More than a few households in Nashville have disagreements over where to set the thermostat during the summer. Someone looking to save on energy cost may opt for a higher setting while someone who runs warm may want to set temperatures below 70.
For those looking for the definitive answer, experts recommend setting your AC between 72 and 78 degrees during the summer, depending on your personal comfort level. This temperature is low enough to stay comfortably cool, will keep energy bills reasonable, and will not put too much wear on your AC unit, hopefully pleasing everyone in your home. If 72 degrees still feels a little too warm, there are some additional steps you can take to help keep things cool and lower energy costs.
Keeping Cool in Combination with Your Air Conditioning
Setting your AC temperature lower than 72, especially if your household tends to have the thermostat below 70, puts you at risk for causing costly problems with your AC. In addition to significantly running up your energy bill, low temperatures can cause the evaporator coil to freeze which can cause extensive damage that results in a non-functional AC while you wait for repairs.
If you are looking for ways to stay cool while potentially setting the temperature a little higher, try these ideas:
- Program Your Thermostat – You can set your thermostat to be slightly warmer when you are away at work, and then cooler in the evening when you go to bed. This saves on energy costs by not using your AC as much when you do not need it. Additionally, you should set your thermostat and forget it rather than frequently adjusting since this can cause strain on the AC unit.
- Remove Humidity – Humidity can be a significant factor in Nashville and your AC may struggle to keep up with it. Installing a dehumidifier to remove humidity will make your home feel significantly cooler. For instance, a home without humidity will feel as comfortable at 78 degrees as a home with humidity will feel at 70 degrees.
- Use Fans – If you can position fans to push air from cooler parts of your home into your living spaces or push warm air into other areas to improve circulation, your home will feel significantly cooler.
- Schedule AC Maintenance – An annual AC service visit is a chance for a professional technician to look for any issues and up various parts of your system so that they are functioning optimally. This means your AC will cool with less work, giving you more comfortable temperatures at lower energy costs.
If you are looking for the best ways to get more out of your AC without putting too much stress on the unit or racking up energy bills, Lewis Comfort Control can help. We are an AC service company in Nashville that can provide customized and effective annual maintenance to keep your system effectively cooling and assist you in choosing additional equipment, like dehumidifiers, to keep your home comfortably cool all summer long. Contact us today to schedule your AC maintenance before summer.