Looking at the costs of running your air conditioner for long hours throughout the day, when you can run your air conditioner, and leaving it on while out.
In the case that you have an air conditioner in your home, you might be wondering how long you can keep it running throughout the day. If you are considering running the air conditioner for long periods of time, there will be certain factors, such as the cost of running it for long hours, that will come into play.
The costs of running your air conditioner for long hours
When it comes to long hot summer days, leaving your air conditioner on for long hours can seem like one of the best ways to ensure that your space remains as cool as it can be and to keep you comfortable.
Leaving your air conditioner on for long hours will have its disadvantages, though in as much as it may seem like it can help to keep you constantly cool.
One of the biggest factors that will affect you is the cost of keeping your air conditioner running, given the fact that running an air conditioner is already costly in itself.
Leaving your air conditioner on all day will depend on you being okay with the costs you might incur from it staying on for long periods of time in a day. You will have to anticipate that your electricity bill will be high, but if that is something you are willing to deal with then it is safe to say you can run your air conditioner for as long as you need or want to.
Some people also choose to keep running in cycle mode, switching itself on and off after 15 to 20 minutes between each cycle. This can actually help in making it slightly more energy efficient.
Other things to consider about the costs of running your air conditioner for longer periods of time will include questions as to whether your home is well insulated, the size of the area you are cooling down, and how the rooms around your house are laid out. Where the thermometer is can also affect how your air conditioner will run.
Many would probably advise against running your air conditioner for long hours throughout the day, due to the fact that this can harm your pocket amongst other things. So, it begs the question, what can one do when summer days call for constant cooling for relief against the heat?
So, when can your air conditioner run and for how long?
In order to determine how long your air conditioning unit can run for and when, you would need to understand the difference between active running and the unit just being on.
Your air conditioner can be set to cool the house 70 degrees throughout the day, if however, your house never goes up to 68 it will not be active. Although, if the air conditioner is set to 70 and it cannot cool the house lower than 80, it will most probably overstress itself working extra hard.
An air conditioner will have limits and you will need to be familiar with them. Most units will cool a house or room by 20 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning that on hot days you can set your thermostat higher than usual.
The difference in every degree in your AC setting can help you to save up to 5 percent on the electricity it consumes, meaning that leaving it on high can be something you consider.
Generally, your air conditioner should be running for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. If there seems to be no change in that amount of time, then your unit could be wrong for your home or might have a problem.
Setting the unit to a lower temperature might make it run longer, but if it happens to take half an hour or more to change the temperature look into ensuring it is working properly.
Can you leave the air conditioner on if you are not in the house?
Leaving the air conditioner on for hours while you are not in the house can significantly impact the cost in terms of the electricity consumption. Other factors can also help you make sense of leaving your unit on for hours while gone.
These include the amount of time you will be out. Will it be worth you leaving the air conditioner running for hours? Additionally, turning the air conditioner off during the night time is a good time to allow it to rest from being on for hours.
So, your unit can be left on for long periods as long as you can handle the expense.