How to Deal with Fluctuating Outdoor Temperatures

It’s easy to keep your Sandy Springs, GA home a comfortably constant temperature when the outdoor temperature is holding steady, but when the thermometer spikes in either direction, it can take your HVAC system hours to compensate. Here are the three best ways to deal with a wild forecast:

1. Dress in Layers

The ability to add or remove articles of clothing remains the single most precise way of maintaining your personal comfort. You might enjoy 68° weather, but your coworker might prefer closer to 80°. For situations when you are in close proximity to dozens or hundreds of other people, dressing in layers allows for quick cooling and warming.

2. Seal and Insulate Your Home

A leaky home can bring the most powerful HVAC system to its knees. Sealing is the principle behind the passive house movement in Europe, and while a truly passive house requires a significant amount of architectural designing, you can save energy and deal with fluctuating outdoor temperatures simply and inexpensively with a roll of weatherstripping and a tube or two of silicone caulk.

3. Add HVAC Zones

The aforementioned strategies will work well for moderately fluctuating outdoor temperatures, but for severe temperature swings, you’ll want to make sure your HVAC system is up to the task. Having your system serviced at least twice per year will keep it running more efficiently for longer, and changing out the air filters every three to six months will promote better airflow.

One way to save energy is through the installation of HVAC zoning, which allows your system to heat or cool different parts of the building independently of one another. Zoning is especially effective if some parts of your home, such as rooms on the south side of the house, respond more strongly to fluctuating outdoor temperatures.

Check out our blog for more great information, or give us a call at 678-369-0500 to speak with one of our heating and cooling specialists.