California is known to get hot and dry during summer. Heat waves come in bunches and the weather can get difficult for its inhabitants. Temperatures soaring into the high 90s and 100s will have a lot of people relying on their AC unit. The hot weather in July and August is inevitable for us in SoCal, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be ready for it. Let’s look at five different strategies for handling the heat.
1. Prep Your HVAC Unit:
Making sure your HVAC unit is running well, and optimized before the season will save you a lot of time and money. The season can be extremely stressful on your unit depending on your usage, so we recommend coming in ready. Similar to an athlete conditioning before their season begins, getting your HVAC unit tuned up is very important. For the fractions that it costs to have a tune-up, going into the summer without one is an uphill climb.
2. Optimize Air Flow & Ventilation
Utilizing household tools such as ceiling fans & exhaust fans will keep some stress off of your HVAC unit as it works through the heat. Good usage of fans is expected to give you an extra 4-5°F flexibility to work with on your thermostat setting. Having airflow generated from multiple sources also gives your AC unit a break and allows rooms to reach similar temperatures by working less. The goal is to keep your HVAC unit from being the single point of failure for your cooling.
3. Prioritize Your Health & Safety
Putting yourself in situations that will keep you safe and in good health are often overlooked even with cooling. At the end of the day it is about you feeling cool, safe, and comfortable. Limiting physical activity within the house and remaining hydrated can go a long way towards not needing AC to bail you out. Something simple as dwelling in the cooler parts of your home is a simple but forgotten method for heat waves.
4. Improve Overall Cooling Efficiency
Cooling efficiency relates more towards the technology within your devices. Heat waves can burn your electric bill and overwork your unit. Managing your thermostat temperature, for example, can not only improve the lifespan of your unit but save you money as well. Small changes like setting a higher temperature when not home and avoiding extreme settings are good habits to implement for the life of your unit. This also includes checking for air leaks within ducting and vents.
5. Be Ready for the Worst
You’ve done all the above, but your HVAC unit still ends up falling apart on you – so what now? In a worst case scenario, its important to have external fans and coolers. If your HVAC unit does take the plunge, reaching out to a reputable vendor is your best course of action. Everyone utilizes their AC differently, and catastrophe can always happen. In these situations preparedness and having experts a call away makes the world of difference.
Concluding Thoughts
We know that heat waves are going to inevitably come for us in California. It is our job to be ready for them beyond relying on our HVAC units. Yes, they do a bulk of the lifting when it comes to our comfort, but there is a lot we can do too. Maintaining the intricacies of your airflow within your home is the best low-hanging fruit we can give you to improve efficiency. You will save money and headaches by going a little extra to make sure your HVAC unit is not overworking itself. Having external cooling sources ready also goes a long way. All in all, we do highly recommend that you look at the totality of your home beyond the AC unit. As the summer comes around, we highly recommend a tune up for your unit. Speak to a pro today at Omni Air HVAC at (714) 813-0584.