What Temperature Should You Set Your Air Conditioner To In Summer? An HVAC Expert Explains

Everyone knows that the South is notorious for scorching summers. You're tempted to lower your thermostat for a chilly home, but as a result, you're met with energy bills that are just as high (if not higher) than the temperatures outside. So, what do you do?

Before you find your sweet spot to get comfortable indoors during the summer, it's important to hear what the pros have to say. We spoke to an HVAC expert for her insight on the best temperature to set your air conditioning to in the summer so you can stay cool while maximizing your energy usage and keeping your unit in pristine condition.

The Expert-Recommended Temperature To Set Your Air Conditioner To

While you may feel tempted to turn your air conditioner down below the 70 mark when the peak of summer arrives, our expert suggests that not being the case. You might be stunned to know that the recommended temperature to set your home's air conditioning to in the summer is right at 78 degrees when you're at home, and higher when you're away.

"Setting your air conditioner to 78 is a safe number. It is usually suggested as a conservative number to save money on energy bills without your house getting too hot," says Powers. "The general rule of thumb is to set your AC no lower than 20 degrees cooler than the outside temperature if the weather is in the 90's. This is because AC's are made to keep your home 20 degrees cooler than outside."

But if you need more expert convincing, this is also a temperature that ENERGY STAR® for the summer to maximize energy savings, but of course, it all comes down to personal preference. "Pay attention to the outside temperatures to determine what is comfortable for you," Powers says. "Below 68 is too low and can make your AC less efficient, but anything above 80 is too high and can lead to discomfort and also inefficiency."

So while we know you want to beat the Southern heat in the summer and stay indoors, setting your temperature to a lower temperature could actually turn into a bigger issue. While it'll make the house feel much cooler, you could cause your system to malfunction by having to work harder to keep up because of the extreme temperatures (and also dramatically increase your energy bills).

Other Ways To Stay Cool Indoors This Summer

Central AC is not the only way to stay cool inside this summer. If 78 seems seems too high for you or you want more air flow to stay cooler, here are some other ways to get the breeze you're after.

Keep Curtains Closed During the Day

Your window treatments can make a huge impact on the overall temperature and feeling of your interiors. That's because open blinds and pulled back curtains allows the sun to shine through your home and reflect off the gas, thus adding more heat to the inside. Powers suggests keeping your blinds and curtains closed during the daytime hours (we know, we love inviting more natural light in, too) to conserve your energy bills by keeping the home cooler.

Turn On the Ceiling Fan

Simulate a breeze inside by turning on the ceiling fans in each room. This will provide better air circulation, but remember to set the movement to counterclockwise to push the cool air down!

Set Up a Portable AC

For the rooms that get unbearably stuffy in the summer or for the times you want to enjoy temperatures below 78 degrees, considering placing a portable AC unit in the room. These units can travel with you throughout the house since they only need a plug-in to operate.

Seal Gaping Cracks

You'd be surprised that some of the heat that's entering your home is coming from an hard-to-see gap or crack along your windows or doors. Before summer arrives, walk through your home to look for any openings that could be letting hot air in and cold air out as this could cause also your air conditioning unit to work on overdrive to makeup for the air that's lost. For any caps or cracks you see, use caulk to fill in the holes.

Run Certain Appliances at Night

Ovens, ranges, washing machines, and dryers should all be reserved for nighttime use if possible, and Powers agrees. That's because these appliances heat up your home from the heat they put off, which makes temperatures in your house increase along with the workforce of your air conditioning unit.