Running your air conditioner 24/7 puts far more strain on your HVAC system than expected. This speeds up the wear and tear on your AC, effectively shortening its life span.
It is safe to do so, but regular maintenance is even more important because there's more wear and tear on the system. Many people believe it's more efficient to run your air conditioning all day. This is because the unit will never have to work too hard at any given point to cool the home.
It's normal for an AC to run for multiple hours per day. However, there is a difference between keeping your AC on throughout the day and the compressor running all day. Once your space reaches your desired temperature, your AC system, or more specifically, the compressor, should stop running automatically.
If your area is currently at the design temp, your AC should run the “average” 12-16 hours per day. If it is five degrees higher, it will run 14 to 20 hours per day. At 10 degrees over, it will run 16 to 22 hours per day. At 15 degrees over, it will most likely run all day.
Give your Air Conditioner a Rest
When air conditioners are constantly run, they tend to wear out quicker. It is important to turn the air conditioner off if you plan on leaving home for any length of time. You can turn the thermostat a minimum of 5 degrees to allow the unit to stay on, but not cool the air.
Generally, a full cycle takes between 15 and 20 minutes. After this, the AC cools off for 7 to 10 minutes. This should happen at least 2 to 3 times per hour. If your AC is behaving differently, you might be dealing with short or long cycling that needs to be corrected.
That blissful blast of cold air when you walk through your front door can seem like reason enough to keep your A/C working around the clock. But is it safe to leave air conditioner on all day? Running your air conditioner all day is generally safe, as in, it probably won't cause a fire or other disaster in your home.
It is absolutely safe to use ACs of all types. One should set the temperature between 24 to 30 degrees centigrade.
The short answer is yes, it is cheaper to leave your air conditioner on all day. But this does not mean that you should leave it on full blast, keeping your home so cold that you need a sweater or jacket to be comfortable.
How Long Should You Run Your AC Each Day? During a warm or humid day, an air conditioning unit should run for about 15 or 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, the indoor temperature should reach your desired setting and the air conditioner unit will turn itself off.
Most of the Time, Aim for A 15 Minute Cycle
Ideally, your AC should run for 15 minutes on nice, warm days. Only on those rare triple-digit temperature days should your air conditioner be running almost all the time. If your AC isn't following this pattern, you could have a problem.
Your AC will actually run longer overall if it is left on all day instead of being shut off. If you turn it off for part of the day, it runs less and results in more energy savings for you. In almost all cases, it will save you money to shut off your AC while you are away from home.
Although the basic answer is no, it's not bad to turn your AC on and off, it's important to implement changes that maximize efficiency. Along with following the tips in this article, consider regular AC maintenance for the best results.
Speaking with indianexpress.com, Dr Rajat Agarwal, Additional Director, Critical Care Medicine, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute said, “It is advisable to maintain the AC temperature at 24-25 degrees Celsius as it is considered most optimum for healthy bodily functions.”
In short, the 20-degree rule of air conditioning states that you should always keep your AC unit at no more than 20 degrees lower than the outside temperature. It means that, if the outdoor conditions are at 95 degrees, you should set your thermostat at no less than 75 degrees.
The Normal human body temperature is 36-37 degree celsius. Hence, to take a temperature closer to 24 degrees is considered to be healthier for individuals in tropical regions like India.
It may seem like a waste of energy to turn your A/C on and off, but doing so actually saves you a fair amount of money, Amann says. "Air-conditioning systems run most efficiently when they're running at full speed," she explains.
As long as the weather outside isn't excessively hot or humid, keeping your AC switched off while you sleep is a great way to reduce your energy costs. In fact, even in the nighttime temperatures are still in the 80s, this is still a good option as long as it isn't too humid outside.
Keeping your home at a constant temperature generally means that your HVAC system will run constantly to meet it. This means that your furnace or air conditioner may run when you're asleep, at work, or out of the house. This wastes more energy than the minimal amount that you might save by having it constantly run.
Choose the right temperature
People often think that setting the AC at 16 degrees will provide better cooling, but that's not really the case. As per the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), the ideal temperature for the human body is 24 and any AC will take less load to achieve that target.
If you're setting your air conditioner in cooling mode, doing so at lower than 21C will normally be regarded as too cold to have much impact and is generally wasteful of electricity.
It is always better to run AC at 26+ degrees and put the fan on at slow speed. 28 plus degrees is better. This will cost less electricity and your body temperature will also be in the range and there will be no ill effect on your health.
Depending on the system, an optimal time of 3 minutes is required before switching the system on. If the system is turned on without waiting for at least 3 minutes, the system can start with a pressure load. This pressure load prevents the system from cooling properly, which could affect the system in the long run.
Here's the thing: It's normal for your AC to run continuously during hot summer months. You see, on extremely hot days—we're talkin' high 90s to 100s—your system needs to keep up with the incoming heat. To do that, it will run longer in order to maintain a constant, desired temperature in your home.
Ideally, a properly operating air conditioner should cycle for roughly 15 to 20 minutes, two to three times per hour. If the temperature inside your home is very high, is much higher than the temperature that your thermostat is set at, or the outside temperature is very high, the run time will increase.