When you’re not home, your air conditioner is still running and using electricity. Even if it has a timer, it probably uses more electricity than you think. If you’re going to be gone for less than 6 hours each day, then the answer to whether or not you should turn off your AC when you’re not home is no. You will save some energy by leaving it on, even with the timer. But if you’re going to be gone for more than 6 hours per day or if you just want to be as energy-efficient as possible, then yes, you should turn off your AC when you’re not home.
Should I Turn Off My Air Conditioner When I’m Not Home?
Yes, You Turn off your Air Conditioner when you are not home. In general, you want to turn off the circuit breaker that powers your air conditioning. You can also lower the thermostat setting on your AC so that it doesn’t turn on at all. Each of these methods has upsides and downsides. The easiest way to turn off your AC when you’re not home is to shut off the circuit breaker. This is the same method that an air conditioning service person would use. Just turn off the circuit breaker and your air conditioner will stop running. You can also use a manual switch to turn off the circuit breaker. However, these can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. You could also lower the thermostat setting on your AC to the lowest setting. This should prevent the AC from running when you’re not home. The only downside here is that you have to remember to turn the thermostat back up when you’re leaving the house.
How To Turn Off Your Air Conditioner When You’re Not Home?
When you’re not at home, you probably aren’t thinking about your thermostat. But what if it turns on the air conditioning when you’re not there? This is a problem for many people who work from home or have different schedules from day to day. You don’t want to pay to cool your house when no one is there to enjoy it. You can easily turn off the air conditioner on your thermostat when you’re away from home. This will help save energy and money and prevent the unit from turning on when you don’t want it to. Here are ways to turn off your AC when you’re not home:
Change Your Programming
You can often turn off your air conditioner simply by changing the programming on your thermostat. This is a good option if you work from home but don’t want the thermostat constantly changing temperatures for you. If you have a basic thermostat, the programming options you have may be limited. Some of the more advanced digital thermostats will have more options for you to choose from. Some of these programming options include turning off the air conditioner completely or just turning it down to a lower temperature. If you have different schedules for different times of the year, you can also change your programming to reflect these seasonal changes.
Install a Timer
If you have a basic thermostat with no programming options, installing a timer can be a quick and easy way to turn off your air conditioning when you’re away from home. First, make sure your thermostat is on a switch set to “auto”. Otherwise, the timer won’t be able to turn off the air conditioner when you want it to. If you don’t have a switch set to “auto”, installing a timer is a quick and easy project. A mechanical timer is very easy to install. Simply plug it into an outlet near your thermostat and set the times that you want the air conditioner to be on and off. A digital timer offers even more flexibility. You can program different times for different days of the week or even holidays. It’s a good idea to set the timer for a little longer than you need. That way, even if it turns off a few minutes early, it won’t turn the air conditioner back on early.
Add a Smart Hub
If you have a basic thermostat without any programming options, installing a smart hub can be a great way to turn off your air conditioning when you’re away from home. Some of the most popular smart hubs include Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Wink, and Samsung SmartThings. No matter which hub you choose, you can use the app to quickly turn off your air conditioner when you’re not home. A smart hub can do much more than turn off your air conditioner, too. You can use it to program your thermostat, turn on other smart home devices, and even control your lights remotely when you’re away from home.
Use a Bluetooth Thermostat Lock
If you have a basic or old-fashioned thermostat, installing a smart hub probably isn’t an option. Instead, consider a Bluetooth thermostat lock. These little devices plug into your existing thermostat and allow you to lock it from your phone. You can set the lock to turn on when you leave home and off when you return, giving you precise control over the air conditioning in your home. A Bluetooth thermostat lock can also work with certain smart hubs. Check with your hub manufacturer to see if yours is compatible. Some of these thermostat locks come with a few drawbacks, though. First, they are only compatible with certain types of thermostats. And second, they don’t allow you to control the thermostat remotely, so you’ll need to be home to turn it off whenever you want to.
Lock It With a Key
If you have an old-fashioned mechanical thermostat, you won’t be able to install a smart hub or Bluetooth lock. But don’t worry—there is still a way to turn off your air conditioner when you’re not home. Lock your thermostat with a key. Yes, this sounds a bit archaic, but it will work perfectly to turn off your air conditioner when you’re away from home. You can purchase a keyed thermostat from most hardware and home improvement stores. Be sure to get one that matches your brand and model of the thermostat. There are also keyed thermostats available online if you have a hard time finding one in your area. These keyed thermostats are very easy to use. Simply turn the dial until your thermostat is set to the temperature you want. Then, lock the dial with the key. When you return home, just unlock the thermostat with the key.
Add Shutter Covers
If all else fails, you can still turn off your air conditioner simply by adding shutter covers to your windows. This isn’t a perfect solution, of course, because your house will stay cooler but your energy bills will stay higher. But it could be a quick and easy way to turn off your AC when you’re not home. You can buy shutter covers at most hardware and home improvement stores. Be sure to check the size of your windows first, so you get ones that fit properly. You can also get shutter covers online, though you’ll have to be careful to follow the sizing instructions to get the right fit.
Turn It Off At The Breaker
If you have tried all of the above methods to turn off your air conditioning when you are not home, you can always turn it off at the breaker. However, this is a very last resort method and one that should only be used as a temporary solution. While you’re away, remember to keep an eye on your energy usage, especially if you’ve turned off your air conditioner. If you see your energy usage rising above normal, you might want to turn your air conditioning back on or open a window to let in cooler outside air.
When Should I Turn Off My Air Conditioner?
When you think about the pros and cons of air conditioning, the pro list almost always outweighs the con. After all, what’s hot weather without an AC to help us stay cool? In addition to keeping us comfortable during those hot summer months, air conditioning can also reduce humidity in your home and reduce energy costs by turning it off when you’re not there. But as with anything that runs on electricity, some circumstances require turning off your thermostat instead of up. Here are 5 times when you should turn off your AC instead of on:
When it’s too hot to be inside.
First and foremost, there’s a difference between feeling hot and feeling warm. If the temperature inside your house is hot, then yes, turn off your AC and open the windows. It’s one thing to be warm and another to be uncomfortably hot. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) advises that you don’t turn on your AC unit until the temperature inside climbs up to 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Whenever you do start cooling your home, keep your thermostat set at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature-wise, 76 degrees is the point at which the humidity inside your house will remain at a comfortable level. If the temperature inside is hotter than 76 degrees, you’ll want to keep your thermostat set at 76 degrees and open windows and/or use fans to circulate the air. When the indoor temperature falls below 76 degrees, you can close the windows and turn on your air conditioner.
During daylight hours.
You might think you should turn on your air conditioning as soon as the sun sets. In reality, you should turn it off. The temperature outside during the day is typically higher than temperatures during the night, causing your AC to run longer than necessary. The same principle applies to humidity. If the humidity in the air is low outside, your AC will run longer than necessary, increasing your energy bills. The best time to turn on your unit is after 10 pm when the outside temperature has fallen. As daytime temperatures rise, adjust the thermostat accordingly. If you’re living in an extremely humid climate, experts recommend keeping your AC off during the day. In humid conditions, your indoor air can become much moister than outside air, leading to higher energy bills. To minimize this effect, open the windows and use fans to keep the air in your home moving.
When you have a medical condition.
Even if you’re feeling warm but don’t want to turn off your AC completely, there are certain conditions that warrant cutting back on the cooling. Air conditioning, like any system that runs on electricity, produces allergens and disease-causing organisms. If you’re experiencing allergies or asthma, you may want to reduce the amount of air being circulated inside your home. If you have allergies, you’ll benefit from lower indoor humidity. This can be achieved through the use of a dehumidifier. If you have asthma, you’ll benefit from a lower indoor temperature, as well as low humidity. You and your doctor can help you determine what’s best for your situation.
When it’s raining or the humidity is high.
On the con side, there are certain situations where you should turn off your AC and open the windows instead. When it’s raining outside, your AC is working overtime to cool down the water that’s collecting inside your unit. This could lead to water damage and higher energy bills. Instead, open the windows and let the water flow out as it collects. When the humidity is high outside, your AC is working even harder to cool the air. Instead, open your windows and turn off the AC. Raise your thermostat by a couple of degrees, and you’ll still stay cool while saving money. In extremely humid conditions, you might want to consider installing a whole-home humidifier. This can help reduce indoor humidity, which can help minimize the chance of allergies and asthma flare-ups indoors.
When you’re baking something with an oven-turning-off function.
As a hobby baker, you may be tempted to turn on your air conditioning while baking. The extra heat in the room could cause your baked goods to rise too quickly. A better option: turn off your AC and put a tray of ice cubes in the oven, which will cool the oven as well as your kitchen. People bake in every corner of the country, so you might be wondering why this is an exception. Here’s why: in the South and Southwest, the sun is so strong that it heats up the earth’s surface and the air above it, causing hot air to rise. This creates a phenomenon called an “inversion”, where cool air from the ground (that’s been chilled by shade and water) gets trapped below the hot air.
What Should You Look For In An Air Conditioner?
The most important thing to look for in an air conditioner is energy efficiency. The Environmental Protection Agency has a tool that rates AC units on energy efficiency. You can also check out the SEER rating on a unit before you buy it. The higher the SEER rating, the more energy-efficient the AC unit is. Beyond energy efficiency, there are a few other things that you should look for in an AC unit. First, find out how much space is required for installation. You don’t want to get the unit home and realize that it won’t fit. Beyond that, you should also look for an AC unit that is easy to maintain. And finally, you should look for an AC unit that has a good track record for reliability. The last thing that you want is to have to turn off your AC during a heat wave because the unit isn’t working.
Bottom Line
We hope that you’ll be convinced to turn off your AC every day when you’re not home. Not only will you save energy, but your AC will last longer if you don’t use it every day. The last thing that you want is to be stuck with an AC that isn’t working on a hot summer day. By turning it off once a week, you’ll be saving energy and protecting the longevity of your AC unit.
