Does Turning Down Your Thermostat Make Your Home Cool Faster?

There’s a common conundrum behind one of the biggest myths in the HVAC industry. You get home from a long day outside and find your house is way too hot. You go to your thermostat to crank down the AC. Let’s stop right there. This is where this situation reveals two types of people.

• Person 1: turns the thermostat to the desired temperature.
• Person 2: turns the thermostat to a much lower setting thinking it will get your home cooler faster.

Which one is right? Person 1. 

We’ll cut through opinions and use facts to settle this heated cooling conversation once and for all. HVAC experts will tell you all the same thing: turning your thermostat to a lower setting DOES NOT cool your home faster. Setting your thermostat to 65 degrees will not get your home cooler faster than setting it at 73. 

Our Paschal Pros have a rule of thumb, expect your AC to cool your home 20 to 25 degrees cooler than the outside temperature. The truth is, if it’s 90 degrees outside and you want your inside temperature set at 68 degrees, it’s unlikely your unit will keep up. 

Air conditioners, one-speed or two-speed, blow out air that is a constant temperature. The length of time the unit runs determines how cool your home will be. The colder your desired temp is, the longer your unit will run. The longer the unit runs, the more unnecessary wear and tear it will put on your system. 

HVAC systems are capped by the power of their SEER rating. A 16 SEER system has more blowing capacity than a 14 SEER system, therefore will cool a space faster. You cannot cool a home beyond the capacity of the HVAC system. The AC unit will run continuously until it reaches your desired temperature. Therefore, turning your thermostat down 10 degrees will NOT cool your home any faster than turning it down by five degrees.

If you have hot spots in your home, especially in hard-to-cool places like sunrooms and garages, you might consider supplementing your HVAC system with a mini split. 

If your HVAC system is old and having trouble keeping up, it might be a good idea to schedule a free estimate with a Paschal Comfort Specialist. Planning ahead will save you grief by having a reliable system in place before your deteriorating unit goes out during a heatwave.