The Most Cost-Effective Way To Run Your Air Conditioner In The Hotter Months

In the summer, running the air conditioner is the best way to keep you from feeling like you're melting, but it's also one of the highest energy expenses. In fact, in 2020, air conditioning made up 19% of U.S. households' annual electricity consumption, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The good news? There's a cost-effective way to run your air conditioner in the hotter months.

No matter the type of air conditioning unit you have, Energy Star recommends increasing your regular preferred temperature by 7 degrees Fahrenheit when no one's home and by 4 degrees at night when everyone's sleeping. Setting your thermostat at least 7 degrees higher for the eight hours you're at work can lower your electricity bill by as much as 10% alone, and turning it off altogether is even better. Worried it'll feel like an oven when you come home? If you have a smart thermostat in your household, program it so the AC starts cooling down and it feels comfortable when you walk through the door.

Energy Star also advises using 78 degrees as a starting point to find a cost-effective AC setting that works for you. Just experiment to find the highest temperature you're comfortable with. That said, not everyone is willing to sacrifice coolness for savings. In a survey by Angi, nearly half of the participants liked to keep their thermostats between 70 and 73 degrees, which is much cooler than Energy Star's recommended starting point. This goes to show that despite how much people can save, many homeowners prioritize comfort, and that's okay. Make it a goal to find a balance that works for your home. 

Whatever temperature you prefer to keep it at when you're home, turning off the AC when you're not home is the most cost-effective way of running your AC in the summer. Despite the common belief that your AC uses more energy to cool the house down again when turned off and on, experts say that's simply a myth. An analysis by engineers at PBS found that simply turning off your central air when you're not home could yield up to 11% in energy savings per year. That reduction can be significant in the summer as the National Energy Assistance Directors Association expects summer electricity bills to reach the highest rates in over a decade in 2025, with households projected to spend a whopping average of $784.

In addition to mindful thermostat settings, other steps are crucial in running your AC cost-effectively, such as ensuring you don't need to replace your insulation. Check for signs of heat creeping into your home, like rooms heating up quickly when the AC is turned off or feeling hot air around window frames and doors. A well-insulated home will slow down the rate at which heat enters and will also keep cool air inside. If more heat is finding ways in, your AC will have to work much harder to keep you cool. Lastly, for more energy-efficient cooling, try DIY fixes like sealing gaps, closing curtains and blinds during the day, and installing door sweeps to block hot air.