Is it practical to leave the air conditioning on all the time?

Question

I want to be comfortable in my house but I don't want to pay a fortune doing it. I just had to pay $400 for electrical this month and I really didn't think I was hogging electricity.

Answer 1

I have tried it both ways....keeping the air OFF during the days and only the ceiling fans on....but it takes the AC to run until between 0100 and 0400 to cool back down and then at 0900 I turn it off again all day. There was not a major drop in the bill and we were miserable. I do better keeping the thermostat up to like 76 and letting it go on and off but with a bad summer like we have had in NC this year.....33 days over 90*, you are just gonna have higher bills. I also suggest making sure the filter is changed monthly...it's most important.

Answer 2

I don't have central air here so I turn up(temp control) the a/c in the rooms I'm not using-like at night down for the bedroom a/c and up in the rest of the house. When I leave, I up the temp on the a/c just a couple of degrees but not enough so that the house gets hot but enough so that it doesn't have to work so hard. There are lots of things you can do to lower your electric bill like caulking around windows, trying to landscape so that the sunny side of your house is in the shade, add insulation, add ceiling fans, add those strips to the bottom of your doors-just try to stop air flow and keep the cold in and the hot out. If you have extra rooms that you don't often use or especially if you only use the rooms at night, shut the a/c vent or close it a bit more so that that room doesn't suck up all the cold air and more goes into busier parts of the house. Also shading your outside or window unit helps a lot and be sure you change your filters often. There's just a ton of things to help lower your electric bill. And turn off anything you're not using and ask everyone living there to do the same. And lower the temp of your hot water. . .Hope this helps. . .

Answer 3

If it's hot, like here in Vegas, sure why not? We practically all do, but at my house leave our temperature at 70 degrees. A lot of other people put their thermostat at 75-78 degrees, which is suppose to be the normal setting. Put your thermostat at a comfortable temperature for you, then use a fan to make it even more cooler. By the way, we pay almost $400 a month for our electricity during the hot season.

Answer 4

All people would like to save money, but is it worth it? Who is more valuable than you and your family? Health problems are way more expensive than what you have to pay for air conditioning. Yes, I would leave the air conditioning on all of the time. Only when the weather changes to a lower level, would I actually cut it off. Remember this, What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31. The Lord daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. - Psalm 68:19. Peace and God Bless.

Answer 5

You could save 10-15% on your electric bill if you replaced your thermostat. Replace it with a programmable one. You can do this yourself. First go to the thermostat page at www.hvac-for-beginners.com . Then before you buy check out the hvac ratings page to compare brands.

Answer 6

I've done it both ways, when you turn it back on, it has to cool off EVERYTHING in your house, not just the air. Leave on but turn t-stat up no more than 4 degrees. your ac unit will thank you.

Answer 7

hot summer nites would call for 24/7 air conditioning
but in ordinary weather that is bearable i would switch it off

Answer 8

We only use a window air conditioner at nite. I find that being in the air bothers my sinuses.

Answer 9

your insulation needs beefed up

Answer 10

not when nobody is home at least turn it down when your gone