TO SAVE ENERGY, SHOULD YOU TURN A CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER OFF WHEN YOU AREN’T HOME?

I have central a/c in my home. I used to turn it off during the day when I am not home, but someone told me that it costs more money to cool down a hot home, then it does to let the a/c run all day. If that is true, what is the ideal temperature for energy efficiency and cooling?

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Comments (8)

#1 written by lisabug7777
about 2 years ago

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It makes it worse. It costs twice as much to turn it on and off because it has to re-cool itself and then it runs for a very long time to cool the house.
It’s more energy-efficient to leave it on but just turn the temperature up a bit so it doesn’t run as often.
#2 written by tammiejo27
about 2 years ago

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We have our central air set at 71 when we are home (no, it really doesn’t get that cool in there) and 73 or 74 when we aren’t. We have one of the digital thermostats that you can set, so it will go up and down at a specific time. That also saves $$$
#3 written by bodhisattva
about 2 years ago

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Was this someone someone that would know?
#4 written by runningviolin
about 2 years ago

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It depends upon how well your air conditioning works and whether or not you have a 2nd story to cool. It is usually advised to have it off while you are gone, but if your system has trouble cooling when the temps are higher than 80 degrees, you will have to leave it on, otherwise, your home will not be cool by the time you go to bed. Also, it is very hard to cool the hotter upstairs. If you have a timer on your thermostat, you can time it to come on an hour or two before you get home so it will be cool when you walk in the door.
#5 written by BILL
about 2 years ago

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Air Conditioning works by extracting the heat from the home- if heat builds up, everything in the house absorbs heat, the A/C then has to remove it- that is the theory- I also wonder the same thing – seems like a waste to run it all day with no one home-
#6 written by Biancoa
about 2 years ago

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No. Becuase if you shut it off, and the house gets to be 100+ inside, your air will have to work two or three times more to lower the temp. Look into getting room darking curtains. I put those up and I’ve seen a big difference in the rooms that see sunlight all day. I keep mine at 75, and it’s just right.

-Angela
#7 written by justwondering
about 2 years ago

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get u one of those programmable thermostats i did a 7 + 1 it had recmondations on temps and the energy star settings alredy programmed in it has brought my bill way down and its just as cool when i get home as it was befourI got a ritetmp for 39.00 and even hooked it up myself and im a girl
#8 written by homebuyer
about 2 years ago

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Get a programmable thermostat, and have it turn up to around 80 while you are out, and down to 75 at the lowest when you are at home. That way you are keeping the house from overheating–say it’s 100 outside, but not wasting as much energy. The energy needed to get from 80 to 75, which is usually plenty cool, is far less than from 100 to 75.
Most people find 70 or 71 too chilly–unless you have a two story house and the second floor stays hotter.
Be sure to keep your windows covered on hot days too. Solar heat coming through the glass can waste a lot of energy.