Florida continues to bring heat this year, with 11 Florida cities breaking their own heat records last month. A heat wave coming to the Midwest and Northeast this week won’t affect us much, although it’s expected to be the hottest in years for those areas, but most of Florida will see temperatures in the 90s and 90s again next week have higher.
But it brings up the age-old question that ruins relationships, destroys friendships and threatens marriages: What temperature do you set your air conditioner thermostat to?
Let’s settle this once and for all.
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What temperature should I set my air conditioning during a Florida summer?
There is no magic number that everyone should use. It is a decision you make based on:
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Whatever feels comfortable for you and the other people in your household
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The health status of the people in your household
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How well your home is insulated and otherwise protected from heat
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What other cooling methods you use (floor fans, ceiling fans, closed curtains, etc.)
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How much you are willing to pay on your electricity bill
78 degrees is the most common recommendation, and when the media and electric companies promote it, they often refer to ENERGY STAR, a program of the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that has become synonymous with energy-efficient appliances. Except ENERGY STAR never said it.
“ENERGY STAR does not claim that a particular temperature setting is appropriate for households,” the EPA said in an email to The Palm Beach Post.
So set your thermostat to the highest temperature you’re comfortable with and can afford, and look for other ways to cool your home.
Keep the house cooler for people who are more sensitive to heat
According to the Centers for Disease Control, older adults are more susceptible to heat stress. They do not adapt as well to temperature changes, they are more likely to have a chronic medical condition that alters their normal responses to heat, and they are more likely to take prescription medications that affect the body’s ability to control temperature.
Older people are also more susceptible to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related diseases, and the scorching heat can be even more dangerous for people who may not notice they are overheating, may not understand what it means, have impaired judgment, or have impaired judgment. can’t tell anyone about it.
“Summer can be extremely dangerous for people with Alzheimer’s disease in Florida,” Julie Shatzer, vice president of programs for the Florida chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association, said in an email. “Symptoms of overheating can be difficult to detect in people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia because they can be similar.”
How can I save energy and stay cool?
Even if you run your air conditioner non-stop, there are plenty of ways to make it do less work.
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Wear light clothing to stay cool.
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Start a fan club. Fans don’t cool the air, but they do make you feel better.
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Replace your air conditioning filter regularly and keep the ventilation openings clear. Dirty or clogged filters make air conditioning units work harder.
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Close curtains and blinds. Keeping direct sunlight out prevents the inside from heating up.
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Check your insulation and weather stripping. When heat comes into the house (and cool air leaves), your air conditioner has to work harder.
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Limit the use of energy-efficient appliances during peak hours. And avoid heavy oven use during the hot parts of the day.
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Close doors and vents of rooms you are not using. Close the vents in your guest room, utility room, or any room you don’t use regularly and keep the door closed. But don’t close off rooms that connect to rooms you do use, or you’ll block airflow through the area.
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Use a programmable or smart thermostat. Increase the temperature to 78-82 or higher while at work, away, or at night (if possible).
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Keep your air conditioner maintained and healthy. Air conditioning repair companies are busy in the summer, and if yours breaks, they may not be able to reach you right away. Keep yours in good condition for it starts making strange noises.
Contributing: Elissa Robinson, Detroit Free Press
This article originally appeared in The Daytona Beach News-Journal: What is the most popular air conditioner thermostat temperature in Florida?
