Running Your AC When It’s 100 Degrees Outside

Tampa summers are stiflingly hot, often reaching triple-digit numbers. Those soaring temperatures can weigh heavily on your utility bills, particularly if you’re trying to fight the climate with an icy air conditioner setting. Cool indoor climates cost money. The more work your AC does, the more expensive your utility bills will become, but you can reach a balance with the perfect setting.

AC Temperatures While You’re Home

While many people like to keep their home at 72 degrees, this setting will make it difficult for your AC to keep up when temperatures reach triple digits. If you’re dealing with 100+ degree weather, the Department of Energy recommends a 78 to 80 degrees thermostat setting when you’re home. This will cool you down without driving your energy bill up to ridiculous levels. If that setting isn’t taking the edge off the heat, you can use alternative strategies to improve your comfort and retain those icy temperatures:

• Beat the sticky heat and make dehumidifiers a part of your summer survival strategy. Florida’s humidity is a large factor in its uncomfortable weather, but dehumidifiers are more powerful than you might think.
• Make use of options already in your home. Ceiling fans create air movement, improving your comfort exponentially.
• Reduce your cooling costs by 15% while simultaneously improving your AC efficiency with insulation.
• Make sure you’re not wasting the cool air from your AC by letting it escape out of your house. Sealing off your home ensures that your AC’s hard work achieves its best effects.

If you have furry friends, you’ll need to consider their temperature requirements, too. Not all animals can stay comfortable at 84 degrees, so if you have thick-coated pets, you may need to pay a little extra for a colder thermostat setting.

AC Temperatures While You’re on Vacation

Many families will completely turn off their air conditioners when they go away, but this can actually damage your pipes and furnishings. Florida’s mid-summer humidity can erode your dry wall, attract rust, and allow mold to thrive, so the ideal vacation thermostat setting is between 78 and 84 degrees. If your unit is programmable, you can adjust your temperature according to the time of day. Smart technology lets you adjust your temperature to the weather from anywhere in the world. A simple AC add-on will do the trick, even with 20-year-old units. This way, your air conditioner will be at the right temperature the second you walk through the door.

Tampa has one of the harshest summers in the region, so it puts extra strain on your climate control strategy. The less your air conditioner has to strain, the longer its life span, so every savings strategy comes with extra long-term benefits. Thanks to a huge range of energy-free insulators, you can enjoy a comfortably cool indoor climate.

Call All American Home Services to turn those sweltering summers into comfortable seasons at 813-486-4038.