What to Do When Your HVAC System Stops Working

HVAC systems never break down at convenient times. The air conditioner will always break during a heatwave, and the furnace will always lock up during a cold snap. 

But even if you end up being one of the lucky few who end up with a break during mild weather, you’ll still have to wait for the repair or air conditioning replacement Highlands Ranch, CO, to happen, meaning you’re susceptible to extreme temperature swings in the meantime. 

Below are a few tips to help you handle that, but bear in mind that there are many more ways to protect yourself that aren’t mentioned there. If you need more comfort, spend as much time in a heated/cooled location as possible and do some research on other ways to make your home more comfortable.

Change Your Diet…Temporarily

When the AC goes out in a heatwave, you have to figure out what to do for all future meals. Namely, you want to avoid the oven, since the heat it generates will linger for a while without the AC to push it out. Instead, consider no-cook, slow cooker or grill meals for a while. Making these meals light can also help you deal with the heat.

You’ll want to do the exact opposite for heat failure, though. The oven will generate heat that you want to linger so it can warm your home up. Make these meals hearty and dense. This will fill you up and keep you satisfied, provide you with tasty leftovers, and, most importantly, make you feel warmer. Yes, being full will warm you up as your body digests food and your metabolism kicks in.

Consider Clothing

Once you know how long you’ll have to wait for your HVAC system to be repaired, adjust what you wear accordingly. In winter, this means bundling up in possibly multiple layers of warm sweaters, sweatpants, and socks. Cozying up with a warm drink under a bundle of blankets is also an accepted response. 

In summer, chilling in the shade in loose, thin clothing should be your plan. And, of course, spending more time at the beach or in a pool is likely not only expected but encouraged in such circumstances. 

If you don’t have any season-appropriate attire available and have no way of obtaining some for whatever reason, then try and stay in locations that have air conditioning or heat as much as possible until your HVAC system is fixed.

Drink Plenty of Water

No matter what the temperatures are, you’ll need to focus on hydration more when the HVAC system breaks down. The reason for you to do this in summer is quite obvious: it will keep you cool. Your body tries to cool itself down by sweating, which depletes your system of water but it does work, so counteract it by drinking more water. 

When it’s cold, the air is typically pretty dry. This means the air around you will pull water from your system, so you need to fight back to protect your own body. Also, having plenty of water in your system allows your body to function the way it should and will therefore assist in temperature regulation. You may still feel hot or cold, but you’ll be better off than if you were hot or cold and dehydrated at the same time.

Bust Out the Temporary Solutions

You likely have the needed temporary solutions lying around, as they can be great supplements to your existing systems. They become vital when the AC/heat stops working, though. When this happens, go get either the space heater, heated blanket, fan, or portable air conditioner out of storage. 

However, be aware of the cost of each one before settling. Fans and heated blankets may be good first options when you only have to wait a day or so for your unit to be repaired. If the blanket isn’t enough, then plug in the space heater for a while, but make sure you’re always in the room with it while it’s on and do not leave it on for too long. 

When it’s hot outside and you’re trying to stay cool, try and do everything you can to avoid a portable AC unit. They’re loud, need constant monitoring so you can drain the tanks when they’re full, and they will increase your electric bill. 

However, if you have no other option due to a heatwave or long wait until the unit is repaired, then carefully set one up and brace for it to be there for a bit.