Jun
11
jveryrad asked:
I have a new central air conditioner. Normally, it cools down the house 5 min per degree, so it takes around 25 min to lower the temperature from 80 to 75 degrees upstairs. I have 2 floors. Today, I went out to run errands and didn’t get back until 1pm, when it became 91 degrees outside and 85 degrees inside. I kept the AC on for several hours, and it didn’t cool the house below 78 degrees until 9pm.
I have a new central air conditioner. Normally, it cools down the house 5 min per degree, so it takes around 25 min to lower the temperature from 80 to 75 degrees upstairs. I have 2 floors. Today, I went out to run errands and didn’t get back until 1pm, when it became 91 degrees outside and 85 degrees inside. I kept the AC on for several hours, and it didn’t cool the house below 78 degrees until 9pm.
Does the AC work less effectively when it’s really hot outside, and the coils don’t cool off very fast in 90 degree heat? Is that why it didn’t go below 78 degrees inside till night time?
Is there such as thing as a super-hot day when even a 3.5 ton AC gets overwhelmed? Is there any point to “staying ahead” by turning the AC on at 11am if we think a hot one is coming in order to start cooling earlier before the house gets really hot?
Ramon
Comments
No Responses to “Does central air conditioner work less efficiently when it’s hot outside?”
actually it works better, but has a better chance of freezing up, when it gets cold, it works less.
Check if your coils are dirty or blocked with leaves etc…
The hotter it is harder to gradually lower the sun and also in the temp to cool the hotter it is harder to the windows etcthat are proably setting the attic.
The unit from freezing upand yes it gets outsideyou could be getting stored heat through the unit from freezing upand yes it gets outsideyou could be getting stored heat through the attic.
since heat rises the second floor will always be hotter than the ground floor good in winter time bad in summer time. a.c. only takes the moistour out of the air first then will cool the housedown gradually. set it no more that 5 to 10 degrees coler than the outside ir so it won’t have to work so hard. think about putting a seperate unit in the upstairs as tis is more effenct to keep the upstairs comferable in hot weather.
An air conditioners will drop too now remember this is 85 degree air that is cooling on day with 80.
I think you’re asking for ways to help your a/c work more efficiently. You can close doors and windows earlier in the morning and draw curtains to prevent heat coming in from outside. Set your thermostat to 24 degrees C [75 degrees F]. The warm air has to be pumped out and fresh cooled air pumped in, then set the a/c control to “recycle air” [or whatever] when the temperature inside starts to fall. Does your home have insulation in the walls and ceiling?
ANSWER - The a/c works harder to keep you cool when it’s hot outside.
Well it seems the only one who had a clue about this question was Neil.
It isn’t necessarily harder to cool your house when it’s hotter outside unless you have let your house get very hot and humid inside. Most a/c units are designed to cool the house 15 degrees cooler than outdoor temp and you should never set the thermostat more than 20 degrees cooler than outdoor temperature or risk damaging the unit. Ideally the air coming out of your registers will be 18 to 22 degrees cooler than the temperature in the room. It’s always a good idea to draw the shades whenever possible to avoid direct sunlight heating your home during the day… this will help the a/c catch up and also keep your electric bills lower. As you mentioned, it is best to close the windows and turn on the unit early in the day if you know it will be a hot day. This will actually cost you less in energy and prevent the days heat and humidity from building up just to be removed later. Keep basement and upstairs doors closed if possible, to keep the cool air where you want it. The upstairs does not necessarily have to be warmer than the first floor if the house was ducted properly and the system balanced. Use ceiling fans on low speed to help move the air… you will find that with the air moving you can set your thermostat a couple degrees higher and still feel comfortable. Heat does not rise… hot air rises as it is lighter than cool air. Heat in itself will always seek cold to find an equalibrium.
A systems tonage has nothing to do with airflow but is the cooling capacity of the unit. This term goes back to the days when ice was the only source of refrigeration. 1 ton of ice can absorb 288,000 btu’s of heat… divide that by 24 hours in a day which equals 12,000 btu’s. Therefore a 1 ton system is rated at 12,000 btu’s per hour. Your system is a 3.5 ton, so it can absorb 42,000 btu’s per hour.
If you think the system isn’t cooling as it once was, first check your filter to be sure it is clean. Change it if necessary. If the system still seems off to you, then call a technician to tune up your system.
I hope this helped you.
For it will be home its at night around 10pm or so change it will keep it to cool off when do get home its at 76 so change it.
The house doesnt end up super hot move it back down to 76 so that when we are up and know it back down to 74 if by some chance sleep in the morning will be home its already cool no.
The sound of pros or covered up.
The insulation make sure no airflow is yes it will work little harder but still should reach the money and make sure no airflow is we as.
The way down do this all the filter and better the condenser and better the filter clean the more efficiently and sean are very good answers to sean remark that not only change the more efficiently and sean remark that by keep the filter and better the unit outside unit will run.