Blog
What Temperature Should I Set My Air Conditioner to in the Summer?
Are you wondering what temperature to set your air conditioner at in the summer to survive the heat? Eck Services is here to help Wichita homeowners find the perfect balance between meeting their comfort needs and keeping energy usage considerably low.
While cranking the AC as low as possible, as frequently as possible, might seem like the most effective way to achieve cooling relief, this causes significant strain and energy cost requirements.
Alternatively, intentionally setting and adjusting your AC temperature can help you save money and remain comfortable.
In this guide, we’ll dive into the ideal AC temperature range during summer months so you can enjoy the heat with relief. We will help you consider factors like personal comfort preferences, energy-efficiency requirements, and minimizing impact on your AC system for enhanced lifespan.
Understanding the Importance of Setting the Right Temperature
While immediate relief from unbearable temperatures feels great, it’s actually taking quite a toll on your AC system. Keeping severely low air conditioner temperatures on for extended periods will cause your AC system to wear out much quicker and have your energy bills skyrocket.
Instead, be intentional about choosing the best AC temperature for energy savings. This ensures that you’re comfortable with your energy costs and also inside your home.
Wichita’s humid subtropical climate, with hot and humid summers, demands that homeowners understand how to properly set their AC correctly. This allows the region's residents to live comfortably during summer without straining their AC system in the long term.
Recommended Indoor Temperature Settings for the Summer
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recommends that the ideal AC temperature for your home during summer be 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
Now, this might seem a little high for Wichita homeowners used to significantly hot and humid summers. However, it is based on many factors designed to optimize energy usage and comfort for minimized environmental impact.
Further, the DOE also recommends increasing AC temperature settings when you leave home or while you sleep to save the coolest settings for when you need them most. This is a perfect dance to strike a balance between meeting comfort needs and energy costs.
Best Thermostat Settings for Sleeping
Your comfort needs fluctuate with your daily activities, and making reasonable adjustments in AC temperature settings to accommodate these needs will help minimize overall energy consumption.
Staying cool is especially important while sleeping. It’s common to require a bit cooler temperature to stay regulated, comfortable, and get a good night’s rest. Rest assured, the best AC temperature for sleeping is a few degrees lower than the average daytime AC temperature of 78 degrees.
So, go ahead and lower your AC setting to 72 degrees to 75 degrees to stay comfortable at night. Making small adjustments at different times of day will help lower energy usage and strain on your AC system without sacrificing your needed rest.
Best Thermostat Settings When You’re Away from Home
Upping your average AC temperature to 85 degrees Fahrenheit or higher while you’re away from home will help you avoid wasted energy consumption.
While it might seem more cost-effective to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the day, having your AC on while the home is unoccupied produces significant energy waste, which can be even more harmful to the system’s efficiency and your utility bill.
Energy Efficiency Considerations
When considering what temperature to set your air conditioner in the summer, it’s likely that energy efficiency is one of your major concerns. As a homeowner, you’ll do anything to save yourself from the shock and stress of an abnormally high utility bill. So, ensuring your system is on the best AC temperature for summer is your saving grace.
Taking intentional steps to regulate your temperature settings provides sustainable benefits as well as minimizes stress on your system.
Benefits of Setting the Thermostat at 78 Degrees
Maintaining the recommended air conditioner temperature of 78 degrees in the summer means you don’t have to choose between comfort and cost.
According to the Department of Energy (DOE), setting the best temperature for AC in summer can save you up to 3% on your cooling costs for each degree you raise the thermostat. By the end of the summer months, you will have saved a considerable amount in energy costs.
Energy Saving Tips When You’re Away From Home
Consider these tips to maximize energy savings when you’re away from home in the summer:
Make Conscientious Temperature Adjustments: Increase the air conditioner temperature by 7 to 10 degrees when your home is unoccupied. This significantly reduces energy waste and consumption and helps you maximize cooling when it’s needed most.
Invest in a Programmable Thermostat: A programmable thermostat allows you to control your cooling schedule with temperature scheduling, so you never forget to lower or raise your air conditioner temperatures while you’re gone or sleeping. This can help you save up to 10% on energy costs.
Avoid Setting Extreme Temperatures: It might be tempting to set your AC to the lowest setting to relieve the heat. However, this accelerates the cooling process, causing more strain on your HVAC system and higher costs.
Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat: A smart thermostat gives you the freedom to control your temperature settings from anywhere on your mobile phone. This added convenience helps you maintain proper temperature regulation without disrupting your routine.
Invest in an Energy-Efficient HVAC System: An upgraded HVAC system with a higher Seasonal Energy Efficiency ratio (SEER) and Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) provides 15% more efficiency than your existing setup. New systems also have advanced cooling features to enhance your comfort, meaning they use less energy with an enhanced effect.
How to Naturally Maintain the Ideal AC Temperature in the Summer
The extreme heat waves of summer months can have us desperately reaching for our thermostats. Our AC systems are usually the first thing we think of when we think of refreshing, cooling relief. However, single-handedly relying on our AC systems can lead to overuse, exhaustion, and potential breakdowns.
Consider some of these natural ways to maintain the best AC temperature for summer in your home:
- Utilize Ceiling Fans—Ceiling fans can make your room feel up to 4 degrees cooler and even allow you to increase your AC temperature by 2 to 3 degrees.
- Regular AC Maintenance—Preventative maintenance before summer temperatures hit can help ensure your unit is performing optimally and cooling productively.
- Close Shades, Blinds, and Curtains—Keeping the sun out during the day is as simple as closing your curtains, blinds, and shades when you leave the house.
- Open Windows and Turn Off the Air Conditioner at Night—This allows cooler air to seep into your home, which can be trapped in the morning to maximize cooling efficiency.
- Properly Insulate Doors and Windows—Proper insulation ensures steady protection against cool or hot air entering your home through entryways such as windows or doors.
Make the Most of Your AC With the Right Settings
At Eck Services, we help you identify and maintain the best temperature for your air conditioner in the summer, tailored to your personal comfort and energy efficiency goals.
Our expert HVAC maintenance, thermostat installation, and emergency support ensure that you don’t have to compromise comfort for cost.
With smart thermostat usage and our dependable service, comfort disruptions are rare and resolved quickly when they do happen. Enjoy the summer sun outside and come home to a cool, energy-efficient space inside.
