Have you ever wondered just how cold the central air conditioning system can make your home? You probably already know what the lowest setting on the thermostat is. For most models, it’s 60°F, which is plenty cool. Too cool for most. But in case of an extremely hot day, how much power can you force from the AC? How much cool air can you blast into the home to keep you as comfortable as you want?
We’re glad you’re asking these questions, regardless of whether you’re in a bind with the heat or you’re just curious. Understanding the limits of a central air conditioning system can help you operate it better, give it a longer service life, lower the cost to run it, and reduce the number of repairs it needs.
The headline might make it sound as if we aren’t in favor of using ductless mini split systems (a.k.a. ductless heat pumps) for home heating and cooling. But we are! We think ductless heat pumps are one of the best solutions for home comfort around, especially for older homes or smaller homes without room for ductwork. Ductless mini split systems are convenient, easy and fast for professionals to install, improve indoor air quality, and have excellent energy efficiency.
Your home’s central air conditioner is a type of refrigeration system, like a freezer or a fridge. It cools down air by removing the heat from it with chemical refrigerant. The refrigerant circulated through a set of indoor and outdoor coils, evaporating in the indoor coils to draw heat from the air and then condensing in the outdoor coils to release the heat.
You probably don’t know much about the central air conditioner in your home except that it cools you down on hot Florida summer days. You may know it works similar to a refrigerator, moving refrigerant between two sets of coils, and that it uses a compressor to run. But unless you work in the HVAC industry or are enthusiastic about the science of refrigeration systems, this is probably where your knowledge stops.
The end of the summer can bring with it the worst heat of the whole season. Here in Tampa Bay, we can expect to have hot weather strike any time of the year, including winter. This makes air conditioning systems essential parts of our homes—and it also makes keeping them in good repair a vital part of living in our climate.
When the hot Florida weather really settles in, you can expect steady work from your home’s air conditioner. If you’ve already had HVAC professionals inspect and tune it up, you can expect it to work with few problems over the season. However, you shouldn’t let indications that something might be wrong slip past you just because you were diligent about maintenance. Problems can afflict even the best cared-for air conditioning system, and the sooner you hop on getting the system repaired, the better off you—and the AC—will be.
The weather is warming in Florida, although we’re still dealing with frequent rains. More sun and more heat is on the way, of course, and right now is the best time to ensure your home’s air conditioning system is ready for another hot Florida summer. How can you know your AC is prepped for the coming season? It’s actually simple: call for HVAC professionals to maintain your air conditioner with a thorough inspection, cleaning, and tune-up. 
