Cincinnati is well-known for its hot and humid summers, but a reliable air conditioning system can make those summers much more enjoyable. The average air conditioning system, however, uses a significant amount of electricity, which can be quite costly over the cooling season. By choosing a thermostat temperature that balances comfort and energy usage, you can minimize your utility costs while enjoying the cool air after a long day outside or at work.
Choosing the Best Temperature for Your Air Conditioner
For many people, a temperature setting from 72 to 78 degrees is optimal, but that depends on several factors, including personal preference, energy costs in your area, and how well your home is able to maintain its temperature. While setting the temperature lower will improve your comfort, it will also increase your utility bills. For every degree that the thermostat is raised, you can reduce your utility costs by 1 to 3 percent, depending on the efficiency of your air conditioner and the quality of your home. 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
- About 85 degrees when you are at work, school, or away from home
To make the job easier, a programmable thermostat can raise the temperature automatically when you leave or go to sleep, and reduce it in time to be comfortable when you arrive back home or wake up. The latest programmable thermostats feature easy programming interfaces and optional features like touchscreen controls, WiFi connections, and remote programming from a computer or a mobile device.
Other Ways to Improve Comfort & Save Energy
If you prefer a lower temperature in your home, or simply want to reduce your cooling costs further, there are several other ways that you can conserve energy. These include:
- Using fans: Turning on ceiling fans or portable fans can help to distribute the cool air more evenly and make you feel cooler at a higher temperature. Turn fans off when leaving the room to save energy.
- Natural ventilation: During cool mornings or evenings, open the windows to receive a cross-breeze and cool your home naturally.
- Closing the curtains: During the daytime, the sun can quickly heat a room. Close shades, blinds or contains to block the sun’s heat and make the job of you air conditioner easier.
- Sealing and insulating: Adding insulation and sealing air leaks allows your home to maintain temperature longer, reducing the load on the air conditioner.
- Avoiding heat gain: Wait until evening to cook, clean, or wash clothes to avoid adding excess heat and humidity to your home. Turn off heat-generating appliances, electronics, and lighting when not in use.
- Have your AC serviced: Regular maintenance, such as replacing the air filter and cleaning the coils, can help your air conditioner run as efficiently as possible, reducing your cooling costs.
National Heating & Air Conditioning for AC Service in Cincinnati
Schedule Your Service Today!
At National Heating & Air Conditioning, we can help you choose a temperature that is perfect your air conditioning system, while also helping to reduce cooling costs in other ways, such as regular AC maintenance. For all your heating and cooling needs in Cincinnati, contact us today at (513) 621-4620!
