Do you want to save money on your utilities? If so, then it is important that you know the answer to this question: is it more efficient to leave the air conditioning on or off when away from home? The answer may surprise you. In this blog post, we will explain the most efficient way to run central air when you are away from home.
Leaving It at Full Power Is Wasteful
Some people think that the best way to keep their AC running smoothly is by turning it on full blast and leaving it. The problem with this strategy is two-fold: first, a unit at maximum capacity uses more energy than it needs to; second, your home cools down naturally over time as the sun goes down.
Turning Off Your AC Also Wastes Energy
If you are looking at this as a question of turning ac on full vs. leaving it off, then you lose both ways. The truth is that turning your AC off when you are not home wastes energy too since your unit needs to work harder to cool your house down once you are home. While it is cheaper than running AC full blast all day, it still isn’t the most efficient way to run AC.
Turning Down the AC Is Best
Our air conditioning service in Palatine believes that the best way to run your AC while away from home is to up the temperature but leave it on. It is estimated that a lot of people who have their AC on when they are away from home for an extended period of time lose about 30% to 40% inefficiency. This can be greatly decreased if you turn your thermostat up just two or three degrees before leaving the house.
How can you make this process easier? The answer then would be to set up a programmable thermostat so that when you are ready to leave for work or any other extended period of time away from home, your thermostat will automatically turn down the temperature at a preset time.
Not sure which programmable thermostat is best for your home? No worries; we are here to assist you. If you want help selecting an HVAC system for your Chicago area home or office building, call UIC Chicagoland today. We can source the best items for you as well as repair and maintain your existing components. Our team even assesses indoor air quality in Hinsdale!
For more guidance on AC use, read: Should I Cover My AC Unit in the Winter?
