Updated: 5/13/2024
As the warm summer weather returns, homeowners nationwide are firing up their air conditioning units to beat the heat. Yet, with the joy of staying cool comes the concern of high electricity bills. Finding the ideal temperature can provide the perfect balance between comfort and cost savings.
What Temperature Should I Set My Air Conditioner in Summer?
While your focus may be on the ideal indoor temperature when you’re at home, it’s equally important to consider the setting when you’re away. Most homes with centralized air conditioning systems feature programmable thermostats, allowing you to customize settings based on the time and day. By programming the thermostat to increase the temperature when no one is home, you can reduce your energy usage significantly.
For example, when heading to work or school, increasing your thermostat by about 10 degrees above your normal at-home setting can prevent your air conditioner from running unnecessarily. Keeping this increase within 10 degrees of your desired at-home temperature ensures your home can cool back down quickly when you return.
The Optimal At-Home Temperature
Experts recommend setting your thermostat between 75 and 78 degrees when you’re at home. This range typically provides sufficient cooling while keeping costs manageable. Start at 78 degrees and adjust as needed to find your ideal setting. Once you’ve determined your at-home temperature, program it into your thermostat.
To ensure your home is comfortable when you return, program your thermostat to return to the at-home ideal temperature about an hour before you arrive. This gives your home sufficient time to cool down, so you don’t walk into a warm house.
The Optimal Away Temperature
The formula for the optimal away temperature is simple: set it 10 degrees above your at-home temperature. For instance, if your at-home ideal temperature is 78 degrees, your ideal away temperature would be 88 degrees. This way, your air conditioning system doesn’t waste electricity cooling an empty house.
Best AC Temperature for Sleeping
Finding the optimal temperature for sleeping in the summer is crucial for a good night’s rest. The National Institute of Health recommends a temperature between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal sleep comfort. Opening windows at night to let cooler air in and using fans to circulate air can also enhance your sleeping environment.
Other Tips for Saving Energy
In addition to optimizing your air conditioner usage, consider these tips to reduce overall home energy usage:
- Install ceiling fans to create a cooling breeze, making you feel between 2 and 8 degrees cooler than the actual ambient temperature.
- Use home exhaust fans regularly. Turn on the bathroom fan, when showering and the kitchen exhaust fanwhen cooking to remove excess moisture from the air.
- Consider investing in dehumidifiers to remove humidity from the air, which can make temperatures feel 5 to 10 degrees hotter than they are.
Quality AC Service
Getting your air conditioning unit serviced is as easy as picking up the phone. Fire 'n' Ice Heating & Cooling, Inc. provides residents of Downers Grove, IL, with installation, maintenance, and repairs of heating and cooling systems. We even offer air purification services to help ensure that your family breathes easy while relaxing at home.
