Preparing for Summer Heat: Staying Cool During the Summer Season

Everyone wants to beat the summer heat. But the heat is fighting back.

2020 was the fourth hottest year on record. The average temperature in August was 74.7 degrees Fahrenheit. The high temperatures can make you sick and uncomfortable in very little time.

Your best tool to decrease the summer heat is your air conditioning unit. But you can’t just switch it on and expect it to work. You need to put in some effort.

What are the areas of your unit you need to clean? How do you clean those areas? What other steps do you need to take so you stay cool?

Answer these questions and you can have a happy and healthy summer. Here is your quick guide.

Clean the AC Filters

Before you do any work on your summer air conditioning unit, you should adopt some precautions. Turn off the power to the air condenser. Your circuit breaker may be located outside or in your basement.

Wear a pair of rubber gloves. They will protect you from electric shocks and any sharp debris in your unit.

To clean your filters, you need a good vacuum cleaner. Remove the grid covering your filters and vacuum it off. Place the replacement filter into the register with airflow arrows pointing into the duct.

Throw the old duct away and carry it outside. Make sure that dust doesn’t fall off it as you are moving it.

Clean the Outdoor Compressor Unit

Remove the grid covering your compressor fan. You will probably see leaves and sticks caught against the blades. Remove those by hand and throw them away.

You should then clean the coils inside your unit. Remove the side and top panels for easy access. You can unscrew them with a screwdriver and set them off to the side.

Use a soft brush to clean the coils off. Do not apply too much force or use water to do so. If you notice a lot of dirt, you can use an air nozzle to remove it.

Heat can impact your AC, especially when it is striking your unit. Keep your unit out of direct sunshine and monitor it throughout the summer.

Insulate Your Home

You should test your unit before the summertime. Turn the thermostat in your home off, then turn on the power in the main panel. Switch your thermostat to cool and see what happens.

You should set your thermostat to the best air conditioning settings for summer. Keep your interior temperature in the seventies to avoid driving up your energy bills.

But your AC unit cannot keep your house cool by itself. Insulate your home with weather stripping, fiberglass blankets, and foam boards. This will keep cool air in your home so you don’t have to adjust your settings.

Defeat the Summer Heat

The summer heat does not have to hurt you. Get your air conditioning unit up and running.

Turn the unit off before making any adjustments to it. Switch out the filters covering your ducts.

Head outside and clean off your compressor unit. Brush off your coils and try to keep the unit out of direct sunlight.

Keep the cool air in your house by insulating your home. Place weather stripping around your windows and fiberglass blankets in your walls.

Turn to an air conditioning expert if you need repairs. Koala Cooling serves the Austin area. Request a quote today.