Should you raise your dial on the AC when you are not at home or shut it off?

By Paul Broerman, Choice Comfort Services, Inc.

When it gets hot out there, we often run right to the air conditioning controls to set the temperature lower. After all, we all love to be comfortable in our homes, right? But, there is another thing we love, regardless of the heat… saving money.

When the heat index climbs to over 100, most of us want to stay inside and stay cool. However, what do you do when you are not home? What is the best way to save money and stay cool? Most homeowners assume the best way to save money on cooling costs is to turn their air conditioners off when they’re not at home.

However, the converse to that is true. Instead of turning your system off, you should actually set your temperature higher by 7-10 degrees when you are away for the day. Turning up the thermostat is the better option for the following reasons:

1. It can: protect your home from mold and bugs

   Turning off your air conditioner can cause your home’s indoor humidity levels to rise. And, do you know who happens to love humidity? Mold and Bugs.

   The reason for this is simple, your air conditioner doesn’t just cool your air, it also dehumidifies it. So when you turn your AC completely off, it does not take long for the humidity in your home to soar to upwards of 60%, which is ideal for mold growth and bug infestations.

   However, if you turn the thermostat up 7 to 10 degrees instead, your AC will kick on every once in awhile which will in turn control the indoor humidity and maintain a healthy humidity level between 45%-55%.

2. It can: help keep you comfortable

   No one loves coming home to a humid, stuffy house. But, if you are turning your AC off when you leave the house…that is exactly what you are setting yourself up to come home to.

   Instead of a complete shutdown, try just turning your thermostat up a few degrees to help manage the indoor humidity and keep temperatures at a tolerable level.

3. It can: save you money

   Turning the thermostat up for eight or more hours a day could potentially save you up to 10 percent on cooling costs throughout the summer.

   How is that possible you ask? Easy, when you raise the thermostat, you decrease the difference between the outside and the inside temperature, thus lowering the workload on your AC and saving you energy.

The best way to maximize your savings and your comfort level is to purchase a programmable thermostat. They pay for themselves quickly and you can enjoy a comfortable house, a well-functioning air conditioner and a happy family. There are some great ones out there to purchase, but here are a few of the most popular.

This summer is said to be a hot one in the Midwest, but you can beat the heat, stay comfortable and save money all at the same time just by raising that dial a few degrees. For professional with your air conditioning turn to a BBB Accredited Business like Choice Comfort Services, Inc.