A Little Teachy Preachy ...

Banner image with Max the Bulldog in the front of the van.

As I write this, we're in the middle of those summer days where the heat index is pushing well over 100 degrees … It’s sweltering! I’m melting out there. It's the time of year when your air conditioner isn't just a convenience; it's working overtime to keep your home comfortable.

Every summer, I find myself reminding customers of the same things because, honestly, these little adjustments can make a huge difference. So, this edition is going to be a little teachy-preachy, and I'm okay with that. If it helps you stay comfortable and keeps your system running the way it's designed to, then it's worth repeating!

We miss you already Max The Moose!

Before we get into that, I wanted to share something personal. Many of you knew our bulldog, Max. He'd been in many of our newsletters over the years and had really become our little mascot. Sadly, Max passed away after a sudden case of pneumonia. It all happened so quickly. He was healthy, happy, and fit, with no complications or illnesses. Sometimes, that's just what happens with a 10-year-old bulldog, even when everything seems fine. Our family misses Max immensely, and we are grateful for the 10 wonderful years we had with him.

Life has a way of bringing new chapters, too. We recently rescued a Belgian Malinois from a house next door to our shop. She'd been left outside far too much in the rain and storms, and I finally said, "Let me take that dog." Her name is Leia, like Princess Leia, although we joke it's because she lies around and flops everywhere … get it? “Lay-a” haha! My nickname for her is “Horse” because she's so big. If you've never been around a Belgian Malinois, let me tell you, they're wild. There's a reason those dogs parachute out of planes with special forces. She definitely keeps us on our toes!

Now, let's talk about your air conditioner.

One of the greatest mistakes I see every summer is people turning the thermostat up to 85 degrees before they leave, and expecting the system to rescue them when they get home at 8 p.m. It doesn't work that way. 

Air conditioning systems are designed to maintain comfort, not to quickly recover from extreme temperatures. Here in Atlanta, please, please, please remember this number. Don't set your thermostat above 76 degrees while you're away. If you want your house to be comfortable when it's time for bed, your system needs a chance to keep up throughout the day.

I've also been spending a lot more time this year in building science training. Every month, I attend classes, then I bring what I learn back to our technicians, our customers, and our students. One topic that comes up again and again is humidity.

Dehumidifiers can be fantastic, but only when they're set up correctly. Yes, many of them can lower humidity all the way down to 35%, but that doesn't mean they should. When you dry the inside of your home too much, you actually encourage outdoor humidity to seep back in because humidity creates pressure differences.

This is all that it takes! 55% and pipe the drain out.

There’s a sweet spot! Set your dehumidifier to 55%. That's ALL you need! It helps your air conditioner operate more efficiently without overdoing it. Please make sure it's draining outside or into a proper drain. Don't collect the water in a bucket you empty every other week. At that point, it's really not doing its job.

Here's one more tip that surprises people all the time. If your air vents are in the wall, they should be blowing upward, not down at the floor. Cold air directed at the floor stays there. We don't need cold wooden floors. Your ankles don't need to be cold. Your room needs to be cold.

I've walked into homes where a bedroom wouldn't cool down, only to discover the vent was blowing all the cold air into the hallway. I've seen bathroom vents pointed into bedrooms and bedroom vents pointed into hallways. Those rooms never had a chance to cool properly!

If we're at your home for maintenance and you're not sure your vents are aimed correctly, just ask us. We'll walk through the house with you and make sure everything is working the way it should.

We always try to train people because a little knowledge goes a long way. Many times, the solution isn't replacing equipment. It's just understanding how your system was designed to work and making a few small adjustments that can have a big impact on your comfort.

Fall can’t come quickly enough! Stay cool!