What Temperature Is Good for Air Conditioning?

Is there a thing as ideal temperature for air conditioning? And If such a thing, the question arises, what is that ideal temperature to keep your AC settings on for maximum comfort and ease. Does keeping your Air Conditioner at the highest temperature results in lower electricity or the other way around? The temperature you set actually matters, for your comfort, your health and what you pay every month. Here’s everything you need to know about an Ideal AC temperature.

The sweet Spot

The recommended range of temperature for indoors is 24°C to 26°C (75°F to 78°F). This must be a shocker for people who blast their AC at the lowest setting and call it a day. Then wonder why their electricity bill looks like a house rent. “the colder the better” assumption here is completely wrong. Your body tends to adjust to whatever environment you’re in and anything below 22°C starts to make you feel uncomfortable after a bit, that happens especially after sleep.

Why Not Just Set It to 18°C?

Because your AC doesn't care about your comfort as much as it cares about hitting that number.
When you set a very low temperature, the compressor runs at full power for much longer sometimes without ever reaching the target. That means maximum electricity consumption and a room that swings between freezing and stuffy.Setting it lower doesn't cool the room faster either. The airflow speed is what determines it, not the temperature setting.

Two aspects need to be in mind when setting the temperature during the summer season.

1. One thing worth keeping in mind during peak summer heat is try not to create too big a gap between the temperature outside and inside. More than 12°C of difference can actually mess with your body, and you might find yourself sneezing or feeling run down even in the middle of July.
2. As for where you point the airflow, aim it upward rather than directly at people. Cold air is naturally heavier than warm air, so it sinks on its own. Directing it toward the ceiling lets it circulate properly before settling  which means the whole room cools more evenly instead of just the spot under the vent.

Best Temperature for Different Situations

Sleeping :
For most people 16°C to 18°C may sound tempting especially at night but it usually causes discomfort such as stiffness, sore throats or disrupted multiple times at night. In that case keeping your AC temperature at 23°C to 24°C is far better because it hits that maximum comfort spot. A slightly warmer room temperature may prove to be far better for rest than 16°C.

Kids and Elderly:
Children and older people are more sensitive to temperature extremes. For example an adult may survive the 16°C temperature but a newborn baby would not be able to survive such a cold and would cause a lot of physical diseases, so it's common sense to keep the AC temperature ideally at 26°C and preferably not too below that.

Workplace:
This situation could be trickier because you’re dealing with a lot of people here and different people have varying thresholds to temperature. Sometimes offices have heat generating equipment that may increase the heat within the place so it keeps the temperature ranging from 20°C to 23°C.

The electricity angle:
Every degree you lower, it increases the energy consumption by 6 to 8 percent. This gap can increase electricity significantly for people trying to be cost effective

The Bottom line:
There’s no single perfect number for everyone, but 24°C to 26°C seems an ideal for most situations. It’s comfortable and it’s healthier for most people across different situations and ages.