Hot summer weather can push even a well-maintained air conditioner to its limits. As temperatures in Des Moines climb, it’s common to notice rising energy bills, uneven temperatures throughout the home and cooling systems that often run all day without keeping up.
People often think the AC alone determines how comfortable your home feels. In reality, your home’s airflow, insulation and shade all play a significant role in cooling performance.
This guide covers three simple strategies that can improve comfort and cooling efficiency: increasing airflow in your home, making sure your home has adequate insulation and adding shade to reduce heat from the sun. By following these summer AC tips from the pros at Heartland Heating & Cooling, you’ll keep your house cool during heatwaves.
Start with Airflow: Improve Airflow for Better Cooling
Air conditioners cool air and send it through ductwork to the rooms in your home. For that cooled air to make rooms comfortable, it must move freely throughout the house. If airflow is restricted, some rooms may not cool properly.
Many homeowners blame their air conditioning system for a hot home. The truth is, the AC is often working fine—the real problem is limited airflow. A dirty air filter, blocked vents and other HVAC issues can all reduce airflow.
Home Airflow Improvement Checklist
Taking steps to improve airflow in your home can enhance comfort, reduce strain on your AC and decrease energy costs.
- Swapout dirty air filters. Routine AC air filter replacement helps your HVAC system increase airflow while supporting indoor air quality.
- Makesure supply and return vents are free from obstructions. Furniture, rugs and curtains can lead to blocked air vents that prevent cooled air from circulating throughout your home.
- Open up doors in unused rooms. This allows air to move more evenly between rooms.
- Move furniture covering registers.Keeping registers clear allows conditioned air to circulate freely.
- Schedule preventiveAC maintenance services. During a professional HVAC tune-up, a technician can inspect and clean debris-covered blower components that may reduce your system’s ability to circulate air.
Insulation Matters More Than Most Homeowners Realize
Insulation serves as a barrier against outdoor heat. As your air conditioning removes heat from inside your home, insulation helps keep that heat from getting inside. High-quality insulation enhances comfort, reduces cooling run times and can help extend the life of your HVAC system.
The attic is one of the largest sources of solar heat gain during heatwaves. Proper attic insulation and cooling go hand in hand because attic insulation slows heat transfer through the roof. Proper weatherstripping and sealing around doors and windows also help prevent hot outdoor air from getting inside.
Whenever insulation levels are too low or air leaks are present, your air conditioner has to work harder. This often causes homeowners to ask, “Why is my house hot with the AC running?” Often, the real problem is inadequate insulation, and the AC is not the problem.
Signs of Poor Home Insulation Levels
- Upper floor rooms are always hot
- Hotand cold spots
- Risingenergy bills
- AnAC system that runs nonstop
Use Shade to Reduce Heat Gain
Sunlight streaming through windows and warming your roof and exterior walls raises indoor temperatures, forcing your air conditioner to work harder.
Direct sunlight can also affect your outdoor air conditioning unit by making it more difficult to release heat efficiently. Creating shade around your property can reduce solar heat gain, improve comfort and reduce summer energy bills. Using trees or other landscaping to shade your air conditioner’s outdoor unit can also help—but never restrict airflow around the condenser. Avoid fences, enclosures or dense landscaping that block air movement.
5 Summer AC Tips to Reduce Heat with Outdoor Shade
- Plant trees and landscaping strategically. Position trees to shade your roof, walls, windows and outdoor cooling equipment. While providing shade for your outdoor AC unit, keep at least 2–3 feet of clearance on all sides and 5 feet above the unit to allow for enough airflow.
- Add window coverings. Light-colored curtains, cellular shades and thermal drapes reduce heat gain from sunlight shining through windows.
- Install solar screens in your home. Solar screens, which are specially designed mesh curtains, used on sun-facing windows help reduce the sun’s heat while still allowing in natural light.
- Make use of exterior shading. Add landscaping and design features like awnings, pergolas, shade sails or exterior shutters to stop direct sunlight off windows so it doesn’t heat up your home.
- Lower blinds in the afternoon heat. Shut blinds or shades closed on west- and south-facing windows during the hottest part of the day to reduce indoor temperatures and lighten the load on your air conditioning system.
Additional Heat-Wave Survival Tips
Airflow, insulation and shade all make a big difference, but these AC efficiency tips can help improve comfort during extreme summer heat.
- Adjust ceiling fan direction. Rotate ceiling fans counterclockwise to produce a cooling breeze.
- Avoid heat-generating appliances during the hottest part of the day. Use ovens, dryers and dishwashers in the morning or evening to reduce indoor heat.
- Manage thermostat settings. Don’t make frequent temperature changes that force your AC to work harder.
- Book preventative maintenance. Regular service helps your system perform efficiently before peak cooling season.
- Monitor unusual system performance. Take care of strange noises, weak airflow or inconsistent cooling before they become more expensive repairs.
Recognize When It’s Time to Contact an HVAC Professional
Basic AC maintenance and energy-efficient cooling strategies can help, but some problems require professional attention. When warm air is coming from your vents, airflow feels weak, your air conditioning seems to run constantly, energy bills suddenly increase, rooms cool unevenly or your system turns on and off repeatedly, it’s time for an expert evaluation.
At Heartland Heating & Cooling, our cooling specialists evaluate airflow, duct performance, insulation-related comfort concerns and overall system health to pinpoint the actual cause to help your HVAC system run at its best throughout the summer.
Stay Comfortable All Summer Long
Staying comfortably cool during a heat wave requires more than just your AC. Proper airflow, adequate insulation and well-planned shade work together to enhance comfort, improve efficiency and decrease cooling costs. Along with regular summer HVAC maintenance, these strategies can help your system perform at its best when you need it most.
has the knowledge and experience to keep you comfortable no matter how hot it gets outside. Whether you need AC maintenance, a cooling system inspection, an airflow evaluation or a complete summer tune-up, we’ll help boost efficiency and comfort during hot summers. Schedule cooling services online or call today to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cooling Your Home in Summer
Why is my home still uncomfortable even when the air conditioner is operating?
When your house stays hot even though your AC is running, the problem isn’t always the AC. Poor airflow, too little insulation, incorrect thermostat settings or HVAC system issues can each reduce cooling performance and stop cool air from reaching every room.
Does adding shade really help reduce cooling costs?
Yes. Trees, landscaping, awnings and window coverings reduce solar heat gain, helping your home stay cooler. When less heat enters your home means your air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard to cool your home. This reduces energy, which helps reduce your cooling expenses.
How often should I replace my HVAC air filter during summer?
Most households should check their air filter every month during the busiest cooling season and replace it as necessary. Your recommended air filter replacement schedule depends on the type of filter, pets, allergies and the amount of time your air conditioner runs.
Can insulation {help|make my air conditioner perform better?
It can. Proper home insulation limits heat transfer into your home, reducing strain on your AC. Making sure your home has proper insulation levels, especially in your attic or around windows, helps create more consistent indoor temperatures while lowering energy.
Should I cover up my outdoor AC unit during hot weather?
Not while it’s running. You should never cover your outdoor AC unit while it’s running because the condenser needs unobstructed airflow to release heat. Adding shade for your outdoor AC unit is beneficial, but always keep at least 2–3 feet of clearance around the unit and 5 feet above it to allow proper airflow.
What temperature should I set my thermostat at during hot weather?
For most homeowners, setting the thermostat around 78 degrees when you’re home offers an excellent balance of comfort and energy efficiency during a heat wave. Use the highest temperature that keeps your family comfortable, and avoid large thermostat adjustments that force your AC to work harder.