When NYC’s Heat Dome Hits Longwood: Your Cooling System’s Ultimate Test

As New York City and the surrounding area saw the first heat wave of 2025 this week, as summer officially begins. Temperatures soared into the 90s Sunday and stayed there for days. For Longwood residents, these extended heat dome events present a unique challenge that pushes cooling systems to their absolute limits. Understanding how to manage your HVAC equipment during these extreme weather conditions can mean the difference between comfort and crisis.

Understanding Heat Dome Impact on NYC’s Urban Environment

Many times, heat waves are the direct result of the meteorological phenomenon known as a “Heat Dome.” Heat Domes are areas of very strong high pressure that set up over a particular region and become basically stationary. In New York City, this phenomenon creates particularly challenging conditions due to the urban heat island effect.

The concrete jungle, filled with towering buildings and endless paved surfaces allows for more efficient heating during the daytime due to a phenomenon known as the ‘Urban Heat Island Effect’. This is because the infrastructure of the city traps in all of the heat that built up during the day, thus preventing a normal nocturnal cooldown seen in non-urban settings. Some nights there can be as much as a 20-degree difference in temperature between the city and surrounding suburbs.

Climate projections indicate that this number may rise to 69 by the 2050s, with the duration increasing to six days. This means Longwood residents need to prepare for increasingly frequent and intense cooling demands.

How Heat Domes Stress Your Cooling Equipment

Extremely hot summer months and surprise heat waves can cause fluctuations that are too much for existing systems to handle. Extremely hot summer months and surprise heat waves can cause fluctuations that are too much for existing systems to handle. During heat dome events, your cooling system faces several critical challenges:

• Extended Runtime: Systems run continuously without normal cycling breaks
• Reduced Efficiency: The EER is determined for a fixed temperature difference and relative humidity value, and these are conditions that show significant variation throughout the cooling. The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) provides a better estimate of actual performance, accounting for outdoor temperature variation.
• Component Stress: Excessive heat can degrade the lifespan and reliability of GPU components, including the graphics processor, memory chips, and voltage regulators. Proper cooling helps mitigate thermal and mechanical stress together, prolonging the lifespan of the GPU and reducing the risk of premature failure.

Professional Maintenance: Your First Line of Defense

When facing extreme heat conditions, professional maintenance becomes crucial. Keep your cooling and heating system at peak performance by having a contractor do annual pre-season check-ups. Contractors get busy once summer and winter come, so it’s best to check the cooling system in the spring and the heating system in the fall.

For Longwood residents experiencing cooling system issues during these challenging periods, professional cooling system repair longwood services become essential. Lion Enterprises is the proud parent company of three leaders in the PTAC market: Accumtemp, Lion-Aire and Spectrum. Together, our business units specialize in the service, repair and replacement of PTAC units and thru-wall equipment.

Critical Maintenance Steps for Heat Dome Preparation

Clean evaporator and condenser air conditioning coils. Dirty coils reduce the system’s ability to cool your home and cause the system to run longer, increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment. Key preparation steps include:

• Filter Replacement: Inspect, clean, or change air filters once a month in your central air conditioner, furnace, and/or heat pump. Your contractor can show you how to do this.
• Refrigerant Levels: Check your central air conditioner’s refrigerant level and adjust if necessary. Too much or too little refrigerant will make your system less efficient increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment.
• Electrical Connections: Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors. Faulty electrical connections can cause unsafe operation of your system and reduce the life of major components.

When to Call for Emergency Service

During heat dome events, certain warning signs require immediate professional attention. You smell electrical burning Turn off your unit immediately and call a technician. A burning smell could mean your unit is experiencing a malfunction or electrical issue requiring professional attention.

Our industry-leading reputation is based on: *Highly skilled expert technicians *Laser focus on customer service and experience *Rapid response installations and service 24/7/365 *Fully licensed and insured *All work guaranteed for one year *Meeting and exceeding environmental standards This level of service becomes particularly valuable during extreme weather events.

Supplemental Cooling Solutions

Temporary and supplemental air conditioners, like our 1-70 ton machines, can either replace existing equipment during planned or unplanned maintenance, or supplement your HVAC system during high heat periods without requiring you to invest in permanent, expensive equipment. During extended heat dome events, consider:

• Portable AC units for critical areas
• Window units for additional cooling capacity
• Strategic fan placement to improve air circulation
• Dehumidifiers to reduce perceived temperature

Energy Management During Peak Demand

Con Ed is also asking consumers to conserve energy, especially between 2 and 10 p.m. Con Ed is also asking consumers to conserve energy, especially between 2 and 10 p.m. Smart energy management during heat domes includes:

• Pre-cooling your space before peak hours
• Using programmable thermostats for optimal efficiency
• Closing blinds and curtains during daylight hours
• Avoiding heat-generating activities during peak temperatures

Long-term Equipment Adaptation Strategies

Every AC and PTAC unit we sell and service meets and usually exceeds environmental standards. Additionally, our commitment to supplying high-quality PTAC units and exceptional systems service always exceeds your expectations. That’s our promise to you.

For long-term resilience against heat dome events, consider:

• Upgrading to higher SEER-rated equipment
• Installing smart thermostats with remote monitoring
• Improving insulation and sealing air leaks
• Regular professional maintenance contracts

Preparing for the Future

As heat dome events become more frequent and intense, Longwood residents must adapt their cooling strategies. Lion Enterprises offers an annual Clean-N-Check service program to get your A/C units ready to run before temperatures heat up. This quick and easy service will save you money by preventing unnecessary repairs.

The key to surviving NYC’s extended heat dome events lies in proactive preparation, professional maintenance, and having reliable service partners ready to respond when your cooling system faces its ultimate test. By understanding these challenges and implementing proper adaptation strategies, Longwood residents can maintain comfort and protect their HVAC investments even during the most extreme weather conditions.