Have you ever thought to yourself, “how cool should my home get?” During summer in Florida, there are many days where the temperature outside reaches the 90°s, and on these days this thought probably crosses your mind. Let’s be real – when this happens, it’s more tempting to stay indoors and keep cool. Many people, however, end up on the boat or by the pool on these extremely hot days. So, when you come inside after a long day outdoors, you expect the air conditioning to be blasting. We don’t blame you, although, we then again get left with the question of just how cool an air conditioner can make your home. Let’s find out!
Table of Contents
So, How Cool Should My Home Get?
It’s true – thermostats can be set to 60°, and realistically, your home should be able to cool to 60° at some point. What do I mean when I say “at some point?” Well, your home certainly will not cool to 60° when it’s a scorching 98° outside. Why? It’s because your air conditioning can only reach a max of approximately 20° below the temperature outside. Yes, your A/C system can be set to 60°, but the air temperature itself can really only get so low.
So, if it’s 98° outside, the lowest temperature your home will get by using A/C is 78°. The temperature inside your home should be able to reach 60° using your air conditioner if it’s 80° max outside. To better understand this concept, check out our “Tech Tip” video below, where we explain why this happens!
Is My House Going to Remain Hot?
Now, this doesn’t mean you cannot get your home cooler than 78° on these hot days, it just means you shouldn’t purposely set your system lower than 20° below the outside temperature. The indoor temperature may already be lower due to effective insulation disabling the outdoor heat from coming indoors. So, trying to set you’re A/C to 60° when the temperature is 90° outside can cause your system to have a meltdown and shutdown. We suggest you to keep your system as high as possible while still being comfortable. This will prevent your A/C from system confusion and shutdown, as well as save you some money on utilities.
What Else Can I Try?
There are many factors that go into keeping your home cool. Are the exterior doors outside closed? Are all your lights on? Is it the middle of the day or later in the evening? Have you been cooking all day? All of these factors go into how cool an air conditioner can make your home. You can find out more actions that affect the temperature of your home on our post about keeping your home cool without A/C.
Is It Time to Call Home-Tech?
If your home is set to the appropriate temperature and you’re doing what you can to maintain the health of your unit, but it’s still not cooling inside your home, it’s time to call Home-Tech. You may be having trouble if your A/C system is too small for the size of your home or if your system is losing its cooling capacity due to age. We can come out and perform an A/C Clean and Check to assess the overall quality of your system. We pride ourselves on educating our customers, while also providing the best possible service. If it’s time to get a new unit, you can relax knowing we install the best brands like Trane, Carrier and Rheem.
An air conditioning unit can last anywhere from 8-15 years, depending on its care and upkeep. To save you from a costly replacement, we recommend investing in a Home-Tech Service Agreement. This home warranty applies to all of your major appliances and systems. To learn more about our Service Agreements, check out our Home Warranty FAQs. If you’re in need of emergency service, you can call us at 800-800-8356 or fill out our form online. Home-Tech performs emergency service 7 days a week – even on holidays! We all know having air conditioning is an absolute necessity in Florida, which is why we consider it an emergency.