Do you need to escape the sweltering heat of summer without spending much money on air conditioning? By setting the right AC temperature, you can keep your family comfortable and save on cooling costs this summer.
So, what is the best temperature setting for air conditioning in the summer? In this guide, we’ll help you find the right air conditioner setting for summer. Also, you’ll get to learn the tips to maximize savings on cooling your entire house.
What is the Best Temperature to Set Your Air Conditioner On?
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the recommended air conditioning temperature for summer is 78°F (26°C) when you are at home. Setting the AC at that temperature will help you stay cool and save on electricity bills.
However, people tend to have different temperature preferences in summer. Some feel comfortable with temperatures of as low as 22°C. That’s why you need to find the most suitable temperature for your entire family. But how will you achieve that?
Finding the Best Temperature Setting for Your Family
If your family is too picky when it comes to air conditioner settings for summer, finding the right AC temperature can be overwhelming. Some people will still complain even after you’ve set the recommended air conditioning temperature.
Notably, the lower you set the thermostat, the more energy you’ll consume to cool the house in summer. You’ll end up spending a lot of money on electricity. However, if you raise the temperature slightly, you can save up to five percent on cooling costs.
So, here is an experiment to help you find your family’s comfortable temperature range.
If the air conditioner usually cools at 22°C, raise the temperature to 23°C when everyone is at home. Observe how each person reacts to the adjustments.
However, if nobody complains, keep increasing the temperature by one degree daily until one of you starts complaining.
It’s at that point you’ll realize you’ve reached the temperature limit. You can reverse the last temperature adjustment to accommodate the complainant.
If you raise the temperature, but someone keeps sneaking to readjust it without notifying you, let everyone know about the experiment. By doing so, you’ll quickly determine the best AC temperature that’s ideal for all your family members.
Home Cooling Tips to Maximize Your Savings and Comfort
To save money on electricity bills, you should adopt the most cost-effective strategies for cooling your house. An excellent way to achieve that is by minimizing the heat gain in the house as much as possible to reduce the AC’s cooling load.
Here are some of the ways to save on cooling costs during summer.
Keep Your AC Running Efficiently
To ensure that your air conditioner operates smoothly, make sure you perform routine maintenance practices and Home AC repair. That will improve its efficiency and help you save more money on cooling. However, the lack of maintenance will lower its energy efficiency.
For instance, if the air filters get clogged with a lot of dust, air circulation will reduce. The conditioner’s fans and motors will strain to circulate air, lowering its efficiency. The good news is, you can check, clean, and replace the filters by yourself.
However, if you find it challenging to do such maintenance practices, air conditioning specialists can help you. Learn more here about air conditioning services in Phoenix, Arizona.
Raise the Temperature When Leaving Home
If you stay away from home for more than three hours, raise the temperatures slightly to save on cooling costs. So, what should air conditioning be set at when leaving your house? You can adjust it up by 2-3 degrees Celsius, or up to 31°C.
By setting your thermostat at a higher temperature when you’re away from home, you can save up to 10 percent on energy costs. However, you should not completely shut down the thermostat because it will use more energy to cool the house.
Install a Programmable Thermostat
Adjusting your system’s temperature every time you leave or enter the house can seem daunting. Thankfully, that’s where the smart thermostat comes in to do the job. With this device, you can set different temperatures depending on the time of the day.
Upon setting the smart thermostat, it will automatically raise the house temperatures when you leave the house. Also, when you return home from work, the device will lower the heat. This way, you’ll save more time on regulating the temperatures.
For instance, you can set the AC to start cooling the house 40 minutes before arrival. It will make sure that your home is comfortable by the time you arrive.
Limit the Use of Appliances that Emit Heat
If you have appliances that generate a lot of heat, limit their use during summer. Some of them include stoves, ovens, cloth dryers, and cloth washers. They can emit heat that will increase the house temperature, reducing cooling efficiency.
When you use heat-emitting appliances and cool a house at the same time, you’ll spend more on cooling costs. The best way to avoid that is by using oven-free recipes to prepare meals. Also, you can cook meals in an outdoor kitchen.
Readjust Your Sleeping Habits
While 78°F (26°C) is the recommended air condition temperature when you’re awake at home, it’s not ideal for sleeping. So, what should the AC be set to in the summer during the night? You’ll need to reset your thermostat to around 60-67°F.
However, lowering the thermostat’s temperature every time you sleep at night will tend to increase energy consumption. You’ll be using more energy to cool the house. So, the best way to avert this is by changing your sleep routine.
For instance, you can raise the temperature a bit and sleep without a pajama to sleep comfortably. Alternatively, you can wear lighter clothes and even forego the sheets.
Final Words
What is the best temperature to set your air conditioner on during summer? The good news is that you now know the recommended air conditioning temperature, which is 78°F (26°C). While it’s possible to adjust the temperatures to suit your comfort needs, don’t forget to keep your energy consumption low.
