When it's hot outside, you want to cool down the inside—fast. Unfortunately, your AC unit may take longer than you'd like to reduce the inside temperature.
We consulted HVAC pros to help you learn how to get an AC cooling quicker.
Turn on Fans
Start by turning on all the fans in your house.
"Turning on a fan of any type, such as a ceiling fan, reciprocating fan, or box fan, will help," says Rob R. Terry, owner of Terry's A/C & Heating.
Even turn on your bathroom's exhaust fan and your kitchen hood fan, especially if someone has recently taken a shower or is cooking.
Terry says that this strategy doesn't make the AC unit cool faster. But you will feel cooler as a result of evaporative cooling or wind chill.
Keep the House Cooler
When your AC unit turns on, it's fighting against all the hot air in your house. All of the home's physical elements are hot, too: ceiling, flooring, furniture, and more.
Terry explains how you can pitch in and help with the AC unit with its fight.
"Air conditioners can only cool as fast as they can cool. If they have a wide temperature differential to address because your house is warm inside, it’s naturally going to take longer for the AC to cool down," he says.
Maintain a steady temperature with only a variation of a few degrees. This makes it easier for the AC unit to get to its ideal temperature, Terry says.
Keep Blinds Shut
You will feel a little cooler by closing blinds and curtains of especially sunny windows, Terry says. More importantly, this will prevent your room from heating up. Less heat gain makes it easier for an AC unit to catch up on its cooling struggle.
On the sunny side of the house, install sun-blocking blackout shades. These block out 80 percent or more of the sunlight entering the house.
Supercool at Night
Supercool your home at night by turning the thermostat lower, Terry says. This reduces the load on the AC the next day when it's trying to cool down the house.
Maintain an indoor temperature of between 75 and 78°F during the day. At night, supercool your house by turning the thermostat to 60 to 67°F.
Not only do you lessen the unit's workload, but studies also indicate that people sleep better in cooler bedrooms.1
Keep AC Running All the Time
Terry recommends keeping your AC running continuously, even when you're not at home. This doesn't necessarily mean keeping the house ice-cold all the time. Instead, it means having the unit activated 24 hours a day.
Clean the Outside Condenser Coils
If you want to get your AC cooling quicker, a straightforward way is to verify that the outside condenser coils are clean, says Jeff Ring, owner of Modern Heating & Cooling.
The condenser is the square metal unit outside the house—the box with vents on the side and a fan on top. When the coils inside the box aren't clean, the AC takes longer to cool the house.
To clean the air conditioner condenser coils, you will need a few basic tools, a special tool called a fin comb, and two cans of foaming A/C condenser coil cleaner.
Once you remove the outer cover, vacuum off the large debris and apply the coil cleaner. The cleaner is a solvent that takes several minutes to break down the corrosion. Finish by hosing off the cleaner.
Clean the Inside Filter
Trying to cool down a house fast with a clogged AC filter is like trying to get water out of a cinched hose. It does flow, but at a slower rate.
"Verify the indoor AC filter is clean and there is minimal interference of airflow," Ring says.
Fill Air Supply Duct Void
"One lesser-known way to help your central AC cool your home faster has to do with how your air supply ductwork is configured," says Randal Fuller, the owner of Fuller Services.
Behind the AC's air supply duct access panel is a large void. While some space is required, older systems often have extra-large voids.
"When the system starts, cold air fills that void before moving through the ductwork," Fuller says. "This creates a delay. So, it takes longer for cooler air to reach living spaces."
Fill some of that void to eliminate the time delay, allowing cool air to reach the room vents more quickly.
"It's a small adjustment, but it can noticeably improve how fast your home cools down," Fuller says.
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