INDIANAPOLIS — The high temperatures have been putting some extra stress on HVAC units. Cory Trojanowski, with Williams Comfort Air, said they've seen an uptick in calls from customers since Monday.
"It's a very uneasy feeling," Trojanowski said. "I know a lot of homeowners like the elderly and those with medical conditions think of air conditioning as this kind of everyday thing. We set the thermostat and don't think about it. But this is the time of year we really rely on that cool air to keep comfortable."
Trojanowski said homeowners need to be proactive when it comes to the health of their HVAC system to prevent it from breaking down.
"When the weather gets this way, people are looking for their air conditioners to keep up," Trojanowski said.
Williams Comfort Air provided these easy tips to save homeowners from a headache:
- Keep the thermostat at a temperature that won't stress your system: Air conditioners are usually designed to take on up to a 20-degree difference from outdoor air. For example, if it's 92 degrees outside, you wouldn't want your internal temperature set lower than 72 degrees. The U.S. Department of Energy actually suggests keeping the temp at 78 degrees for max cost savings.
- Manage humidity levels inside: Use a whole home dehumidifier with your air conditioning unit for summer to control high humidity so it doesn't feel as warm inside.
- Block out direct sunlight: Keep window coverings closed during the day and night.
- Avoid adding additional hot elements in your home: This means avoiding running hot water in your laundry, using the oven or stovetop.
- Use the A/C system fan settings to circulate air: Thermostats control the blower fan, and the AUTO setting usually only sets the blower to run when the A/C is running. The ON setting will keep the fan running all the time, which helps cool it down indoors.
- Check your air filter: This should be done to keep the A/C running all the time, but it's especially important now since we've had poor air quality recently.
"We really try to encourage homeowners to keep that 20-degree range, if possible. If you go any lower, you're going to add a lot more strain to your system to what already is a hard time for it keeping up with how hot and humid it is outside," Trojanowski said.
According to Trojanowski, being proactive is the key to keeping things cool.
"The more a homeowner can do to prepare themselves and take care of the stuff they have, the less likely things can go wrong," Trojanowski said.
If they do go wrong, technicians are there to make it right.