Will Deteriorate
Air conditions are built to withstand the summer heat but even then sometimes it malfunctions. If you are not doing proper maintenance then your AC might already be damaged, and the hot weather will only make things worse. For instance, if you have a dirty condenser then your AC is going to have various problems during the summer. A dirty condenser will disrupt the normal operation and the temperature and pressure will be higher than usual. If it continues working like that for a long time, it will be overheated. This will cause the oil inside to burn and turn acidic also the compressor will no longer work. To make sure this does not happen, you should clean the coil. You can watch some tutorial videos on YouTube to learn more about it. As for cleaning, you will need a coil cleaner and a water sprayer like a garden hose.
How To Prep Up The AC For Summer
To make sure your AC can beat the heat, ensure the following-
- Clean the condenser coils and let them completely dry
- Check the insulation coolant line and see if the exterior is damaged. Replace it if the foam over the AC is damaged
- If you have a furnace humidifier, turn it off
- Check the fan and see if it works without any weird noises
- Replace any dirty air filters
Final Thoughts
Air conditioners are designed to cool the house temperature during summer, but you need to ensure proper maintenance so that it lasts longer.
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