If you’re seeking relief from the blistering summer heat, resist the urge to dramatically turn down your thermostat.
“Particularly in the middle of a hot day, it can really help avoid reliability issues on the grid,” Amann said.Your home air-conditioning system doesn’t work like a water faucet, said Shichao Liu, an architectural engineering professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. “People think, ‘If I make the thermostat set point 60, I’ll get more cooling than a set point at 70,’ but that’s not correct,” Liu said. “You get the same amount of the cooling.”If you set your thermostat to a temperature that exceeds your air conditioner’s capacity, the system will keep running as it tries to cool your home to that point, he said.
“People should realize that if it’s really hot outside, having it at 77, 78, or even more, on the inside for a little while still feels good,” he said.When you’re not at home for extended periods of time, Amann suggested setting your thermostat 5 to 10 degrees warmer than what would normally be comfortable for you.