This is a question our team gets asked a lot during the summertime. Frequently, we’ll get calls from folks asking why their home isn’t 74° or cooler during certain summer days, if this indicates a problem with their AC, and if there’s anything that can be done about it.

Courtesy of our crew here at One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Delmarva, let’s break down the question and address each of these points on their own.

The Limits of Your AC

Generally speaking, your air conditioning unit is designed to get your home 20° cooler than the outside temperature. If your home’s indoor temp isn’t going down to 74° during the night, then you almost certainly have a mechanical problem, barring the unlikely scenario the nighttime temp is over 94°.

On the other side of the coin, if the temperature outdoors is over 94°, then having a high indoor temp is quite normal. In the late afternoon hours of a hot summer day, you can expect your house to be about 80° if it is 100° outside. If your AC is successfully bringing down the temperature by more than 20°, that’s fantastic! Your home and windows are very well sealed, and you probably don’t have an AC issue in such a scenario.

Get Regular Maintenance — and Don’t Play with the Thermostat!

To make sure that your air conditioning is fully prepared for the summer, make sure to schedule regular maintenance checks to avoid any issues.

Further, try to resist the temptation to set your thermostat back too much, especially during scorching summer days when the outdoor temp is approaching 100°. Most systems in this area at a design temperature of 95° — if you reach for that comfortable 74° by setting your thermostat significantly lower than that, you run the risk of putting too much strain on your system by forcing it to overcompensate. As a general rule of thumb, never set your thermostat to more than 1° or 2° off from the temp you really want.

So How Do I Cool My House?

If you’re still looking for a way to combat the extreme heat, do what you can to block out the heat by closing all of your doors and window shades — and maybe pour yourself a cold beverage while you’re at it!

To book your appointment with One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Delmarva, don’t hesitate to reach out by giving our crew a call today!