Most households can no longer live and survive without their AC, and if ever you don’t have one, you probably wouldn’t like it at all. However, if you are energy-conscious, keeping your unit on all the time would make you think twice. So, does turning on and off the AC cost more, or would you be better off if you just keep it on?
Air conditioning units use more electricity compared to other appliances in typical homes. Air conditioners make up for most of the overall electricity produced in the country. Read on below to know how turning on and off your AC uses more energy than simply leaving it on.
Will It Be More Expensive to Turn On and Off Your AC?
There is actually a real struggle between trying to save money and energy while staying comfortable and cool amidst humidity and hot heat. A lot of people seem to assume that it would be better to keep your AC off if you are not at home for several hours instead of wasting energy just to cool a house with no one inside. Unfortunately, this is not really what happens because you wouldn’t be able to save energy overall if you don’t use energy at all.
Another school of thought states that it is actually better that you keep your AC running while you are on a vacation or away for a day even if you set this to a higher temperature. The claim here is that it allows the air to continuously circulate, keeps your furnishings protected, and gives you the assurance that you can cool down once you get back home.
A thermostat is the one responsible for instructing the AC unit to turn off and on the moment the room reaches the specific temperature that you set. Changing the thermostat’s temperature doesn’t make the unit work slower or faster. Instead, it will only turn your system off and on at varied rates. You have to learn how long should air conditioner stay off between cycles.
Using a programmable thermostat combines the best of both worlds when it comes to frequently turning your AC off and on. You can leave the unit turned off upon leaving in the morning and use your computer or phone to turn it back on so you can have peace of mind knowing that you will arrive in a cozy house.
Auto vs. On – Which is More Expensive?
You might think that using “Auto” will be more expensive on your part. After all, today’s air conditioners are designed to have shorter cycles and in more frequent durations. Well, the truth is that the “On” setting will cost you more.
With the “On” setting, the fan of your AC will stay on for 24 hours per day and continuously circulate air all over your house. On the other hand, the “Auto” setting will keep the AC fan shut off together with other parts of the cooling unit once it reaches the particular temperature on the thermostat.
It is revealed that a fan that is switched on is going to cycle 200 hours more monthly compared to a fan that is only switched to auto. One more advantage of setting the fan on Auto is that it is less likely for your AC to freeze up.
Air conditioning systems work similarly to a straw as it sucks out water from the air. This moisture accumulates on the coils of the system. Once the fan is turned on Auto, there is a break in the air that gives the coils inside the AC some time for dripping off the condensation to the drain fan. But, once the fan has been switched on, it drops off less condensation since more moisture gets added continually. Some of this moisture might be blown back to the air or this might also freeze over the air conditioner’s coils that can soon lead to an obstruction.
Will You Save Money If You Turn Off Your System While You are at Work?
Experts say that it is better to turn off your air conditioner in this case. Air conditioning units tend to run in their most efficient manner when they go at full speed. These appliances can also dehumidify your home better when they are running at full speed and they will most likely reach it when they run in a longer cycle such as cooling your house again after work.
Can a Ceiling Fan Cool Your House When You are Away?
Ceiling fans basically re-circulate the existing air inside the house so they work in cooling your ski when you are staying in the room. It means that ceiling fans will only cool you down and not your house.
Use a Programmable Thermostat for Your AC to Run More Efficiently
Now, you know that leaving your AC unit on all day long when you are not at home is not really the best way to use up energy. However, the last thing you want is to come home to a house that feels humid and hot after you have to spend a long tiring day at work. Worry not because there is a solution for this problem and that is with the help of a programmable thermostat.
Programmable thermostats let you program your AC for adjusting a set temperature at various times all day long. It is the best choice for people working full time or those who are away from home most of the day.
For instance, if your work requires you to go to the office from Monday to Friday from 8 in the morning to 6 in the evening, it is best to adjust the programmable thermostat as it increases the temperature while you are out instead of leaving your AC on or keeping it shut off throughout the day.
What is most convenient is that you will be able to program this to go back to a comfortable temperature once you get back home. This will result in a comfortable house, less wear and tear on the unit, and lower energy costs.
