I’m an appliance expert – you don’t need to turn off your AC when you leave for work, what to do instead
DOES your electric bill skyrocket during hot summer months?
If so, you might be tempted to turn off the air conditioning when you leave the house, but energy experts warn that could do more harm than good.
When you leave the house for a day of work or errands, you don’t need to turn off the air conditioner to save energy, according to How Stuff Works.
Instead, just adjust the temperature on the AC unit, turning it up to just a few degrees above the setting you normally keep it on when at home.
If you have central air or a standalone unit, making this adjustment can save you energy and money, without leaving the house too warm when you arrive home.
“Turning off the AC unit during the day is not necessarily a bad thing,” the experts explained. “It is a myth that the AC unit has to work extra-hard to cool off a hot house.”
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But during a heatwave or high summer temperatures, it can take several hours for your home to cool down after the air conditioning has been off all day.
That’s especially true if you live somewhere humid. Your AC unit works to reduce the humidity in your home, and that’s what you need to be wary of.
“When the system is shut off for more than a few hours, the humidity level will start to rise, which can result in mold growth, damage to electronic items, and the warping of wood and paper,” the experts warned.
That’s why you should leave the AC on – even if you’re going away for the weekend. So when is turning off your cooling system the right choice?
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According to Logan Kureczka, the lead communications consultant at Duke Energy in North Carolina, you should turn your air conditioner off if you’re going to be leaving for more than two days.
Kureczka told How Stuff Works that turning the AC off for two full days will have the biggest impact on your energy savings.
“You’ll save the most energy — and save on your bill — by turning your unit off,” Kureczka explained.
During workdays or weekends, turning the AC to a higher temperature and closing all the curtains should suffice in keeping the home cooled without wasting energy or money.
“As a rule, raising the temperature by just two degrees will help reduce cooling costs by five percent,” Kureczka said.
Running the ceiling fan won’t do much – as Kureczka said, fans have a cooling effect on the people in the room but don’t alter the temperature, so they aren’t going to help if you aren’t at home.
And if you travel frequently, especially during the summer months, you might benefit from a thermostat with remote capabilities.
“Investing in a programmable or smart thermostat is a great way to monitor and control your home’s energy efficiency even when you’re not there,” Kureczka added.
“You can turn the thermostat up before leaving and then begin to cool it down when you’re on your way home.”