Quickly Cool Your House If Your AC Breaks

Last updated: 9/16/2023 

AC broken? Use these tips from our team of our HVAC professionals to keep your home as cool as possible until it’s repaired..

Strategic Use of Fans

Running a fan is one of the most convenient and effective ways to keep a room cool in summer without AC. The wind chill effect makes you feel about 4 degrees cooler, which can make an 84-degree house feel like a much more bearable 80 degrees.

If you run a ceiling fan, make sure it’s blowing air downward to create a much-needed breeze. Then, remember to turn off the fan when you leave the room to conserve energy. After all, the windchill effect only cools people—it doesn’t actually lower the temperature in the room.

Once the sun goes down, put fans in the windows to draw in cool air from outside. If you have an attic fan, run it at night to funnel air in and cool off your entire house. Remember to close the windows and turn off the attic fan early in the morning to trap the cool air inside.

Cool Yourself Down

In addition to running fans, keep yourself cool by placing a wet towel on your neck. Wearing damp clothes is also very effective. To help you sleep, wash your bedding and place the sheets back on the mattress without drying them first. Also, make sure you stay hydrated since you’re bound to sweat more when the temperature goes up.

Cool the Room with Ice

Pour a glass of water, dump ice cubes into it, and place your hand above the cup. The air feels cooler here, doesn’t it? You can supersize this cooling effect by putting a big block of ice on a baking sheet or in a casserole dish. The cooling effect from the ice helps keep the room more comfortable until your broken air conditioner is fixed.

Reduce Heat Coming in from Outside

South- and west-facing rooms are the trickiest to keep cool. Draw the shades over the windows to reduce heat and sunlight coming in from outside. Thick, dark curtains with a white reflective backing are the most effective for keeping a room cool that faces the sun. If you have a natural cooling home design, there may be trees on the south and west sides to help shade your home in the afternoon.

Reduce Heat Generated Inside the House

When you don’t have an air conditioner to offset the heat, it can become sweltering if you attempt to use the oven, stove, dryer, dishwasher, and other heat-generating appliances. If your air conditioner breaks, prepare food in the microwave and wait until after dark to run the dryer and dishwasher.

Schedule Emergency AC Repair

Is your AC company unable to arrive quickly? Aire Serv is here to help with our emergency HVAC services and AC Repair. We’re like EMTs for your AC. We’re on call 24/7 to offer air conditioning service when you need it most. Call 855-679-0011 or schedule an appointment now.