Your air conditioning system does the lion\u2019s share of its annual work during the summer; the heat of the middle of the year is the reason you have an AC in first place! But when the heat crests to its highest seasonal levels, will it possibly cause the AC to overheat, or suffer other types of damage to its components? This is a question we sometimes hear from our customers, and we\u2019d like to address it.<\/p>\n
In a very basic way, higher heat does<\/em> mean damage to the system\u2026 the damage from general wear and tear. You\u2019ll have the air conditioner running more often when the heat level climbs because the AC will need a longer period to reach the cooling level you set on the thermostat. This kind of stress on the system is what you should simply anticipate for your air conditioner, and regular maintenance will alleviate most of it. Make sure that you always schedule your maintenance inspection and tune-up for the spring!<\/p>\n There\u2019s another way that an air conditioner will strain more during intense heat, aside from how long it stays running. An air conditioner is a type of heat exchanger: it moves heat from inside a house to the outside. It becomes more difficult to exhaust heat to an area that\u2019s already hot. The larger imbalance between the cool temperatures indoor and the high temperatures outdoors, the more work the AC must do. This is one reason why we recommend you keep the thermostat set to a higher temperature such as 78\u00b0F, since it reduces the temperature difference.<\/p>\n One component in an AC that can suffer damage due to heat is the capacitors, which transfer electrical voltage to the motors. Intense heat can cause them to burn-out, and they\u2019ll then need replacement. This isn\u2019t usually a problem in our climate; it\u2019s more common in desert areas. Capacitors can fail for other reasons, however.<\/p>\nThe strain of higher heat levels<\/h3>\n
Capacitor burn-out<\/h3>\n