How To Manage When Your AC Unit Breaks During Summer

While winter is in full swing at the moment, it won’t be long until the flowers are blooming in spring, and right behind them will be the hot days of summer. While summer is a wonderful time, full of baseball games, beach parties, and trips to the local pool in the heat of the day, it’s also a time of extreme heat in some country areas.

The last thing you want in the middle of a summer heatwave is for the refrigerant in your air conditioner to run out or the AC unit to go on the fritz completely. A broken AC unit will certainly put a damper on any chore that you’re trying to take care of or any fun that you’re trying to have inside of your home as well. If your AC unit is on the fritz, then you’re going to have to wait for the technician to be able to work you into his busy schedule so that he can fix your HVAC system and get you up and going once again. Whether your air filter is the problem or you’re simply low on refrigerant, you’re going to have to find ways to manage until the technician arrives.

Go where the AC unit is.

One of the best ways to stay cool when your AC unit is on the fritz is simply going where the air conditioning is. For example, if the technician is only going to be a few hours, take that time to go grocery shopping so that you’ll be cool. While grocery shopping is one of the chores we want to outsource, if your AC unit is broken, it can be a chore that keeps you cool and collected until your HVAC unit can be fixed.

You can also go to the movies, or if it’s going to be a few days before the technician can get to your home, you might want to check into a hotel until the AC unit is fixed and it’s cool in your home once again. While a grocery trip may seem like a chore, it’s better than being hot.

Don’t use your heat-producing appliances.

When your air conditioning system breaks down, the last thing you want is to do anything that will make your home any hotter than it already is. This means that you want to refrain from turning on any of your heat-producing appliances. Avoid using appliances such as your dryer or oven, as that produces more heat.

There are plenty of foods that you can eat that don’t require turning the stove on. Try using your crockpot or eating salads until the AC is repaired.

Close your blinds.

Even if you have your windows open to let in whatever cool air you can from the outside, you want to keep the direct sunlight from heating your home. Pull down and close your blinds to avoid the heat of the day, then open them when night falls, and it’s cooler outside to let the cool air circulate through your home.

Don’t panic.

The last thing you want to do is panic when your AC breaks. While it may be uncomfortable to sit in a sweltering house until the AC repairman arrives, AC units break down in the summer all the time. Keep your cool, follow the tips above, and wait until help arrives.

These are just a few ways to manage when your AC breaks down in the summer. Panicking will do you no good, so follow the tips above, get out of the house for a bit, and soon your home will be back to normal and as cool as you want it to be.