Quickly Cool Your House If Your AC Breaks

It’s the peak of summer, and your air conditioner breaks unexpectedly. You call for an emergency repair, but demand is high, and it will be a few hours before an Aire Serv® technician arrives to make the necessary repair. While you wait, use these tips to keep your home as cool as possible.

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 a 30 degree house feel like a much more bearable 26 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 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

Poor 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

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. If your air conditioner breaks, prepare food in the microwave and wait until after dark to run the dryer and dishwasher.

Schedule AC Repair & Replacement Services

A broken air conditioner is a huge inconvenience, especially if the breakdown occurs on a blistering summer day. If your aging air conditioner is eight to 10 years old and faces a repair of $500 or more, this may be its final breakdown. Save on your energy bills and reduce the need for future repairs by installing a high-efficiency replacement AC today.

Aire Serv is here to help! Whether you want to repair your air conditioner, or you’re ready to make a replacement, we have you covered. Contact us today to learn more about our cooling services or to request a free AC installation quote.