Best AC Setting For Cooling: Best Air Conditioner Temperature to Save Money, Set AC to Auto or On?

What is the best AC setting for cooling? In this video we answer four questions: What temperature should I set my thermostat in summer, how should you set your air conditioner to save money, should ac be set to auto or on, and what is the coldest temperature for an air conditioner?
There is much to consider when you are thinking about your ac settings for the summer beyond just what is the best temperature to set your air conditioner. We hope this helps you figure out what settings for summer work best for your family to save money and stay comfortable.

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[ljr]

Floridian who now lives in Arizona. It’s crazy with no humidity how “warm” one can keep their house. Thermostat set for 78 when home and 81 when gone. Humidity is only 30%. With a fan on low, I am comfortable and have no complaints to turn the air down.

[girasolzoom]

I moved into an apartment and it’s the first time have I have an AC unit. This helped so much!

[TheMcGuireLife]

Hi, this is Jermey McGuire. I just got both central air conditioners replaced, I had a 2009 Lennox 5 ton for the upstairs and a 2018 4 ton Goodman central air conditioner downstairs.” I had the temperature setting at 80 for the a/c,
Now I have a 2024 Goodman 2.5 ton air conditioner for downstairs and a 2024 5 ton Goodman 14.3 SEER air conditioner. Now I keep the temp upstairs a/c at 78 so I’m maintaining I had so so many problems with that old upstairs Lennox a/c. I’m so thankful to have working a/c again!! Before the summer comes back here in Live Oak County, Texas!!

[yannigirl]

I keep my A/C set at 65 all spring, summer & fall and it works great. I’m very hot natured. We live in Fl. and it gets very hot here. I’m talking where it can feel like 110 degrees outside on the heat index. Now I will admit that my window units only last me about 4 yrs. and it may be because I keep it so cold. It’s totally worth it to me. Especially while sleeping.

[RJMEL]

72 at all times during hot and humid summers in northeast. I bought AC to use it and stay comfortable at all times and can afford the extra 30-40 $ June July and August.

[joescott]

so excited to experiment with the blower switch tonight, lol! Thanks! I sleep upstairs and that's my main AC complaint. Never knew the "ON" switch could make any dif, i just figured "auto" was the best. Very cool, so to speak, thx again for the info!

[nickiee]

Thanks for sharing this tip about the blower.
I've recommended this to a few people and they don't understand what I'm saying. You explain why very well.

[spbaldwin]

I didn’t realize that about the blower motor and fan auto. My wife has allergies pretty severely during the spring and summer. We also have one area of the house. That’s usually colder than the others so I’ll be leaving the fan on.

[helifynoe]

Just got a new conditioner after my DANBY finally died after 25 years. The new conditioner came with settings set at 22 degrees Celsius, and can be adjusted in steps of 1 degree Celsius up or down, all to meet ones temperature likings. The manual also said that if set to Fahrenheit mode, it can be adjusted up and down in 1 degree Fahrenheit steps. An increment, or decrement, of 1 degree Celsius, is an adjustment of 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit. I preferred the more accurate adjustments of 1 degree Fahrenheit, and so I set it to Fahrenheit mode instead. In Fahrenheit mode, you thus almost double the temperature settings resolution.

[teresacandeloro]

On a window unit which is best, hi, med or low? I run mine on low or med but never high.

[petermaz]

If you run the blower continuously, you also raise the humidity in the house especially if you have an issue with humidity

[mikethemechanic]

Mine is at 70F during the day. 67 at night. I don’t care how much it costs. I want to sleep like it’s winter with a large comforter 😂

[-phenom-]

I found the changing the blower switch to the on position tip very helpful! Thank you!

[helifynoe]

I took my old shower curtain and used it to divide my kitchen from the rest of the rooms by blocking the entrance open door, while having a 5000 BTU air conditioner active within the bedroom. The end result was very good. Today in the kitchen it is 83 degrees Fahrenheit, and the humidity is 90%. In the living room, the temp is 77 degrees Fahrenheit, and the air is dry, and in the bedroom the temp is 75 degrees Fahrenheit with dry air as well. This is the case even though I have an active two fan unit in the window in the kitchen, which is blowing in fresh air 24/7. So, I have both fresh air, and cool air where I need it. Without the curtain divider, things were very different and not pleasant at all.

[momof]

Thank you for this information! I was suffering upstairs thinking I needed a window unit when all I have to do is turn the blower on😮😊

[neilfromclearwaterfl]

It's really not what you are currently most comfortable at but what is reasonable for the climate which you live in. Most will be out of breath and unable to function outdoors so in effect "Prisoners of AC" if they set the indoor temperature much below 78 degrees Fahrenheit. You set it to allow yourself to acclimate to the current climate so your blood will become more rich in Hemoglobin to be able to absorb the needed amount of oxygen when outdoors. Set it much below 78 and you will never acclimate to the outdoor temperatures and be more prone to heat illness from low levels of oxygen in the blood.

We deal with this all the time rushing folks to ER's for heat illness since they keep their homes at insanely low temps and can't absorb enough oxygen when engaging in outdoor activities where wet bulb temperatures are often well over 105 degrees.

It may take a few years to acclimate however once you do life indoors and out becomes much more bearable plus having an extra few hundred dollars or so available for other purposes every month is very nice indeed.

Once you acclimate even 79 degrees indoors can feel chilly. I didn't believe this could possibly be true growing up in Northern New England and enjoying tent camping with it was 36 degrees below zero at night however I gave it a fair try and found out I was wrong.

Best!

[dekas]

What is a safe thermostat setting to prevent a central air conditioning system from frying when it’s 120 degrees outside? Is it true a/c units are only designed to handle a 20 degree differential from outdoor temps?

[conservativeamber]

My AC can be set to 7 Degrees...lol
Love it
I leave mine at 25 Degrees in the Summer ☀️ 😮‍💨

[twosawyers]

The only big drawback of continuous blower speeds is the humidity off of the coil. Depending on the air conditioner cycles, it can be significant!

[onofriopiccolino]

I keep my thermostat at 75f but upstairs is way to warm because I have my room above a 2 car garage. My dad is old and his room is downstairs and he always complaining about the AC being to cold. I live in Florida, I feel to warm and my dad feels to cold