What to Know When the Heat Won’t Let Up
When the Central Indiana heat soars into the 90s and beyond, it’s frustrating to watch your AC run nonstop—only for the thermostat to hover at 78 or 80 degrees. It’s easy to think your system isn’t working properly, but in most cases, it’s doing exactly what it was built to do. That said, there are things you can do to help your home stay cooler and take some of the pressure off your system. Let’s walk through what’s going on—and how you can get the most out of your AC during a hot spell.
We hear it all the time:
“My AC isn’t cooling the house like it used to.”
“It takes hours just to drop the temp a couple degrees.”
“I think my system needs Freon.”
Before you panic, here’s what’s actually happening—and what you can do to help your system keep up during a heatwave.
What your AC can do (and what it can’t)
Your air conditioner is designed to cool your home about 20 degrees below the outside temperature. So if it’s 95° out, your home hovering around 75° is actually normal performance.
Yes, it may run longer during the hottest parts of the day. No, that doesn’t mean it’s broken. In fact, systems are intentionally sized to be efficient 98% of the time—not oversized for the 2% of extreme heat days. This helps prevent short cycling and wear-and-tear during milder weather.
TIPS FOR HELPING YOUR AC DURING HOT SPELLS
These small actions can make a big difference in helping your system perform better:
- Keep the sun out: Sun-facing windows can drive up indoor temps fast. Close blinds and curtains during the day—especially blackout curtains in the afternoon.
- Weatherstrip doors and windows: Keep the cold air in and the hot air out. This also helps in winter!
- Use ceiling fans: Fans don’t cool the air, but they make it feel about 4° cooler to your skin.
- Cook outside: Your oven and stovetop can raise indoor temps by 10 degrees or more.
- Change your air filter: A clogged filter restricts airflow and makes your AC work overtime.
- Clear the outdoor unit: Make sure your condenser coil is free of leaves, cottonwood, and other debris.
- Flush the drain line: A clogged condensate line can impact system performance—this is a quick maintenance check.
BONUS CHECK: LEAKY DUCTWORK
Even if your AC is working hard, you could be losing cool air through gaps in your ductwork. This is more common than you might think—and it’s often a hidden reason for why some rooms never get comfortable.
If your system is running constantly but your home still isn’t cool, leaky ducts might be to blame.
If you’re looking for more ways to stay cool and save money, check out our 5 Summer Energy-Saving Tips for Fishers Homeowners for simple strategies that support your AC during peak heat.
SHOULD I GET A BIGGER AC UNIT?
In most cases, no.
Your system was sized specifically for your home and your local climate. Bigger isn’t better—in fact, an oversized unit can short-cycle, increase humidity, and drive up your energy bills.
What you want is a system that’s efficient most of the year, not one that’s too large and inefficient just to survive a handful of super-hot days.
FINAL THOUGHTS
So if your AC feels like it’s not keeping up—take a breath. Your system is probably doing exactly what it was designed to do.
That said, if you haven’t had a tune-up this year, notice weak airflow, or your system just can’t keep the house comfortable day to day, it’s worth having it looked at.
📞 Absolute Comfort is here to help. We serve homeowners across Greenwood, Franklin, Fishers, Carmel and all of Central Indiana with expert HVAC service, seasonal tune-ups, and honest advice.
Need us? Just give us a call or schedule online.
