Why your AC system could fail during the heatwave

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Heating and air companies in Louisville report hundreds of service calls a day as air conditioning systems fail to keep pace with the relentless heat.

“Swamped, covered up,” Louie McDuffie, General manager of CAIR Heating and Cooling said. “The heating decks, all these old systems are busting left and right, ”McDuffie said.

He recently added 4 HVAC crews to his schedule to meet the demand for repairs and installations, and there are still not enough hours in the day.

”This crew here is going to finish this (AC repair job) up in about an hour,” McDuffie said. “Then they’re going to help another crew that started an hour ago.”

But professionals say it is not really the heat that is causing these air conditioning systems to die, instead, it is the lack of regular maintenance.

Paying for annual or seasonal check-ups, performing regular filter replacements, and protecting outside cooling units from dogs relieving themselves, can prevent corrosion and stress on the system.

Systems under stress have a difficult time surviving the demands of an extended heat wave.

LG&E has a short list of suggestions to ease the burden on your AC system:

• Turn up the savings: Setting the thermostat to the highest comfortable setting during the day will help manage cooling expenses. Raising your thermostat setting by one degree can save as much as 4 to 7% on the cooling portion of your energy bill.
• Pull the shade: Closing curtains, drapes and blinds on sun-facing windows help block rays that naturally increase indoor temperatures.
• Hit the fan: Using a fan along with your air conditioner helps spread the cooled air throughout the home more effectively without having to adjust the thermostat. In hot weather, set ceiling fans to spin counterclockwise to push air down toward the floor.
• Seal up leaks: Closing leaks or gaps around doors, windows and ductwork will help your cooling system operate more efficiently.
• Fire up the grill: Cooking meals in the oven can raise the temperature in your home, and make your A/C work that much harder to keep up with cooling. Consider cooking outdoors or using a slow cooker, pressure cooker or air fryer instead.

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