{"id":2809,"date":"2023-06-26T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-26T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purlsheetmetal.com\/blog\/?p=2809"},"modified":"2023-06-23T13:24:18","modified_gmt":"2023-06-23T17:24:18","slug":"how-heat-extremes-affect-your-ac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purlsheetmetal.com\/blog\/how-heat-extremes-affect-your-ac\/","title":{"rendered":"How Heat Extremes Affect Your AC"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We can expect to have another hot summer here in the Central Valley, with days that will rise into the triple digits. You\u2019ll need to rely on your AC to work dependably during these heat waves. Remember that you can call us for air conditioning service Fresno, CA<\/a> and elsewhere in the Central Valley when your cooling system starts to fall behind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this post, we want to look closer at how heat affects an air conditioning system. This information can help you best deal with intense heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Can high heat damage an air conditioner?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We have good news here: central air conditioning systems are designed to tolerate extreme heat. An AC that didn\u2019t work well when it\u2019s hot outside wouldn\u2019t be worth much. If you\u2019ve kept current with air conditioning maintenance each year through our Ultimate Service Agreement, the components of your air conditioner shouldn\u2019t suffer too much because of the heat wave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One potential exception is the capacitors. These are electrical components that move voltage to the motors to start them and keep them running. Capacitors can begin losing their ability to hold an electrical charge because of heat exposure. If you hear a clicking sound coming from the AC cabinets, get our technicians on the job right away. They can replace failing capacitors before you have non-working motors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you haven\u2019t been diligent about maintenance, your AC will be at a higher risk of an abrupt failure when the heat ramps up. Even though summer has already started, it isn\u2019t too late to schedule this service. You\u2019ll be glad you did, because it\u2019s how you can best protect the air conditioning system from the ravages of the summer weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The balance of indoor and outdoor heat<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the special challenge an AC system faces on extremely hot days: to cool your house, the air conditioning system removes the heat from inside it and pumps it outside. The hotter the day, the more heat inside there is to move. But it\u2019s also harder to pump heat outside when it\u2019s already extremely hot there! It\u2019s easier for an air conditioner to exhaust heat to a cooler outside\u2014and 100\u00b0F outdoor temperatures make this much more work for the AC. The best way to alleviate this stress is to keep the thermostat raised as warm as you can tolerate so the AC isn\u2019t doing as much work on the first half of its job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Airflow issues<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On top of the stress the AC is under to remove heat from the house, it also must contend with maintaining airflow. Without quality airflow, there\u2019s no way the air conditioner can lower temperatures properly, and the strain on the system will worsen and may cause motor failures. So please take the following steps to see that your AC doesn\u2019t have to deal with airflow problems:<\/p>\n\n\n\n