For weeks now, we Minnesotans have dodged the severe heat hitting other areas of the USA and Europe. But now we are sweating out a prolonged spell of high temps that may hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit tomorrow.
Fortunately, our home is well shaded, which makes it practical to wait until well into the day before turning on our air conditioner. Once the inside gets to a steamy 78, I set the temperature to 74, which takes out the humidity and thus provides a comfortable environment for my wife and grandkids that we watch over during the work week. Our bedrooms are on the second floor, where temps run a few degrees higher, so for a good sleep, I reduce the A/C to 72.
My strategy for cooling involved a lot of trial and error—my wife being the barometer, letting me know in no uncertain terms when I’m being too miserly about running the A/C. However, what do scientists suggest based on actual data? The New York Times recently provided a Wirecutter report that presents a counterintuitive suggestion that It’s Actually Okay to Run the AC All Day (Even If You’re Not Home). This recommendation stems from studies by Thom Dunn, who compared electrical use in two similar apartments within the same building. He applied a strategy that differed from mine—turning the A/C off at noon and back on again at 5 pm. However, in every case, running the units continuously used less electricity.
I work from home for the most part, and my wife provides daycare, which limits our options on reducing the use of our A/C. However, many people are off to an office on workdays. In that case, per a team of engineers who used energy models that simulate heat transfer and A/C system performance, it pays to program an 8-hour temperature ‘setback.’ Check out the details in this July 2023 report from PBS News.
Stay cool while not sweating the costs by applying a smart strategy for running your air conditioning!