Is it better to turn off your home AC during the day or kick it up to 80. Even at 80 it runs continually.?

Question

Is it better to turn off your home AC during the day or kick it up to 80. Even at 80 it runs continually.?

Answer 1

turn it off whern youre not there. If it runs constantly then it is too small for the job and would be costing you a fortune to run.

Answer 2

I just read an article where they claim it is cheaper to turn it off during the day and then back on when you get home.  It will take awhile to cool your place down though, but you will save money.

Answer 3

it ll still take out humidity making it feel cooler if you leave it on.  if we re   talking about a window unit i can see it not reaching temp, but if a central air unit couldnt keep up to 80 degrees, have it checked. change the filter, call a tech, close a window. somethings wrong with it.

Answer 4

I think mesha has all the good answers needed already, but I can't help inquiring of him (her?) if the 80 degrees seem to feel the same all times of the day (whenever there might a stay-at-home day)?

Answer 5

sounds like it is undersized for you application, if it never see temp setting, it is too small for the area to maintain, turn it up higher, or off when not there, you electric bill will be through the roof.

Answer 6

Improper installation if it is running all the time.  You can get suckered into dumping a lot of money into these things.  Get a heat load analysis from one of your local heating and Air conditioning companies.  Some of them do it for free (One Hour Heat and Air does) and that will tell you what size you need to keep your home comfortable.

If your system is older than 15-20 years it is time to get a new one anyways.  If it is brand new then someone did not install it proper of used the right tonage.

Answer 7

You should get a programmable thermostat. The AC can be off when no one is at home but it can turn itself on, say 1/2 hour before you get home so that house will be cool when you arrive. The house will get cool and it'll save you money on the electric bill.

Answer 8

If the ac stays on at 80, it means that your thermostat is stuck, or it isn't cooling below 80. If its the latter. if you turn it off and the temp rises, you will have a hard time cooling back to 80.

Does the air feel cooler than 80?  Have you changed or cleaned filter or cleaned the coils? Is this a recent phenomena ? Is the compressor running constantly also?

Are you sure the AC compressor stays on at 80, or have you checked to see if it is just the fan? Could the fan switch have been changed from auto to on?

Sorry for the questions, but each of these things can cause your problem, or one similar.

To answer your original question, leaving the AC off during the day is really not a good idea. If it is off, not only does the air in your home get warmer, but the walls and furniture also. Turning it up to a slightly higher temperature will save more than trying to cool your house and its contents after it heats all day. Also, the increase in humidity when the AC is off is not good for your electronics, appliances and furniture, not to mention the chance of mold and mildew.  The best thing you can do is to use a programmable thermostat. Otherwise, tryi to maintain a fairly steady, though slightly higher, temperature during the day.

Answer 9

change the t-stat.