Many businesses and households rely on air conditioning during a hot summer day. Oftentimes, air conditioning units break down from overuse. This is especially true during the summer months when reliance on artificial cooling is at its peak. Careful maintenance of a property’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) are essential for comfortable interior conditions year-round. However, even thorough preparations can fail due to unforeseen circumstances. In such cases, it is important to know what options are available to restore cooler conditions when the AC unit goes out in the summer.
What To Do If Your AC Goes Out In The Summer
Improving Interior Ventilation and Blocking Heat
The first and least costly alternative is to see if cooler conditions can be created by improving airflow and blocking heat sources. That means opening windows and closing blinds or curtains where sunlight enters, a simple trick that can vastly reduce indoor temperatures. Insulating heat sources or plugging gaps under doors, windows, and walls that allow heat in can also help. Turning off appliances and lights wherever possible will also cool the building.
Use Alternative Cooling Devices
Alternative cooling devices might not provide the same level of uniform coolness that an air conditioning unit does. However, electric fans can provide ample relief from the summer heat if your AC goes out. Their effectiveness is amplified at night, especially when drawing in the cooler night air from open windows.
Another alternative is evaporative coolers, also known as swamp coolers. These function by taking in air and blowing it over cold water pads or screens. Most models are much more economical than most air conditioning units. Swamp coolers are also easy to create through improvisation. All you need to create a swamp cooler is cool water or ice, filtration tools like foam screens, and fans. Swamp coolers mimic the uniform coolness that air conditioning units provide. However, they do not manage to cool rooms to the same degree.
Additional Reading: Homemade Air Conditioner – Swamp Cooler
Employ Geothermal Cooling
Temperatures just a few feet beneath roads and courtyards tend to stay the same throughout the entire year. Complex geothermal systems can be set in place that take water from the surface, usually underneath a building’s floors via pipes, to an underground reservoir. The water here is then cooled by the Earth’s cooler temperatures before being put back into circulation. In fact, many systems that were in use by ancient peoples were little more than large wells in the middle of their yards.
Consult With Professionals
As a matter of best practice, if a building’s HVAC system has failed, it is always a good idea to contact professionals. Air conditioning is a vital component of any structure’s whole value package. Attempting to fix an HVAC system without proper knowledge can result in further damage, or worse, an electrical injury. Safe and easy steps should be taken to cool down the house or business. When it becomes necessary to repair or replace air conditioning units, nothing can outdo a professional’s analysis and recommendation.
Air Care Heating and Air Conditioning – Residential & Commercial HVAC Services in Omaha & Council Bluffs
Air Care Heating and Air Conditioning is a full-service HVAC company located in Council Bluffs & Omaha. We know how important well-functioning heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are to your home or business, especially living in the Midwest. No matter what your heating and cooling needs, we provide a variety of heating and cooling HVAC services committed to exceeding your expectations with 100% customer satisfaction. Contact us today for your routine maintenance service, repairs, or installation requests -and let us show you the difference.