As the weather continues to get hotter, you will be thanking your air conditioner for doing such a good job of keeping you and your family cool. Your air conditioner will have to work harder with the rising temperatures to keep your home cool and comfortable. However, with all the hard work your AC has been doing, there is a higher risk of the unit failing you because of all the strain. Making your air conditioner work harder than it has to can result in even the best-maintained units breaking down.
Air conditioning can only do so much to maintain ideal indoor temperatures. Unfortunately, most homeowners don’t realize that all air conditioning systems have their limitations. Overburdening your air conditioner can result in a complete breakdown that will require AC repair in Lutz, FL.
This guide will help you understand the limits of your air conditioner to ensure that you can get the best performance from your system for much longer.
Air conditioners can lower indoor temperatures by a maximum of 20°F
Any standard air conditioner installed in a house can significantly lower indoor temperatures–that’s their job after all. However, it cannot lower indoor temperatures by more than 20°F lower than the outside temperature.
Suppose that the outdoor temperature is 90°F. In that case, the lowest temperature that your air conditioner can maintain indoors will be 70°F. This is an estimated figure, and it doesn’t consider other factors in your home that could affect indoor temperatures. For example, good insulation can make it easier for the air conditioner to keep your home cool.
When you set the thermostat to a far lower setting than the temperature your unit can realistically maintain, you will force your air conditioner to run constantly. It will keep running the compressor to achieve the temperature you have set on the thermostat, leading to substantial strain on the system’s components. Running a unit like this can result in problems like a burned-out compressor or damage to the motors.
While you can technically set the thermostat to as low as 60°F, it is never a good idea to do this because of all the strain on your system. Besides that, 60°F is too cold for most people’s comfort level anyway.
Why Do Air Conditioners Have Cooling Limitations?
If you are wondering whether it is possible for manufacturers to make air conditioners that can cool your home by more than 20°F compared to outdoor temperatures, you should know that it is possible. You can see such air conditioners in commercial freezers. However, cooling space as large as a home to get more than a 20°F difference from outdoor temperatures requires a very powerful unit. An air conditioner cannot maintain such low temperatures without using an exorbitant amount of electricity.
Make sure that you keep a closer eye on the thermostat settings this summer. (We discussed this specifically in our previous blog.) Respecting the air conditioner’s limitations can help you keep the unit running for much longer without needing frequent repairs. If your air conditioner does start developing problems, you can count on us at Balance Air to help.
