Your AC Isn’t Broken—It’s Just Fighting for Its Life
by Hope Property Investments on 06/17/25
A Hope Property Guide to Surviving Southern Heat Like a Pro
Welcome to the season where the pavement sizzles, your car becomes a sauna, and your air conditioner starts to question its life choices.
We know it’s hot out there — especially in Newnan, Grantville, Hogansville, and all our surrounding Georgia towns. When the heat index hits 100°F or higher, your HVAC unit is officially in survival mode.
Let’s break it down:
Why Is It Still 80°F Inside?
Here’s the science-y but important part:
Most HVAC systems can only cool the air about 20 degrees lower than the outside temperature.
So if it’s 100°F outside, your system is doing its absolute best to get your home to 80°F. If your home hits 80–85°F during peak afternoon heat but cools down at night, that’s actually a sign it’s working properly — just under extreme heat stress.
How to Help Your AC Help You
Here are seven solid tips (backed by real HVAC science and your lease) to keep your home as cool and comfortable as possible:
1. Set Your Thermostat for Sanity, Not Arctic Tundra
Cranking your thermostat to 65°F won’t make it cool faster. It’ll just make your AC run endlessly.
Best Practice:
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Keep your thermostat set at a consistent 78°F when home (The Department of Energy recommends homes sit at 78 degrees in the summer for ideal energy-efficiency, but this may be a little too toasty for some. Setting the AC between this temperature and 72 degrees is generally a good balance of comfort and energy efficiency for most users.)
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Set it a few degrees higher when you’re away
Trying to drop it below 70°F in extreme heat? You’ll end up with a sky-high power bill and a very tired system (sometimes frozen)
2. Become a Sun-Blocking Ninja
Close your blinds, curtains, shades — whatever you’ve got. Sunlight = heat.
Less sun inside = less work for your AC.
Bonus points if your curtains are blackout or thermal. You don’t need to live in a cave… but we’re not saying don’t try it either.
3. Change That Air Filter. Seriously.
We say it often because it’s that important:
Dirty filters don’t just slow your airflow — they can clog the coil.
And guess what happens when that coil is clogged? Your system freezes up, your AC stops working properly, and you get hit with a repair charge. Yes, even if you run and put a clean filter in right before we arrive — we can tell.
Changing your filter is your responsibility per your lease, and not doing so results in:
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Coil damage
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Costly repairs
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A minimum $100+ HVAC charge added to your account
Pro tip: Change your filter when you pay your rent. Easy to remember, easy on your pocket.
4. Clear the Air (Vents and Returns, Too!)
Make sure:
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Vents aren’t blocked by furniture, rugs, or piles of laundry
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Return vents (those big ones) are open and breathing
Your AC isn’t psychic — if air can’t flow, it can’t cool. Free the vents.
5. Keep Doors and Windows Closed
We love a breeze as much as the next person… but open doors and windows let in hot, humid air that your system has to fight off like a knight in a very sweaty battle.
Every “just for a second” moment adds up. Stay sealed.
6. Use Fans (aka The AC Sidekicks)
Fans don’t cool the air, but they make you feel cooler by moving air across your skin.
Use ceiling fans (or floor fans) where available or place a room fan strategically in high-use areas. Pro tip: Run your ceiling fan clockwise in summer to pull heat up and away.
7. If Your Unit Is Icing Over… TURN IT OFF
If you spot ice on your outside AC unit, that’s not “extra cooling” — that’s a problem.
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Turn it off immediately and put in a work order notating that it is frozen
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Let it thaw
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Then call us and let us know when it has thawed!
We can’t repair a frozen unit. Give it time to melt before we send a technician.
In Summary: Your AC Is Not a Superhero — But It’s Trying
When the heat hits triple digits, your HVAC system is doing everything it can to keep you comfortable. Help it out by being smart with settings, airflow, and sunlight — and change your filter regularly to avoid expensive problems.
Still concerned?
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Submit a work order through your AppFolio portal
We’re here to keep things cool — in every sense of the word.
Stay hydrated, stay shady, and yes... change your filter.
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Hope Property Investments
tenant@hopega.com | www.hopega.com
