Did you know that even on the coldest day of the year, temperatures in Woodstock, GA can reach almost 20 degrees C or 68 degrees F?
During the warmer days of winter, you may have the urge to crank up the AC to cool things down a bit, but is this a good idea?
Should you run your air conditioner during the winter in Woodstock?
Read on for some winter air conditioning tips.
Can You Run Your AC in Winter?
Short answer: yes.
Your air conditioning system will still work during the winter, although it probably won’t work as efficiently as during the summer months. Your air conditioning system is designed for use when the outside temperature is warmer than indoors, which may not be the case during the winter.
That said, there if you’re going to run your AC in winter in Woodstock, there are a few things you should be aware of.
Does It Ever Get Too Cold to Use Your AC?
The answer is that yes, it does.
As was mentioned above, air conditioning systems are designed for use when it’s warmer outside than in. If the outdoor temperature gets too low, your air conditioning system won’t work as well, and you may even end up causing damage to it.
In most cases, the minimum operating temperature is around 60-65 degrees F. If it’s colder than this outside, then we’d recommend leaving the AC off.
What Damage Could You Cause?
Your AC system uses lubricant to help the compressor function smoothly. As the temperature falls, this lubricant can thicken, so that it no longer works as intended. This could cause your compressor to seize which could lead to a costly repair.
That same compressor also has to work much harder during the colder temperatures. If you run your AC when it’s too cold out, you may cause your compressor to overheat.
In the summer months, you may spot water dripping from your outside AC unit. This is condensation that has formed on the coils and is perfectly normal. However, if it’s too cold outside, that condensation can freeze on the coils. This can cause serious damage to the coils which may rupture. If you see ice on your cooling coils, you should power down the AC system and allow the ice to thaw naturally before using the AC again.
What I Can Do to Protect My AC in Winter?
The most important thing is to make sure that you don’t run your AC below its operating range. If it’s too cold outside, it’s best to leave the AC off.
Some systems also have a Freeze Protection mode which can help keep your AC system from harm. If you’re not using your AC in the winter, we suggest ensuring that this mode is activated.
Looking for More Air Conditioning Tips?
We hope that these air conditioning tips have been of some use and can help you keep your HVAC system running smoothly.
If things go wrong, we’re there for you. We offer air conditioning repairs and replacement as well as air conditioning installation. If you’ve got problems with your heating system, we can deal with that too.
Contact us today or check out the rest of our blog for more useful heating and cooling advice.
