When the blistering summer heat strikes, everyone runs to the nearest thermostat to get the cold air flowing. But the right air conditioning temperature isn’t just about keeping comfortable. It’s also about energy efficiency and reducing your utility costs. So, what’s the right temp? The answer depends on your distinct requirements and the time of day. Explore the best air conditioning thermostat settings when you’re at home, out and about and when you are sleeping.
The Best AC Temperature When You’re at Home
The optimal daytime, at-home temperature for your air conditioning is 78 degrees. This number may seem very high, but the (DOE) states it balances comfort and energy efficiency. Here are a few tips to help keep your home nice and cool at 78 degrees:
- Use fans: Whether it's a ceiling fan or a desk fan, flowing air actually makes the room feel about 4 degrees cooler. Plus, fans cost very little to operate compared to your AC.
- Dress lightly: What you wear greatly impacts your comfort level. Dressing in light-colored, loose-fitting clothes made of breathable fabrics can help you stay cool in the summer.
- Block out the sun: Sunlight beaming through the windows will often heat a room a lot. To prevent your home from becoming a greenhouse, draw the curtains or blinds to block out the sun, especially during the peak afternoon hours.
- Stay hydrated: Water intake plays a huge part in regulating your body temperature. Making sure you keep yourself hydrated enhances your body’s normal cooling processes.
- Cook smart: Cooking creates a sizable amount of heat, forcing your air conditioner to work harder, so avoid using the oven or stove during the hot afternoon. Instead, use the microwave, prepare cold meals on hot days or grill outdoors until the weather cools off..
The Best AC Temperature While You’re Away
The DOE聽proposes聽setting the temperature back 7 to 10 degrees when you’re聽not home聽for eight hours,聽which聽can save up to 10 percent on your cooling聽expenses.聽Buying聽a聽programmable thermostat聽is the聽easiest聽way聽to save without聽giving up聽comfort.
This聽upgrade聽allows you to automatically聽modify聽the temperature at different times of the day or week聽depending on聽your schedule,聽decreasing聽your energy bills without sacrificing comfort. The聽trick聽is to聽use聽your programmable thermostat聽in the correct way. Here are some聽tips聽for聽taking advantage of聽its full聽capabilities:
- Set it and forget it:聽Set up聽your thermostat to automatically聽turn the thermostat up to your away temperature聽about聽30 minutes聽before you leave for work or school in the morning. Then,聽set the thermostat to start bringing the temperature back down聽so a comfortable temperature resumes聽when聽you walk in the door聽when you return.
- Use the vacation setting: If you’re聽not going to be home聽for聽a long time, use the “vacation” or “permanent” hold to聽use聽the “away” temperature for days at a time. This聽stops聽too much聽heat and humidity buildup without聽wasting聽energy聽on cooling聽an empty house.
- Make gradual adjustments: Your聽AC聽works聽most efficiently聽at聽consistent聽speeds. Plus, a聽significant聽10-degree drop聽doesn't actually聽cool your home聽any faster. If you聽need to,聽lower聽the temperature by聽just one聽degree and聽turn on聽a fan or remove a layer of clothing to help you feel more comfortable.
- Leverage smart capabilities: If you聽buy聽a smart thermostat,聽take advantage of聽its programming capability and聽enhanced聽features. Some聽brands聽can learn from your behaviors and聽adapt聽the temperature accordingly or be聽managed聽remotely for聽outstanding聽comfort and convenience.
The Best AC Temperature When You’re Sleeping
When it’s time聽to go to聽bed, the DOE聽recommends聽setting the temperature 4 degrees higher than your聽usual聽setting. However,聽a number of聽people find it聽hard聽to sleep in a聽warm聽room. This makes聽finding聽the聽suitable聽sleep temperature a聽real challenge. Thankfully, you can聽try聽several聽techniques聽to beat the heat while you聽go聽to sleep:
- Sleep in lightweight pajamas and breathable bed sheets: Just like your daytime聽attire, your choice of聽pajamas聽influences聽how hot or cold you feel. Your bed sheets also聽affect聽your comfort level. In both cases, light and breathable cotton is the聽best聽option.
- Run a fan:聽Just like聽during the day, a fan can聽create聽a cool breeze in your bedroom聽in the evening, making sleep more comfortable.
- Open a window: If it聽gets cooler聽at night,聽take advantage聽of this by聽going to bed聽with the windows open.
- Take a warm shower before bed: It may sound聽counterintuitive, but a warm shower聽actually聽cools you down聽more聽than a cold shower. It聽does this聽by聽elevating聽your blood circulation, bringing heat to the surface of your skin, where it radiates away聽more rapidly.
Schedule AC 天美传媒 this Summer in the U.S
Striking a balance between聽a home's聽comfort and energy efficiency聽is sometimes difficult. Why spend all summer聽searching for聽the聽right聽AC temperatures when 天美传媒 can help you make the most of your聽air conditioning? Our聽trustworthy, cost-effective聽AC services聽in the U.S聽are backed by聽a 天美传媒 Guarantee,聽so you can choose us with聽total聽confidence. Call (866) 963-7996 today to聽schedule the聽HVAC聽services聽you need with 天美传媒.
