It’s the question on everyone’s mind: what temperature should the thermostat be set to? We think we’ve come up with a couple of great answers!
1. Think of the pets!
When it comes to what temperature to set when the air outside is scorching hot, there are more factors to consider than just your own personal comfort. And even if your whole family can come to a good compromise where no one is too uncomfortable, there might be a little someone you’re forgetting about: the family pet! Did you know, the body temperature of cats and dogs is actually 3-4 degrees higher than ours? Of course, that means they get overheated a bit more easily than we do (plus, all that fluffy fur!). So, if you’re trying to do the right thing by your pet and make their home comfortable for them – maybe try bringing down the temperature just a bit.
(Side note, if you do have pets, their hair/dander will get picked up in the HVAC system in order to clean your home’s air. That means you’ll want to change your air filter more often than the “every 3-4 months” some non-pet-owners try to get away with.)
2. Your A/C needs to be able to dehumidify your home in summer
As you probably know, part of the function of your air conditioner is not only cooling the air down, but also ridding it of its awful humidity! Simply put: you want cool air AND no humidity! That’s why we recommend setting your thermostat to “auto” rather than “on” … In order for your A/C to dehumidify, it takes warm air that’s already inside your home, and cools it down by sending it over refrigerant coils. At the same time, excess moisture condenses on the cool coils, and is removed from the newly cool air, which is then sent back all nice, cool and dry (but not too dry) into your home.
What does that have to do with your fan being set to “auto” or “on”? Well, you see: when a fan is set to “on,” it’s blowing constantly, which doesn’t give the moisture that collects on the coils time to drain away. Instead, the constantly blowing air caused by the “on” setting means that the excess moisture/humidity is blown right back into your home again!
So, in order to make sure your A/C can do its job of dehumidifying and preventing your home from being hot AND sticky, keep in mind that whatever temp you set your thermostat, make sure it’s turned to “auto,” not “on.”
3. Saving MONEY!
Of course, the main thing people consider when it comes to where to set the thermostat in summer is … saving money! Saving as much on energy bills as possible! The Department of Energy has a few specific recommendations:
- That you keep your home at 78 degrees to prioritize savings, while also not getting too hot;
- That going on vacation means you can safely turn the thermostat up to 88 degrees (and, contrary to popular belief, when it’s hot inside your home it slows the outdoor heat from getting into your home, meaning it won’t take a lot of energy to cool it back down);
- That turning your thermostat up by 7-10 degrees, for 8 hours per day, can save you up to 10% on your monthly energy bills!
Of course, in the end, if you have a temperature that works for both your home and your wallet – it’s always best. And if you are too hot in your Bloomfield Hills home this summer, schedule an appointment with H.A. Sun or give us a call: (248) 986-1506
