As the temperatures peak during the summer, many locals of the Las Vegas Valley believe that to compensate, they need to have their homes too cold to find relief. When you want to retreat from the outdoor heat, many are tempted to get as much cooling as you can get from your AC. However, your central cooling system is not designed to provide a home with freezer-like temperatures. Though it may sound enticing, no matter how hot you feel and even though you can lower the temperature on the thermostat down to 60°F doesn’t mean you should. Problems for your air conditioner are highly likely when you run the AC too cold. Today, we at Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning would like to stress the risks of running your air conditioning system too cold.

What is the Maximum Cooling Temperature of AC?

This is not an indication of the lowest setting on the thermostat. Mechanically speaking, your specific AC has a limit on how much it can change the temperature in the house, which is its temperature differential. Generally, for residential air conditioning, the AC system’s temperature differential is 20°F. The AC can at lower the temperature inside the house by 20°F when you turn it on. Especially if you have a well-insulated house to keep out extra heat, this should be plenty for most days. Taking care of nearly any hot day, the recommended energy-saving setting on the thermostat is 78°F. Because the insulation in the house will prevent some of that heat from getting in, even a day above 100°F, gives AC a head-start on cooling down the interior.

What Happens when the AC is Run Too Cold

If you lower the AC beyond its temperature differential, the air conditioner will run continuously without cycling down. This is due to its attempting to reach a temperature setting beyond its limits. The cooling system is not designed to handle the immense strain that is put on the on the system. Eventually, you are likely to deal with a system overheating and tripping the circuit breaker, or motors burning out.

What Happens if AC Coil Freezes?

When cooling the house, it is strongly encouraged you don’t lower your thermostat below 68°F. Most people won’t find it comfortable since it is already a low temperature. In addition to forcing the AC to run too much, it also creates a risk of the evaporator coil freezing over, and that will prevent the system from removing enough heat from the air.

How Do You Increase Cooling Temperature?

If you raise the thermostat setting as high as you feel comfortable, you can help your AC survive the summer in addition to help maintaining a cooler home. Though you may be thinking this doesn’t sound right, the slower heat from outside moves into the house, the closer the indoor temperature is to the outside. This is referenced as heat gain. A higher temperature setting, like 78°F, along with insulation helps slow it down. You will enjoy great energy savings compared to lowering the thermostat too far as your house won’t heat up as much.

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If you noticed your air conditioner not operating to its full potential in the Las Vegas Desert, call in the experts of Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning and let us assist you with AC repair services.