Normal Home Temperature for an Air Conditioner

Recommended Heat Setting

• While you may not agree 100 percent with the suggestion, there is a recommended setting for the central heating system in your home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy website, you can save energy by setting your thermostat to 68 degrees at times when you are awake and at home. When you are going to be away for a few hours or when you sleep, try lowering the temperature by 10 degrees. This is most effective in homes located in mild climates.

Recommended AC Setting

• If you are like some people, you may feel the most comfortable setting for your air conditioner in the summer is around 70 degrees. This is not the recommendation. You are wasting considerable energy and money on utility bills by doing this. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests making your normal home temperature 78 degrees when you feel you need cooling. When you are away from home, try bumping the thermostat up 10 to 15 degrees to maximum efficiency and money saving.

A Misconception

• There is a major misconception about lowering or raising your thermostat setting when you are not at home to save energy. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the furnace or air conditioner does not have to significantly work harder to cool or heat a place back to the desired temperature if you choose to change the setting. A home will begin to lose heat or cool air as soon as the unit is turned off anyway, and the loss is less as the temperature between the inside and outside becomes closer. So, in truth, the longer your house remains at that colder or hotter temperature while you are away, the more money and energy you will actually save.

The Energy Use Difference

• Now that you know the recommendations for a “normal” temperature for the home air conditioner, you can begin setting it at that number if you are comfortable with it. If you are not, you may be wondering how much energy you are wasting and how much extra money you are spending if you choose to go rogue and chill out or heat it up more than what is recommended. Between the temperatures of 72 and 79 degrees you can expect to use 3 percent more energy for every degree you lower the thermostat in the summer. In winter, the numbers are similar for raising the thermostat. Your personal savings may only be $20 a year or less in the summer months, but looking at the big picture across the nation, this adds up quickly.