The Heat Advisory for 100+ degree temperatures that authorities are forecasting for the Atlanta area this weekend and next week will be far above the conditions in which your cooling system was designed to operate. We are providing some information to help educate our customers, and we hope it will give some insight into what can happen, and why, when the temperature reaches these extremes, and help you stay cool indoors when it’s sweltering outside.
Q: Why am I seeing temperatures in my home reaching 80 to 85 degrees, even though my thermostat is set to 72 degrees?
A: Air conditioners in this region have a design condition of 92 degrees for the outside air temperature, which means that your system should maintain an indoor air temperature of 75 degrees when it is 92 degrees outside. The problem is that as the outside temperature rises above 92 degrees, the ability of your cooling system to maintain a constant setting is compromised.
If your AC system is performing as it should, you still may see temperatures in the 80′s inside your home when the outside temperature gets into the 100s. There are a few things you can do to help your AC do its job as well as it possibly can:
- Turn on all your ceiling fans to help circulate air
- Close blinds and drapes to keep the sunlight out
- Be sure no furniture is covering air conditioning vents or restricting air flow in your home
- Keep your doors shut as much as possible
- Limit your inside activity
For more Air Conditioning tips to help your system run more efficiently (and save you money), don’t forget to check out our Money Saving Tips for Air Conditioning Page.