Houston’s Climate and Its Impact on AC Systems: How to Keep Your Home Cool

When it comes to maintaining a bearable temperature in Houston, proper and regular AC repair seems like the only good solution. However, considering the one-of-a-kind nature of Houston’s climate, air conditioning challenges are a given. A clear understanding of the inner workings of Houston’s climate and the sort of effects it has on the AC systems there can definitely help you with applying a much more effective approach towards AC system maintenance in Houston.

Houston Heat

ACs, by design, cool down around +/- 20 degrees from the outside temperature. So, it’s quite normal for the temperature inside your home to be around 80 degrees even when it’s set for 75 because it’s 100 degrees outside. The unbearable hot and oppressive Houston climate, therefore, results in your AC exceeding normal operating limits because it has to work harder to maintain a cool climate indoors. Additionally, the hot air outside makes your AC have an even harder time blocking out heat, resulting in your AC being overworked.

Houston Humidity

Since humid air tends to carry more heat, your air conditioner overworks itself to maintain normal temperature levels amid high humidity, as it has to run longer to reach the desired temperature, often resulting in uneven cooling throughout your residence. Naturally, the humid nature of Houston’s climate makes it tough for your AC system to maintain the temperature inside your house, alongside keeping the dampy and clamminess of air away.

As it stands, unnaturally high humidity and high temperature are primarily responsible for the prevailing air conditioning challenges in Houston. So, what can be done about it?

While the option for on-time repair is always there, regular AC system maintenance can work wonders, going as far as practically preventing the need for AC repair.

What does a regular AC system maintenance check include?

A professional technician would normally do the following for maintenance check:

• Check coolant levels
• Inspect for leaks
• Check gas and electricity connections
• Tighten connections as needed
• Check air filters to see if they need to be cleaned or replaced
• Check condenser coils for proper airflow

How does regular AC system maintenance help keep your home cool?

Doing these regularly can go a long way by preventing:

• Major and minor breakdowns: Negligible problems can easily pile up and turn into major issues, ultimately becoming the cause of breakdowns. But keeping track of such problems, which is a part of regular maintenance, can stop breakdowns from happening altogether, as well as help make sure your AC is running at optimal efficiency.
• Poor air quality: Not replacing your air filter regularly will inevitably lead to your AC unit bringing in dust and germs, resulting in low-quality air entering your home. So, changing your air filter regularly is very important.
• Potential risks: Irregular AC maintenance can lead to safety risks, including fire hazards, so not maintaining your AC is quite dangerous as well.
• Inadequate cooling: Lack of maintenance can lead to your air conditioning system gradually reaching a state of not being able to cool the air as much as you’d like for it to be cooled, which can prove to be especially concerning for Houston residents.
• Shortened life span: Not maintaining properly will ultimately result in your AC’s lifespan being cut short. Alternatively, proper maintenance will lead to increasing it.
• Warranty issues and increased costs for maintenance: Many AC warranties require proof of whether your unit has received proper maintenance or not. If you’re unable to show the required proof, you’ll have to pay for all their services, and that’s just one way irregular maintenance adds to your extra costs. Since regular maintenance makes it easy to keep track of seemingly insignificant problems, you can fix them early on, which means you’ll be spending significantly less money than you’d be spending on major repairs.

When you sign a maintenance agreement, in many cases, you will be offered seasonal maintenance services for your system that involve tune-ups for both the air conditioning and the heating system, alongside discounts on AC repairs and the purchase of new items. Making good use of these can give you the necessary tune-ups while saving money as well.

7 Tips to Help with the Houston Heat in the Summer

While proper and regular AC system maintenance can help you prevent air conditioning challenges to a considerable degree, even in Houston’s climate, it is definitely a good idea to take some additional measures to keep your home cool. Doing the simple things listed down below will undoubtedly help you have an easier time coping with summertime in Houston:

• Do your chores after dark: Since the weather isn’t as hot during the evening, starting your chores during that time will help you have an easier time finishing them.
• Seal up any cracks that are present in your home: Cracks in your home can lead to hot air entering your home and cool air moving outside. So, checking for cracks is definitely something that you should do.
• Close your blinds during the day and open windows at night: Closing your blinds during the daytime can help to keep your home cool by blocking the sunlight, and opening the windows at night can help you to enjoy a nice, cool night breeze.
• Turn your ceiling fans on: Your ceiling fan can circulate air and create a cool breeze inside your home, so turn them on for a comfortable atmosphere.
• Consider having your home insulated: Insulation can help to control the flow of heat inside your home. Consider having your home insulated for a cooler home in summer and a warmer home in winter.
• Cook outdoors: Indoor cooking can heat up your house. Unless the heat outside is absolutely unbearable, try outdoor grilling or other outdoor cooking methods to stop your home from getting heated.
• Avoid using heat-generating tools: Ovens, dryers, and even traditional incandescent bulbs produce heat and contribute to the heat build-up inside your home. So, reduce the usage of such appliances as much as possible, and replace traditional bulbs with energy-saving ones, as they tend to produce less heat.

 Ensuring a healthy balance between comfort and saving resources is a win-win situation without a doubt, even more so when it comes to Houston residents who face the extreme ends of the weather spectrum. Preparing early by applying the aforementioned can absolutely help you have an easier time ensuring comfort in your home while embracing the summer vibes. Happy summer days ahead!