Am I wasting or saving energy by turning the AC off on cooler days?
Question:This time of year where I live, it will be 90 degrees for a few days and 70 for the next few. I've been turning the AC completely off and opening the windows and doors (I love fresh air) on the cooler days, and I thought I was conserving energy. But am I actually wasting it by turning it off and on again a few days later?
Also, is there a general rule of thumb for how long the AC should be off to be worth it? For example, if the AC will be off for X hours, then its better to turn it off, but if it will only be off for X hours, then it should be left on?
Answers:
You sound like what you are presently doing is superb monitoring, and saving yourself money. I do the same and my bills are really low. You are, in my opinion, saivng a lot of energy. Keep up the good work.
In answer to your second paragraph, there is no special time the AC should or could be off to be worth anything, and one thing doesn't have anything to do with the other. Just keep doing what you're doing.
From personal experience, I keep my a/c on the same temp when I'm home. I live in Central Florida and it gets very hot here!
I just had new insulation put in and have saved some money. Also, a timer on your water heater might help, but I am getting off topic.
A Florida Power and Light rep told me to turn my a/c up to 80 when I leave the house. Upon returning, turn it to the desired temp. It takes longer to cool a house when the a/c is totally OFF.
You might just want to keep the a/c on and if it does get cooler it won't come on.
I don;t know where you live but 70 degrees sounds wonderful!
Maggie
Any reduction is good, but you are better off to unplug the t.v. computer, v.c.r. and phone charger while not in use. The energy is drained constantly. Please change your most common lights with c.f.l. light bulbs. You could also put your a.c. on a timer so that it comes on a few hours before you get home instead of leaving it on all day, hot or not! Just keep learning and good luck!!
we turn our air off on cooler days, but if you don't want to do that, a suggestion for keeping the cost down would be to set it on 80 or 82 and leave it, then when the temp in the house reaches that it will automatically kick on.
by turning off the AC, you are saving energy because it isn't in use. keep doing what your doing and you'll be happy you did when you see the bill.
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