If you are headed out to work or taking a trip to the store, should you turn off your AC when you leave? Many people do! After all, we switch off our lights, power down electronics, and check that our stove is off. Why shouldn’t we stop the AC from running when we aren’t home to enjoy the cool air?
This may have been a good habit in the 20th century, but it isn’t recommended anymore. When air conditioners were simple yet powerful machines that used a lot of energy, shutting them off made plenty of sense. But in 2022, the world of cooling systems has changed.
Today, air conditioners are smarter and more energy efficient than ever before. They not only use less electricity, but they also sense the temperature indoors and respond to it.
Even our thermostats contain technology that helps us to adjust our AC to our individual schedules. Smart thermostats go even further and sense when we are not home through our smartphone’s location services.
Why should you keep your AC on when you leave?
There are many benefits to running your AC when you walk out the door. It helps to support your health, the health of your cooling system, and it even protects your property from damage.
Can you guess how your air conditioner can do all of that? If you guessed that it has to do with indoor temperature and humidity control, you would be right!
Let’s dive in and explore the details.
Indoor Temperature Balance
When you turn off your air conditioner, the cold air indoors won’t last for long. That’s because there are multiple factors creating heat in and around your home.
The most obvious is the heat outdoors. Florida’s hot weather will find every gap and crack in your house to slip into.
The sun is another major factor. Everywhere direct sunlight touches will heat up. The heat is even more pronounced on dark surfaces like asphalt shingles. Soon enough, these hot surfaces will radiate into your home, causing your indoor air temperature to rise rapidly.
When you come back home and turn on your AC again, the air conditioner will work excessively hard to bring your house back down to a comfortable temperature. It might need to run for hours depending on how many degrees were lost during your absence.
This not only uses more electricity but also puts unnecessary stress on the entire cooling system. If this is repeated on a daily or even weekly basis, the effects on your AC could be detrimental to its life expectancy. Not only will parts wear down quickly and require more frequent repairs, but the entire appliance may need to be replaced much sooner.
Indoor Humidity Level Concerns
Leaving the AC on reduces humidity in your home. That alone can prevent a multitude of problems, including:
- Warped wood
- Peeling paint or wallpaper
- Water damage
- Mold growth
- Dust mite breeding
- Stressed refrigerator
When the humidity level in your home becomes too high, water droplets can form on hard surfaces and dampen materials that will absorb it. This won’t just hurt the structure of your building, it can also slowly destroy your:
- Furniture
- Photographs
- Art pieces
- Book collection
- and more
On top of all of that, high humidity can lead to illness and worsen allergies. Bacteria, mold, and dust mite populations love moisture in the air and will thrive in these conditions.
Do you need Expert AC Advice?
If you have asked yourself, “Should you turn off your AC when you leave?” the simple answer is, “No!” You should always reduce your set indoor air temperature when you leave, but never shut it off completely.
Run your AC on a hot day, even when you travel, to protect your cooling system, your health, and the condition of everything inside your house.
Especially in Tampa Bay, the weather isn’t just scorching hot, it’s also very humid! And that humidity will do even more damage if it’s given the chance to sit in your living spaces.
If you have any questions or concerns about your AC in the Tampa Bay Area, feel free to contact Action Air Conditioning. One of our friendly representatives will be happy to help you to understand your HVAC system better.