At Quality Air Experts, it’s our hope that you never experience the inconvenience or discomfort caused by a broken air conditioner. If you’re investing in regular maintenance through our HVAC company, you’re already at a reduced risk of the unexpected happening on a hot summer day. However, life happens, and it’s important to know how to keep your home cool if your air conditioner breaks down.
If your unit suddenly stops working, make Quality Air Experts in Sterling your first call. We offer fast and affordable air conditioning repair services and, in many cases, can come to your home the same day you call us. In the meantime, you can implement some of the following strategies in order to keep your home cool!
Open Your Windows
Opening your windows in the early morning and late at night are two effective ways to get cool air flowing throughout your home. You’ll need to be mindful of the weather and make sure that no rain gets inside, but just cracking a few windows on each level of your home can go a long way toward keeping the space cool. Just remember to close them before it gets too hot!
Close Your Blinds
Once you close your windows, you should also get into the habit of closing the blinds. Unless you’ve invested in high-efficiency windows to reduce ultraviolet light, your windows will allow the sun to heat your home, effectively undoing any progress you made toward a cooler home in the preceding hours when the windows were open. We recommend closing your blinds during the afternoon and into the evening for the best results. If you prefer to allow natural light to flow through your home and are willing to put in just a bit more work, you can strategically close blinds that get direct sunlight throughout the day.
Use Fans Throughout Your Home
Standing and ceiling fans are two great ways to keep air flowing through your home. It’s important to keep in mind that the keyword in the previous sentence is “flowing” — the primary purpose of a fan isn’t to cool a room down, but instead to keep the air circulating. That said, circulating air can often feel just the same as cooling your home, so don’t let that distinction deter you from investing in fans!
If you’re going to use fans, try to set up a cross-breeze between rooms to maximize air circulation not just in one room, but throughout your entire home. Check to make sure that your ceiling fan is set to rotate counterclockwise, too; if you don’t, your fan will only push warm air down instead of drawing cool air up and circulating it throughout the room!
Use Appliances Strategically
As we mentioned in a previous post, how and when you use your appliances can make a big difference in how warm your home gets throughout the day. As just one example, if you normally use your stovetop and oven to cook, see if you can use your grill instead. If not, then try to cook in the early morning or in the evening. This way, you can open your windows and allow some of the heat to escape. The same principle applies to appliances like your dishwasher, washer, dryer, and even major electrical appliances.
Once your air conditioner has been repaired, you can continue using this tip to keep your home cool throughout the day and reduce the amount of time your AC needs to run!
Stay Hydrated
Sterling and the surrounding areas are known for being hot during the spring and summer months. If your AC isn’t working, be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. You may even want to invest in an electrolyte powder or purchase drinks containing electrolytes if you’ll be doing any kind of labor or exercise outdoors and won’t have a cool space in which you can cool down.
Get Out
With COVID-19 restrictions loosening across the country, now is the perfect time to get out of the house and enjoy everything you missed doing over the past year. If you’ve already called Quality Air Experts to schedule an AC repair appointment, why not take yourself out for ice cream or go see a movie while you wait for a technician to arrive?
Need AC Repair in Sterling?
As we mentioned at the beginning of this piece, we sincerely hope that you never have to go without your air conditioner during the heat of the summer. However, these tips will help you in the event that you do, and they can also provide you with a few easy ways to keep your home cool once it’s fixed.
If you need air conditioning repairs or would like to learn more about investing in an air conditioning installation, contact Quality Air Experts for a free quote!