Is it better to run my air conditioner at a moderate setting all day?

Question

or to keep it turned off and then turn it on and try to cool off an entire house by twenty or more degrees later in the day?

Answer 1

According to most experts, it is better to set your thermostat @ about 80 degrees when @ work. If you leave it off then heat builds up in your carpet, furniture, walls etc. and it takes your a/c  much longer than needed to cool your house.

Answer 2

As a general rule if you only try to keep your house 10 to 15 degrees cooler than out side temperatures & set it at about 75 degrees & leave in on all then time you will be more comfortable. leaving the AC on all the time means that the humidity will always be lower, which means you will not be as uncomfortable  at a higher setting. You could also set it a high as say 80 degrees during the day & turn it down about 5 or so degrees when you get home.

The smaller your area & the bigger the  AC the quicker it will cool off an area & this may work in some cases where you turn it off during the day.