As it turns out, the most efficient way to keep your home cool and the bills low is to leave the AC running—ideally, with the temperature turned up toward the upper 70s.
Although many people believe that it is more costly to turn your AC on and off vs. leaving it on, this is entirely false. People often base this belief on the idea that powering on your system requires a burst of energy, so leaving it running would minimize energy usage by reducing these bursts.
Reduced Energy Bills
Turning off your AC when you're not home is like hitting the jackpot for your electricity bill. It's simple: less AC running time equals less money from your wallet. Think about it; air conditioners are energy hogs, gobbling up power to keep your space cool.
According to some sources, it is cheaper to adjust the temperature of your AC rather than turning it off completely when you're not home. This is because turning off your AC can cause your home to heat up more than it can store, and then your AC will have to work harder to cool it down when you turn it on again.
While it may seem more convenient to keep the AC running 24/7, doing so will consume more energy overall and lead to higher electricity bills. The most cost-effective approach is to turn the AC off or raise the temperature setting when you're away from home or sleeping.
Best AC Temperature Settings While You Are Home
As you consider the most comfortable room temperature for your lifestyle and family, keep in mind that for each degree that you set your thermostat above 72 degrees, you can save up to 3% on your energy bill.
AUTO is significantly more energy efficient between the two modes since the fan is only running when your AC is going through its cooling cycle. This takes less power, which is more budget-friendly, with some estimates showing you can save as much as $50 per month just by keeping your AC on AUTO.
You can also reduce your energy costs significantly by raising the temperature while you are at work, away from home, or asleep. For the greatest savings, consider setting your thermostat to: About 78 degrees while you are at home. About 82 degrees while you are sleeping.
Constantly turning your AC on and off can increase energy usage and wear out the system faster, while proper balance can optimize efficiency. Smart thermostats and correct AC usage timing can save energy and costs, with settings like 78°F recommended for comfort and efficiency.
Set the thermostat as high as comfortably possible during hot weather. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your cooling bill will be. Keep your house warmer when you aren't home during the day, but cooler when you come home at night.
Air conditioners are built to withstand the elements outside, so you should not be concerned with running your system when it's rainy or windy. The only time you might consider turning off your air conditioner is when there is a lot of lightning nearby.
Increase the thermostat
If you are just as comfortable with your thermostat one or two degrees higher than you currently have it set, go ahead and turn it up. Even a one degree difference will have an impact on your energy bill. Many recommend 78 degrees as a good temperature for air conditioners to run efficiently.
Eco or energy-saving mode
This is the ideal mode for users looking to save up on energy bills by toning down the performance of the AC and its compressor. Eco-mode uses less electricity by automatically adjusting the fan speed and temperature, while still maintaining a comfortable level of cooling.
You can save 5% to 15% on your air-conditioning bill by raising the temperature when you're away. Despite a myth to the contrary, it's cheaper to cool down a hot house than it is to keep the house consistently cool.
When should you turn off your air conditioner? The answer is when the average daytime temperature stays consistently below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you want to save money and reduce your environmental impact, it's best to turn off your AC as soon as the weather starts to cool down.
Air conditioners operate most efficiently when there is a reasonable gap between the indoor temperature and your cooling request. So turning your AC off to save money really doesn't work in the long run. But you can still save on electric bills by using other proven strategies.
Per the article turning it off then on saves money in every instance, just that different factors can reduce the savings. So off for as long as possible is almost always cheaper, with the possible exception of extreme time dependent pricing, but may not be worthwhile if the savings are low.
Air conditioners can be a big driver of your electric bill in the summer. There are still a few weeks of summer left, which means we'll have to battle against the heat a little longer. It also means higher electric bills. It happens every year: Summer weather starts, the AC kicks on and your electric bill shoots up.
While the standard room temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit is commonly favored by many, others argue for higher settings, particularly when it's hotter outside.
One great way to lower energy costs is to avoid cooling an empty house. This is especially true during the middle of the day. If everyone in your household is either at work or school, then turning the temperature to 78-80 degrees will save you a chunk of change when the energy bill arrives.
The Givoni or Woods diagrams show a direct relationship between air speed and the drop in temperature felt by users of the room. In this case, a ceiling fan will consume between 20 and 50 watts (still a long way from the consumption of an air-conditioning system (800 to 1500 watts, i.e. 30 to 40 times more).
As it turns out, the most efficient way to keep your home cool and the bills low is to leave the AC running—ideally, with the temperature turned up toward the upper 70s.
When using auto mode, the AC unit will only turn on when needed rather than running continuously like with manual mode. This will provide consistent comfort, reduce your energy consumption, save you money on your monthly energy bills and extend your AC's life-span.
It might be helpful to know that using the ceiling fan while the AC is running can actually help you save energy and money. By setting your thermostat up to 4 degrees higher while the ceiling fan is on, which helps to reduce the cost of running your unit, you can save up to 17 cents per hour.