At some point in time, most homeowners wonder if they should turn their AC unit off when leaving their house. Or, turn the thermostat up to a higher temperature, or leave it at the same temperature all the time.
Benefits of Keeping Your AC Unit Turned On
You’re likely aware that your home’s air conditioner does more than just keep your home at a nice, comfortable temperature. It also dehumidifies your home’s air supply. Without a running air conditioner, homes in warmer and more humid climates can experience mold and fungi growth, among other issues caused by high humidity.
Keeping your air conditioner turned on when you’re not home will allow the indoor air supply to be dehumidified, lowering the likelihood of any mold developing while you’re away. For this reason, it’s safer to leave your air conditioner on. However, that’s not to say there aren’t ways to save on your energy bills when you’re not at home for an extended period of time.
But there’s a much better way: Turn your thermostat up instead of turning the AC completely off.
More specifically, we suggest turning the set temperature up 7 to 10 degrees while you’re away for the day.
Turning up the thermostat is the better option because it:
- Protects your home from mold and bugs
- Saves you money
- Keeps you comfortable
Turning the thermostat up protects your home from mold/bugs
Turning off your air conditioner can cause your home’s indoor humidity levels to soar. And two gross intruders who love humidity include:
- Mold
- Bugs
Turning the thermostat up keeps you comfortable
No one loves coming home to a humid, stuffy house. But that’s what you’re setting yourself up for when you turn your AC completely off.
Instead, turning your air conditioner’s thermostat up 7 to 10 degrees will help manage the indoor humidity and will keep temperatures at a tolerable level.
Turning your thermostat up saves you money
Turning up the thermostat 7 to 10 degrees for 8 or more hours a day can save you 10% on cooling costs throughout the summer.
Why? Well, when you raise the thermostat, you decrease the difference between the outside and the inside temperature. And that lowers your AC’s workload, saving you energy.
Not sure you can remember to raise the thermostat every morning? Think about investing in a programmable thermostat, which can change the temperature automatically for you.
