What Is the Ideal Temperature for Home AC in the Summer?

If you live in Illinois, you’ll agree that the summers are pretty warm. In fact, the temperatures in places like Schaumburg and South Barrington can spike to as much as 90 degrees Fahrenheit. For this reason, you’ll want to set the air conditioning system to its lowest possible setting to cool your home down.

However, be warned. When homeowners call us for our AC repair services, they often report setting the AC’s temperature haphazardly.

During the warm summer months in Schaumburg, you need to be careful about your home’s AC settings. If you crank it as low as it goes, you’re going to be looking at a high energy bill at the end of the month, and you may also be looking at a repair bill. Exterior temperatures can overload the AC unit, causing your unit to break down.

However, we don’t recommend that you avoid touching your AC settings to cool your home. On the contrary, you still need to toggle the temperature settings of your AC unit — you just need to set it to the right temperature.

We will walk you through what temperature you should set your AC to in the summer. Read on to the very end to learn some of our tried-and-tested AC summer tips to keep your home cool.

The Ideal Temperature for Homes in the Summer

With factors like comfort and interior wall materials considered, we would place the ideal temperature at around 78 degrees. This number isn’t arbitrary; we choose it following the recommendations set by the US Department of Energy.

According to the Department of Energy, the standard temperature for homes is usually around 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The Department of Energy recommends setting a home’s temperature regulation system (like a thermostat or AC) seven to 10 degrees from this baseline, depending on the homeowner’s preference.

Hence, if you want to stay cool indoors, you’ll want to set your thermostat to a temperature that’s seven to 10 degrees higher than 68 degrees. Doing the math, you’ll end up with a temperature setting ranging from 75 – 78 degrees.

Will This Cool Down My Home?

When it comes to cooling your home, there’s a lot more to consider than the AC or thermostat’s temperature settings. Let’s start with the temperatures outside your home in Schaumburg or other parts of Illinois.

Schaumburg’s summer heat can be demanding on your thermostat or AC. While the 78-degree recommendation will cool your home, you’ll have to leave your AC on for a long time to experience the cooling effect.

The amount of time your AC stays on places greater demand on it; the result can be a high energy bill or a broken unit.

Our AC Tips to Help You Breeze Through Summer

Unfortunately, there’s nothing anyone can do about Schaumburg, IL’s hot summers. However, with our AC summer tips, you can maximize the cooling effects of your AC, save money, and keep your AC unit in one piece.

Close Your Windows While Your AC is On

Doing this will prevent the heat from outdoors from coming in, enabling your AC to cool your home quicker. If you have glass windows facing the sun, keep them closed and draw dark curtains over them.

Invest in a Ceiling Fan

A ceiling fan can help with air circulation. While your AC is on, your ceiling fan can allow cooler air to flow in a wider area.

Resist the Temptation to Crank up the AC

One of the most common mistakes homeowners make is turning up the AC to its coolest setting to cool the home faster. Contrary to popular belief, doing this won’t cool your home faster; if anything, turning up your AC will just result in heftier electric bills over the long term.

For the best results, you can do one of two things: you can wait an hour or two for your home to cool down, or you can get a new, energy-efficient AC. An energy-efficient AC will allow you to leave it on for longer periods of time, even at a higher setting. Plus, with a new unit, you won’t need to worry about wear and tear.

AC Repair in Schaumburg? Look No Further

Your AC is what will get you through Schaumburg’s hot summers. However, since you’ll need to leave the AC on for so long, you need one that’s high-quality and energy-efficient.

We offer AC installation and repair services in Schaumburg and surrounding areas with 24/7 availability and no hidden charges. Call us now at Residential Heating and Cooling for AC installation that cools down your home and your energy spending.

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