“Should I Turn Off My Air Conditioner When I Leave for the Summer?”

March 10, 2015

Causing damage to your home

Did you know that your air conditioner not only cools your air, but also dehumidifies it?

So if you leave the air conditioner off for too long, humidity levels rise and create condensation.

Too much humidity in your home can:

  • Warp your wood flooring, doors and cabinets
  • Cause wallpaper to peel
  • Damage your refrigerator
  • Corrode or cause short circuits in electrical equipment

Promoting mold growth

To grow like crazy, mold spores needs 3 things:

  • Food (this can be anything from actual food or your furniture)
  • Optimum temperatures (70-90 degrees works best)
  • Moisture

The key to preventing mold growth is keeping moisture low (preferably between 30% to 50%).

And that’s why you want to keep the AC on: so it can dehumidify your home to prevent mold from growing.

How to set the temperature when you go on vacation

So if turning the AC off isn’t a choice, how high should you set the temperature?

According to the U.S Department of Energy, “If you live in a hot climate, it is best not to set your thermostat higher than 85 to 90 degrees F to protect any temperature-sensitive building components or appliances, like your refrigerator.”

We recommend setting your thermostat to 80 degrees F in Southwest Florida.

Come home to a cool home

OK, cool. Now you know how to set the thermostat when you go on vacation. But you don’t want to come home to an oven, right?

That’s why you should get a programmable thermostat that comes with a vacation mode. Some vacation modes will tell your air conditioner to return your home to a lower temperature by the time you get home—so your family comes home to comfort, not an oven.

Want a programmable thermostat? Contact Advanced Air and we can install one for you.

Advanced Air has been serving Fort Myers and Naples, Florida, and the surrounding areas for over 25 years.