The “temperature differential” is a pretty scientific term. It has to do with the difference in temperature between the outside and the inside of your home. When things are hot out, you want the difference in temperature to be greater since you want it to be cooler in your home. Likewise, in the wintertime when it’s cold out, you want your home to be cozy and warm.
The term “temperature differential” is something we use widely in the HVAC industry because it helps us figure out if an air conditioner is working properly or not. An AC that can’t keep a home even a few degrees cooler than the temperature outside requires air conditioning repair in Buffalo Grove, IL.
However, if you’re constantly setting your AC to 65 degrees on a 100-degree day, then you’re likely running it into the ground and causing your energy bills to skyrocket as a result.
How Your System Cools the Air
The reason why it’s so important to think about the temperature differential of your home, is because of how your air conditioner actually cools things down. It’s not like a refrigerator or freezer, it continuously cycles through the air in your home as it cools it using refrigerant.
Your AC takes warm air in through the intake duct, cools it quickly by evaporating refrigerant and drawing out the heat, and then dispersing that cooled air into your home. The hotter the air is in the atmosphere, the warmer the air will be that your AC cools, regardless of how powerful it is.
If temperatures are reaching 100 degrees outside, your system still has to cool 100-degree air, which is harder and it’s less likely that this air will be cooled to the 65-degree mark you’ve set on your thermostat.
Set Your Thermostat Correctly
Do yourself a favor and set your thermostat no lower than 20 degrees below the outdoor temperature. This will ensure that your air conditioner doesn’t overwork trying to constantly cool air to a point that’s unreasonable.
Don’t worry, we’re not asking you to boil alive in your home. In fact, there are some other, more energy-efficient ways to keep cool on the hottest days of the year.
Here Are Some Additional Ways to Beat the Heat
Don’t just succumb to the scorching hot temperatures outside. Here are a few ways you can work with your air conditioner to make things cooler in your home.
- Utilize a ceiling fan. Ceiling fans are helpful at cooling things down a couple more degrees in your home, when working in conjunction with the air conditioner.
- Drink cold beverages. Nothing tastes better than an ice-cold lemonade or sweet tea on a hot summer’s day!
- Turn out the lights and use curtains/shades. The sun is a huge contributing factor to heat inside our homes. While it’s aesthetically pleasing, using shades and curtains to block the sun can help things cool off.
- Take a cold shower. A cold shower is sometimes the perfect thing needed to cool you down and make you feel less overwhelmed by the heat.
Does your AC need a helping hand? Call Roberts Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. today.