Extreme summer heat can push your air conditioner to its limits. As temperatures in Newton rise, it’s common to notice rising energy bills, warm areas throughout the home and cooling systems that appear to run all day without keeping up. 

You may think the air conditioner alone determines how comfortable your home feels. However, your home’s airflow, insulation and shade all play a major role in cooling performance.  

This guide highlights three simple strategies that can increase comfort and cooling efficiency: improving airflow in your home, making sure your home has proper insulation and using shade to reduce heat from the sun. By following these summer AC tips from the pros at Brookwood Inc, you’ll keep your house cool in summer. 

Start with Airflow: Improve Airflow for Better Cooling 

Air conditioners cool air and move it through ductwork to rooms in your home. For that conditioned air to cool every room effectively, it must be able to move freely throughout the home. If airflow is blocked, some rooms may feel warmer than others. 

Many people blame their air conditioner for poor cooling performance. In many cases, the AC is often working just fine—the real problem is limited airflow. A dirty air filter, blocked vents and other HVAC issues can all restrict airflow. 

Home Airflow Improvement Tips 

Taking these easy steps to boost airflow in your home can increase comfort, reduce strain on your AC and lower energy costs. 

  • Swapout dirty air filters. Routine AC air filter replacement helps your HVAC system increase airflow while supporting indoor air quality. 
  • Ensure supply and return vents are unblocked. Furniture, rugs and curtains can create blocked air vents that stop cooled air from circulating throughout your home. 
  • Open up doors in unused rooms. This helps air to move more evenly between rooms. 
  • Relocate furniture covering registers.Making sure registers are free of obstructions allows conditioned air to circulate more easily. 
  • Book preventiveAC maintenance services. By doing a professional HVAC tune-up, a technician can inspect and clean dust-covered blower components that may limit your system’s ability to circulate air. 

Insulation Matters More Than Most Homeowners Realize 

Insulation provides a barrier against hot outdoor air. While your AC removes heat from inside your home, insulation helps keep that heat from getting inside. Better insulation improves comfort, decreases cooling run times and can help extend the life of your HVAC system. 

The attic is one of the primary sources of solar heat gain during heatwaves. Proper attic insulation and cooling work together because attic insulation limits heat transfer through the roof. Weatherstripping and sealing around doors and windows also help keep hot outdoor air from getting inside. 

When insulation levels are too low or air leaks are present, your AC has to work harder. This often causes homeowners to ask, “Why is my house hot with the AC running?” Frequently, insufficient insulation—not the air conditioner—is the problem. 

Signs of Poor Home Insulation Levels 

  • Upper floor rooms are always hot 
  • Uneventemperatures 
  • Risingenergy bills 
  • An air conditioner that rarely shuts off 

Use Shade to Help Lower Cooling Costs 

Sunlight coming through windows and heating up your roof and exterior walls increases indoor temperatures, forcing your air conditioner to work harder. 

Direct sunlight can also reduce the efficiency of your outdoor cooling unit by making it more difficult to release heat efficiently. Using shade around your property can minimize solar heat gain, improve comfort and lower summer energy bills. Using trees or other landscaping to shade your air conditioner’s outdoor unit can also help—but never obstruct airflow around the condenser. Keep away fences, enclosures or dense landscaping that block air movement. 

5 Summer AC Tips for Keeping Your Home Cooler with Shade 

  1. Plant trees and landscaping strategically. Use trees to shade your roof, walls, windows and outdoor air conditioning equipment. While providing shade for your outdoor AC unit, maintain at least 2–3 feet of clearance on all sides and 5 feet above the unit to ensure it receives enough airflow. 
  2. Add window coverings. Light-colored curtains, cellular shades and thermal drapes limit heat gain from sunlight shining through windows. 
  3. Use solar screens in your home. Solar screens, which are specially designed mesh curtains, used on sun-facing windows help reduce the sun’s heat while still allowing in natural light. 
  4. Incorporate exterior shading. Use landscaping and design features such as awnings, pergolas, shade sails or exterior shutters to stop direct sunlight off windows so it can’t heat up your home. 
  5. Keep blinds closed during high heat. Maintain blinds or shades closed on west- and south-facing windows during the hottest part of the day to reduce indoor temperatures and ease the load on your AC. 

Additional Hot Weather Survival Tips 

Airflow, insulation and shade all make a big difference, but these AC efficiency tips can further improve comfort during periods of extreme summer heat. 

  • Change ceiling fan direction. Operate ceiling fans counterclockwise to create a cooling breeze. 
  • Reduceuse of heat-generating appliances during the hottest part of the day. Operate ovens, dryers and dishwashers in the morning or evening to helpreduce indoor heat. 
  • Set thermostat settings. Trytoavoid frequent temperature changes that make your AC to work harder. 
  • Book preventative maintenance. Regular service helps your system perform efficiently before peak cooling season.
  • Monitor unusual system performance. Address strange noises, weak airflow or inconsistent cooling before they become larger repairs. 

Know When It’s Time to Call an HVAC Professional 

At-home AC maintenance and efficiency-focused cooling strategies can help, but some problems need professional attention. If warm air is coming from your vents, airflow feels weak, your AC runs almost constantly, energy bills suddenly increase, rooms cool unevenly or your system turns on and off repeatedly, it’s a good idea to schedule an expert evaluation. 

At Brookwood Inc, our cooling specialists inspect airflow, duct performance, insulation-related comfort concerns and overall system health to identify the underlying cause to help your HVAC system run at its best throughout the summer. 

Enjoy Reliable Cooling All Summer Long 

Staying comfortably cool during a heat wave takes more than just your air conditioner. Proper airflow, adequate insulation and strategic shade work together to increase comfort, increase efficiency and decrease cooling costs. Combined with regular summer HVAC maintenance, these strategies can help your system perform at its best when you need it most. 

has the training and experience to keep you comfortable no matter how hot it gets outside. If you’re looking for AC maintenance, a cooling system inspection, an airflow evaluation or a complete summer tune-up, we’re here to help boost efficiency and comfort during hot summers. Schedule cooling services online or call today to get started. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Cooling Your Home in Summer 

When your house stays hot even though your AC is running, the problem isn’t always the AC. Restricted airflow, inadequate insulation, inefficient thermostat settings or HVAC system issues can all affect cooling performance and prevent cool air from reaching every room.

It can. Trees, landscaping, awnings and window coverings reduce solar heat gain, helping your home stay cooler. When less heat enters your home means your cooling system doesn’t have to work as hard to cool your home. That saves energy, which helps reduce your cooling expenses.

Most households should check their air filter every month during peak cooling season and replace it as needed. Your recommended air filter replacement schedule depends on the type of filter, pets, allergies and the amount of time your air conditioner runs.

Absolutely. Proper home insulation limits heat transfer into your home, reducing strain on your AC. Ensuring your home has appropriate insulation levels, especially in your attic or around windows, helps keep more consistent indoor temperatures while using less energy.

Not while it’s running. You should never cover your outdoor AC unit while it’s operating because the condenser needs unrestricted airflow to release heat. Providing shade for your outdoor air conditioning unit is helpful, but always keep at least 2–3 feet of clearance around the unit and 5 feet above it to provide proper airflow.

For many homes, setting the thermostat around 78 degrees when you’re home offers the right balance of comfort and energy efficiency during very hot weather. Use the highest temperature that keeps you comfortable, and try not to make large thermostat adjustments that force your AC to work harder.