PROPERTY MANAGEMENT BLOG

Summer A/C cooling tips

Glenn H Russell - Monday, June 28, 2021


Setting the thermostat too low, can result in the system icing up in which case it will not be able to cool, and you will use up a lot of electricity for very little benefit. 

a.  keep air filters clean
b.  update batteries (if needed) in thermostats
c.  keep gas furnace On/Off switches --ON--
d.  run systems all day when at work to dehumidify the house
e.  allow an extra day for Repairmen in hot weather
f.   call early in the week if the system is not working properly (not weekends or holidays)
g.  expect to pay the additional labor time "1/2" charge on weekends & holidays            

see the articles below:  especially the "20 degree differential factor"  
How much can an air conditioner drop the temperature in your home?
Air conditioners are designed to lower the temperature of your home's air by about 20 degrees. So if the air in your home is 85 degrees, for example, your air conditioner can lower your air's temperature to about 65 degrees.

If your air conditioner lowered your air's temperature any more than 20 degrees, the air coming out of your vents would be frigid and uncomfortable. Sure, the cold air would cool down your home, but you'd be reaching for a blanket every time that your air conditioner was in a cooling cycle!

On extremely hot days, the air in your home might be warmer than usual. Assume, for example, the air in your home was 95 degrees and your thermostat was set at 72. Your air conditioner would cool your air down to about 75 degrees, but it might never be able to lower it all the way down to 72. When this happens, your air conditioner will run constantly until your home's air cools down and your system is able to bring your home's temperature down to 72 degrees.

Play the (Humidity) Percentages
There's lots of truth in the old saying, “It's not the heat, but the humidity.” When it's hot, it's the relative humidity making people really feel uncomfortable, because your body's sweat glands don't work as efficiently as they can. Sweat works to help maintain body temperature by evaporating from your body and carrying away some of your body heat (called “latent heat“). In fact, in order to regulate body temperature, human skin sweats automatically at 98.6° Fahrenheit (37° C).  
So, the first thing you want to do is reduce the relative humidity in your house.

Check Those Savings
How much can you save by making these adjustments to your thermostat? Each degree that you are able to raise the thermostat saves you 3 to 5% on your air conditioning costs. So if normally have your thermostat pegged at 74°F and you are paying $150, just raising it a mere 4 degrees to 78°F could reduce your bill by $25.

By adjusting your thermostat to your family's schedule, or using a programmable thermostat, you can save even more. thank you, Coastal Group Inc  Realtors Tim, Macon, Kim, Shawn, Jocelyn, Glenn, Nancy Barbara, Alex, Dan, Ricky