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In the Yakima Valley summers, the intense heat and sunlight is a blessing in the cool weather provided by an air conditioner. But misuse and lack of attention to maintenance can turn that blessing into a curse — and a curse — when the AC fails in a heat wave.
Local businesses and utility companies have several tips for recording temperatures here in Central Washington to avoid breakdowns and save energy and money.
The first of these may seem surprising: do not turn off the air conditioner at night.
“We recommend having a constant temperature on your thermostat throughout the day,” said Zane Tegan, president of Vance Heating & Air Conditioning in Terrace Heights. “If you let your house heat up in high temperatures, it may not save until the evening or even the next day.”
A high heat warning has been issued for the Yakima Valley.
Overheating cancellation and delay
Refrigeration facilities are located in Yakima
“You definitely don’t want to turn it off at night,” Vance heating and air conditioning technician Makala Yager said as she repaired a split-level unit in a one-bedroom apartment in the West Valley.
A capacitor is one of the main components that break down in an air conditioner during intense summer heat. When starting the cooling cycle, the controller provides the first electrical shock – so if the air conditioner turns on and off repeatedly, the capacitor will work harder.
“We see more cooling issues in the summer,” she said. But capacitors are a very common problem. It is usually on the first and hottest day of the year.
“Either your fan stops spinning, or you hear something’s wrong,” Yager said.
Makala Yager, a tech with Vance Heating and Air Conditioning, repairs a split air conditioning unit in a West Valley home Wednesday, July 27, 2022, in Yakima, Wash.
Tegan adds that any unusual noises coming from the air conditioner or furnace should be addressed as soon as possible.
Other signs of trouble include moisture around the indoor unit in the AC system; Low air flow Hot air and/or strange smells from the breath; And a higher than usual electricity bill.
Regular annual maintenance, along with changing the furnace filter annually, will help keep the air conditioner running when families need it most, Yager and Tegan said.
“The most important thing homeowners can do is make sure they have a new furnace filter in their system when we have these temperatures,” Tegan said.
Makala Yager, technologist with Vance Heating and Air Conditioning, takes the wraps off a split air conditioning unit in a home in the West Valley, Wednesday, July 27, 2022, in Yakima, Wash.
Tips from Pacific Power
After last summer’s record-setting temperatures in late June and early July, Pacific Power — which supplies electricity to much of the Yakima Valley — is bracing for triple-digit temperatures this week, spokesman Brandon Zero said Monday.
“Weather has the biggest impact on energy use,” Zero said. “System usage peaks are increasing every year… (as) severe weather becomes more frequent, forcing high-energy-use devices to increase demand on the grid. In summer, this means additional demand generated by data centers and space cooling equipment.
As refrigeration and air conditioning units put demand into high gear during heat waves, Zero and Eric Brookhouse, vice president of operations for Pacific Power System, said the power grid in central Washington is built to handle this level of use.
“We have taken grid hardening measures, especially since last winter, to prevent overloading at the distribution level and the distribution system,” Brookhouse said in a Pacific Power news release. “We are confident about the network’s readiness for this winter.”
Still, both residential and commercial customers can help save energy — and money — by following a list of recommendations listed on the company’s website.
Like air conditioner manufacturers, Pacific Power also recommends changing air filters and keeping the thermostat at a reasonable temperature — preferably 78 degrees or higher on very hot days.
Limiting stove use, running high-powered appliances like dryers and dishwashers at night, and closing curtains or blinds during the day are among other common ideas.
And if the air conditioning system doesn’t work at the property, Vance Heating and Air Conditioning and other contractors are ready to help, Yager said, among 10 technicians available for repairs.
“With record temperatures like the one in the Yakima Valley this week, we’re very busy, but we still make it a priority to get out to our customers as quickly as possible,” Tegan said.
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