Should I Turn My Air Conditioner Back On during a Fall Heat Wave?

Even though fall hasn’t officially started yet, it sure has felt like it in Southeastern Michigan. After a chilly Labor Day weekend, we’ve had a week of gray skies and cooler temperatures helping us all get into the season. In true Michigan fashion, however, a heat wave in the forecast will jolt us back to summer weather for a short while.

In my house, once the temperatures cooled down, we shut off our air conditioner and let the natural temperatures keep us comfortable. Now that things are warming up again, you may ask, “Should I turn my air conditioner back on?”  Is it worth it to flip it on for a 2-day heat wave, or is it better to ride out the hot temperatures?

Should I Turn My Air Conditioner Back On?

Maybe.

Sorry, I know that’s a vague answer, but the truth is that this answer will be different for everyone depending on various circumstances. One of the first things to consider is safety.

Safety

Think about how high temperatures they will be, how much time your family will be spending in your home, and whether or not you have family members, such as children and the elderly, who are at risk for heat-related illnesses. The safety of everyone should be the primary concern. If you have young children or elderly family members in your home, you want to ensure they do not overheat.

Energy Efficiency and Air Conditioner Well-Being

The following things to think about are energy efficiency and the well-being of your air conditioner. It costs energy and money to run your air conditioner, but it costs no money or energy to keep it shut off.

We usually recommend that you need to have at least two days of warm weather to turn the air conditioner on. That’s because it takes that long for the oil in the compressor to loosen up to operate well. Think of it like it takes the AC at least two days to shake out all the creaks, get rid of all the cracks, and run in top shape again. If the heatwave lasts a day or two before temperatures plummet, keeping the air conditioner off might be a good idea because it won’t have enough time to run correctly.

Are you looking to learn more about our residential heating or cooling services? Contact us at FLAME Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, and Electrical!