BRYAN, Texas — Homes are heating up a lot quicker this summer and as temperatures rise you want to make sure your home is being properly regulated.
A local HVAC company says they have already seen an increase in calls this summer.
“There’s been a large influx, definitely,” says Justin Winborn, HVAC Technician, R.M. Mullinix.
Justin Winborn is an HVAC technician at R.M. Mullinix and says they’re receiving five to 10 calls a day for AC repair.
“There’s been a lot of calls later in the day because it’s last minute,” says Winborn. “When you do that in the evening, it takes longer for the house to re-cool to be more comfortable. You’re going to be in discomfort for a few hours if not four or five hours for the home to actually get down to a normal temperature.”
Winborn recommends setting your thermostat between 70 and 75 degrees.
“As long as you’re not trying to push your luck with anything below 70, you’re okay,” said Winborn. “Now when you’re trying to push for 78 or higher, with heat like this, it’s hard to actually compensate.”
Winborn says putting the temperature at 78 and above causes the AC to work harder.
“It’s actually having to fight the heat and run over and over again to sustain that,” says Winborn. “If you keep it at a comfortable temperature 73, 75, it’ll actually sustain it a lot longer and then be able to keep the home cool.”
John Swails is a Bryan resident and has been using Mullinix for four years. Today, he had a new Wi-Fi thermostat installed.
“Anywhere you have access to Wi-Fi, you can change your temperature at home no matter where you’re at,” said John Swails, Bryan resident.
With the ability to monitor the temperature at any time and anywhere, Swails saw a reduction in his energy bill.
“Definitely had a reduction in the energy bill,” said Swails. “Of course, other items did help out with that other than just installing AC. We also have different types of insulation that we put in the house.”
Winborn says to pay attention to your return filters and energy bills.
“Make sure that you’re keeping an eye on your electric bills,” said Winborn. “So if you start to see it rise, there could be an issue following that with the system. Your outdoor unit pulls more amp than any other appliance in the home.”
Winborn says the temperature of your home, such as the attic, can be affected if the air is not circulating properly.
“Heat rises,” said Winborn. “The more heat load you have on the home. Like I said, in the attic, the temperatures can get up to 160.”
“That ceiling has to fight off that heat. Now if it can’t fight off that heat and sustain it, it’s going to keep running. What happens is that outside unit can possibly get hotter and cause components to overheat.”
If you do notice that the temperature house in your house is rising and the A/C is not cooling it off, Winborn recommends contacting your local HVAC technician to get it taken care of as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the longer it will take to re-cool your home.