4 Tips for When Your Air Conditioner Fails

What to do When Your AC Breaks Unexpectedly

We all know what it feels like to be stuck inside with no air conditioner. Summer days can reach up to 100 degrees in Michigan. That doesn’t factor in the humidity level. We don’t want to wish anybody bad luck, but air conditioners do break unexpectedly. You may suddenly find yourself calling for a repair. Because demand is high, it could be a few hours before an Aire Serv technician arrives. While you wait, use these tips to keep your home as cool as possible.

1. Cool the Room with Fans

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

• Use a ceiling fan. 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.
• Put fans in the windows. 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 cool air inside.

2. Cool Yourself Down

• Keep cool with wet towels and clothing. 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.

3. Reduce Heat Coming in From Outside

• Draw the shades. 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.

4. Reduce Heat Generated Inside the House

• Turn off the oven. An effective way to make a room cool naturally is to reduce interior heat gain. 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.
• Cook food after dark. Wait to prepare food in the microwave and wait until after dark to run the dryer and dishwasher.

We know how uncomfortable it can be when your air conditioner fails. Aire Serv is always here to help you solve your hot weather issues.