Many people think that turning their AC off during the day while they are at work will help them save energy and extend the life of the air conditioner. But we tell people to keep the AC on at all times during hot weather. Though it might seem counterintuitive, turning off your AC doesn’t pay off in the long run.
Why Turning Off Your AC Doesn’t Save Energy
When you completely turn off your air conditioner, your house will heat up quickly, and it requires more energy (and additional strain on your air conditioner) when you come home and crank down the temp again. So we don’t recommend this tactic!
You also don’t save money by turning off your AC during the day because the additional energy you are using to get the temperature back down is also more expensive. When you come home and turn your AC on at 5:00, you are competing with all the other people who are also turning on their ACs when they get off work. And energy is more expensive at peak demand times.
Use a Programmable Thermostat Instead
Instead of turning your AC off, keep your home at a moderately cool temperature during the day and a little cooler in the evenings/on the weekends. You can of course achieve this manually, but it’s tough to remember to turn the temp down every morning. So we recommend installing a programmable thermostat. You can program your thermostat to allow your home to heat up a little bit during the day (but not too much!) and then to cool to a comfortable temperature at night. There are even “smart” thermostats like Nest that will quickly learn your cooling preferences and adjust automatically.
Have any questions about how to use your AC efficiently or about installing or using a programmable thermostat? You can reach Dan at 720.876.7166 or [email protected].
