How to Make Your Air Conditioner Run Colder in Houston, TX

Are you having trouble with your air conditioner? Anyone living in Houston, TX, knows how unforgiving the summer heat can be. Those hot months are so brutal and the only way to feel comfortable is to keep your home’s AC running.

But what do you do if your AC unit can’t get the job done? It’s not uncommon for air conditioning systems to lose their power over time. Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to fix the issues as they arise.

So here, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about your air conditioner and how to keep it blowing cold all summer long.

How an AC Unit Works

Air conditioners bring in warm air from outside and cool it within the unit. They then disperse the air into your home as crisp, chilled air.

That’s the basic cooling equation, whether you have a portable air conditioner or central AC. But for as simple as it sounds, several small, complex pieces on the inside work hard to make it all possible.

Various parts all play vital roles in your AC’s functionality. For example, you need sufficient refrigerant, which is the liquid primarily responsible for cooling the air.

You also need clean air filters, which facilitate smooth airflow from the exterior to the interior. Lastly, your AC’s coils need to be in good shape to control the air temperature.

Your air conditioner’s exterior parts will also make or break how well it runs. For example, let’s imagine your air ducts are loose or damaged. In that case, most of the cooled air will leak out before it reaches you.

Your air conditioner can lose its effectiveness for several reasons. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to counter wear and tear and extend the comfort within your home.

DIY Air Conditioner Performance Enhancing Tips

Some air conditioning issues require special AC maintenance like tune-ups or repairs from a skilled HVAC expert. However, there are some ways you can boost your HVAC’s performance abilities on your own with minimal work.

1. Start cooling before you need it: Regardless of how new or high-tech your AC unit is, it will need to run for a length of time before that cold air takes effect. So if you start running your air conditioner before you need it, it will always greet you with perfectly chilled air. For instance, let’s say that you have a smart home air conditioner that connects to your mobile devices with wi-fi. If you want to have cool air when you get home from work, boot it up 15-30 minutes before you return.

2. Keep the unit clean: Air conditioners with clogged air filters and dirty outdoor components have to work twice as hard when cooling your home. A filthy unit needs to power through a layer of debris to perform basic functions, which isn’t good for the system. Of course, your AC unit doesn’t need to be spotless. However, changing the air filter and gently wiping the components down monthly goes a long way.

3. Help the AC out with a fan: Air conditioners are great at producing cold air and it certainly doesn’t hurt to help them spread it through the house. One cost-effective solution is to utilize fans wherever possible. You can either place a standing fan in front of a vent or turn your ceiling fans on throughout the house. With fans, you can spread the cold air from the air conditioning system throughout your home much farther and faster.

Benefits of Expert Air Conditioner Tune-ups & Maintenance

The best way to keep your air conditioner blowing cold air is to properly maintain the system and schedule the occasional expert tune-up. You can rely on the help of a licensed, certified HVAC professional in Houston, TX.

The quick home cooling fixes we mentioned above do provide minor cooling improvements. However, professional AC services can leave you with unbeatable benefits, including:

• Improved performance: Using a fan, turning the AC on early, and cleaning the unit monthly will cool your house more effectively. However, pairing that with an annual maintenance appointment will offer much more significant benefits. Our team at Dave Lane’s Hi-Tech Mechanical Inc. will examine, clean, and tune-up every interior and exterior component of your air conditioner to ensure optimal performance. We check everything from the coils and filters to the ductwork when servicing an AC unit.
• Energy savings: When every part of an AC works perfectly, it requires less energy to cool your home. That means faster and more effective cooling without having to leave your air conditioner on all day. As a result, you’ll save significant money on your energy bill.
• Reduced need for repairs: As mentioned earlier, air conditioners have several interior and exterior parts essential for proper operation. Without regular maintenance, those parts will wear down quickly and leave you in need of costly repair services. But if you keep your air conditioner well-tuned throughout the year, all of its parts should run perfectly until the next maintenance appointment. Though some aren’t interested in the additional costs and scheduling of AC maintenance, it is far cheaper than paying for most regular repairs; and why deal with surprise periods of discomfort when you don’t have to?

Consult an Expert on Your Air Conditioner’s Performance

Is your AC unit not cooling the way it should during Houston, TX’s hot summers? You might need help from a professional HVAC technician to bring it back to life. There isn’t a team in Houston more qualified than Dave Lane’s Hi-Tech Mechanical Inc.

Our experienced team offers several top-rated air conditioner services. We do repairs, replacements, maintenance, tune-ups, and installations. No matter your AC needs, our team will be ready to answer the call.

We work hard to keep your air conditioner running smoothly and we work even harder to keep our services affordable. Call our friendly team today at (713) 489-5855 to schedule an appointment. With one AC maintenance appointment, we can significantly boost your air conditioner’s performance.