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Should I Leave The AC On During The Day When I’m Out?

If your house is going to be empty for several hours, it’s generally a good idea to turn your air conditioner off until you return. While the house may be slightly warmer when you return, your cooling system should be able to make the air cooler and drier in a relatively short period of time.

You’ll Save Money By Turning The Air Conditioner Off

Perhaps the best reason to not run your air conditioner when you aren’t home is that you’ll minimize your cooling costs. Over the course of a summer, it may be possible to save hundreds of dollars compared to what you might spend if you let it run all day. Expert Air Control can install a Trane thermostat that you can link with an app where you can adjust your home’s temperature as you begin your journey home.

Cooling Systems Are More Effective When Working At Full Speed

When your central air or ductless cooling components are running at full speed, they typically have a greater ability to take moisture out of the air. In most cases, the moisture in the air is what makes it hard to sleep or hard to watch a movie with your kids after work. Therefore, even if you were to leave your air conditioner on throughout the day, the relative humidity may be higher than it would if you simply ran it after you got home.

You Can Program The Thermostat Before You Leave

If you want to keep your home at a consistent temperature throughout the day, consider getting a programmable thermostat. If the house gets too warm, the air conditioner will receive a signal to unleash cool air. When the house returns to your desired temperature, the system will turn itself off.



Assuming that your home has adequate insulation, your air conditioner will only need to run for an hour or two to maintain a reasonable temperature. If you notice that your air conditioner is still running for several hours at a time, it may be a good idea to call the folks at Expert Air Control in Puyallup. A technician may be able to inspect the thermostat or the condenser unit to determine what the problem might be.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

If your air conditioner runs on gas or natural gas, you may be polluting the air that your breath each time it is turned on. By reducing the number of hours per day that the system is allowed to run, you can reduce the amount of pollution that you are responsible for creating. You may be able to further reduce your carbon footprint by having one of our technicians install a heat pump on your property. Despite the name, a heat pump can be used to cool the air in your home when it gets hot outside.

Maximize The Useful Life Of Your Air Conditioner

An air conditioner can last for up to 20 years under normal conditions if it is properly maintained. However, if you decide to run your air conditioner on a regular basis, it may only last for 10 or 12 years. Even if the unit does last for the entirety of its useful life, it may cost more to maintain. This is because fans, motors and other parts may wear out faster or break after being forced to work for 10 or more hours per day.

The Condenser Unit Is Less Likely To Freeze

By allowing your system to remain off for several hours during the day, condensation on the coils is given time to drain properly. If the condensation is not allowed to drain, it may simply continue to accumulate. At some point, that moisture won’t be able to evaporate at all, and it may start to freeze on the coils. When that happens, your air conditioner will either have to work harder to keep your home cool or will stop working entirely.


At Expert Air Control, we can provide a wide variety of services, such as sealing or cleaning your home’s ducts. We can also install air purifiers and do preventative maintenance to ensure that your home stays comfortable throughout the year. Finally, we can repair, install or replace a furnace or heat pump in a timely and affordable manner. Feel free to give us a call today to learn more about our service and product offerings.

Categories: Air Conditioning

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