What is the Purpose of Air Conditioning Appreciation Days?

The whole point of air conditioning appreciation days is to, well, appreciate your air conditioner! What does that mean though, in terms of action? It’s not like you need to take your AC out for a nice meal and give it a good foot rub. The point of this AC holiday is to express gratitude for a technological device that we rely on so much, and truth be told, probably take advantage of.

How do air conditioners help us? Here are a few things that air conditioners have helped make possible:

• Medical advancements – before there were Air Conditioners, hospitals were simply cooled off via fans or other less effective devices. The result? Thousands more deaths each year that would have otherwise been preventable. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to overly hot environments. With the inclusion of air conditioners in hospitals, doctors and nurses were able to more effectively combat diseases.
• Summer blockbuster movies – did you know that the summer blockbuster phenomenon first started because of air conditioning? That’s right – people needed a cool place to go during the summer, so establishments with air conditioning started showing movies. People flocked to the theater to cool off, kick back, and enjoy the latest and greatest from Hollywood.
• Comfortable work environments – can you imagine trying to work in a room that was 90 degrees and humid? Air conditioners make it so we are able to stay active and productive throughout the day, allowing us to make advancements in areas like biomedical research, neuroscience, astrophysics, and more. And to think it all started because of a simple air conditioner.
• Homes where you can relax on a 100 degree day – before air conditioning became standard, you wouldn’t want to stay at home on a hot summer day. Instead, you’d go out to the lake, seek shelter at a local theater, or hide away in a basement if you were lucky to have one. Air Conditioners allow us to stay in the comfort of our own homes.
• Treated air for those with extreme allergies – air conditioning has also allowed people with severe allergies to find a little relief. Your Air Conditioner isn’t just giving you cold air – it’s also filtering out pollen, dust, and other debris that can cause sneezing and wheezing attacks in the less fortunate. If you know someone with bad allergies, you know that just a few minutes outside can set off a coughing attack.

How to Celebrate Air Conditioning Appreciation Days

So, what do we do to celebrate our air conditioning? Honestly, you are already unknowingly a participant in the festivities just by turning on your AC when it gets too hot out. But it’s about more than just running your air conditioner – it’s about doing the extra work in order to find out how to run your air conditioner wisely.

Tips for showing air conditioning appreciation:

Get regular checkups

Show your AC the TLC it deserves by investing in regular checkups and maintenance inspections. Even if you don’t think there’s anything wrong with your unit, having a professional perform a full system inspection will allow you to catch issues before they become problems. And trust us – your Air Conditioner will thank you for it.

Change your air filters often

Your air conditioning will work harder if it has a clogged air filter. This will cost you more money but also deteriorate the overall life expectancy of your AC. Make sure to change your filters every three months (or more frequently if you have a HEPA filter).

Give your AC a break

Don’t need to run the air conditioner today? Then give it a rest. If it’s only 75 degrees outside, consider leaving the AC off and just opening the windows. You’ll enjoy the fresh air and also being able to cut down on your energy consumption a little each month. Also try to avoid doing super hot things indoors during the day, like cooking or baking. Wait until the evening to run the oven so your AC doesn’t have to work overtime.

Keep your curtains and blinds closed

Just this little extra effort can help insulate your home, keeping the cold air from the AC in and the hot air out. This will allow your AC to turn off more frequently instead of running all day long. 

Shade your home

If you want to go the extra mile, try planting shade trees around your home. Reducing your home’s sun exposure can help naturally regulate your home’s temperature, reducing your need for heating and cooling. 

Set the thermostat to a reasonable temperature

Does your house really need to be at 60 degrees all summer long? Try setting the temperature to 72 degrees and adjusting from there. You’ll notice that you get along just fine with keeping your home a little bit warmer.

Know when it’s time to call in a professional

It’s true that you can’t always fix it yourself, especially when it comes to your air conditioner. If you’re an avid DIY, make sure to know your limits. You can easily do more harm than good if you try to fix your AC without properly understanding the entire system, and no one wants to suddenly shell out money for a new system. 

Long story short, if your air conditioner is acting up, call in a professional. 

Thanks to All the Air Conditioning Manufacturers

Thank you to those of you who keep making, installing, and repairing our air conditioners! We appreciate everything you do for us. Without you, we’d be sweaty, grumpy, or living in Alaska.

Carrier – Goodman – Day & Night – Bryant – Payne – Mitsubishi – York – Amana – Trane – Rheem – Lennox – American Standard –