Updated at: 07-10-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

“How many degrees can an air conditioner lower temperature?” This is a frequently asked question!

During the sweltering summer months, you and your air conditioner might both feel the strain. Many homeowners have called us to express their displeasure with their air conditioning system’s inability to keep up with the rising temperatures outside. So, first and foremost, be aware that you are not.

How Many Degrees Can an Air Conditioner Cool

Second, it’s quite unlikely that you have a problem with your computer. Despite the fact that your thermostat is set to 71 degrees, a constant temperature of 77 degrees is likewise strange. Your air conditioner is sized to handle temperatures in the mid-80s, which is what our climatic averages indicate. Even if your air conditioner is working well, it will struggle if the temperature rises into the 90s. This is due to the fact that your air conditioner is only capable of reducing the outdoor temperature by about 15 degrees. Math isn’t that difficult. The A/C may be doing its work if the temperature outside is 100 degrees and you’re not reaching below 80 degrees in your car.

How Many Degrees Can An Air Conditioner Cool? 3 Interesting Fact! - Krostrade

An unfortunate truth, but one that must be taken into account. If your system isn’t cooling as effectively as you’d want, take a look at the weather outside. Make sure that the air conditioner is operating and that cool air is moving through your house. If your system appears to be functioning normally, but it’s extremely hot outdoors, it’s likely safe. There could be a problem with your system if any of the following is not true: Calling us at that moment is a wonderful idea!

What You Can Do

Except for growing shade trees and waiting a decade, there isn’t much you can do to reduce how hot it is outside your home. Try to keep the hot air outside as much as possible. If your air conditioner can’t keep up with the heat, these tips will help keep your house a little cooler:

  • During the day, keep your blinds closed.
  • Do your laundry and run the dishwasher while it’s cooler outside.
  • In order to keep the oven’s hot air from heating up your house, barbecue outside.
  • The A/C can take a breather if you raise your thermostat a few degrees.
  • Switch to a new filter today.
  • Trim any bushes that surround your air conditioning condenser.
  • Hose down the condenser (cottonwood and other debris tends to collect over the summer)
  • Maintaining a steady flow of air is essential to the proper functioning of your system, so don’t seal off too many vents.

How Cold Can An Air Conditioner Get?

Air conditioners are supposed to lower the temperature of your home by no more than 20 degrees. Even in Phoenix, where summers can be oppressively hot, that’s a significant amount of money to spend on air conditioners. It’s unrealistic to expect temperature decreases in excess of that, and you’ll probably never find yourself in a scenario where you need it.

Air Conditioner Minimum Temperature Settings

The minimum temperature setting on most air conditioners is roughly 60 degrees. Most manufacturers think that if the temperature outside is 60 degrees, you won’t switch on the air conditioner. If you have an older unit, you may be able to turn on the air conditioner at this stage because there isn’t anything physically stopping you. If you do this, you could end up with a broken AC unit.

How it works is this:

Even if it’s below freezing outside, you still opt to turn on your air conditioner for whatever reason you have. Nothing will happen if the manufacturer implemented low ambient controls. When I turn on the air conditioner it does not work. Your air conditioner compressor’s lubricants will become too thick to function if these controls are not in place. Your air conditioner’s lifespan will be shortened if you don’t properly lubricate your air conditioner’s moving parts. To sum it up? Temperatures below 60 degrees should not be used as an excuse to run your air conditioner. You should check your owner’s handbook to find out exactly what that temperature should be.

Heat pumps, on the other hand, are not constrained by these restrictions. Despite the fact that some people mistakenly classify them as air conditioners, this is not the case. Here’s where you can find out more. You can use your heat pump all year round, but if you live in a location with high temperatures, it may be poor at cooling and heating.

The air conditioner can withstand temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius

How Low Should I Set My Air Conditioner?

It’s possible that you’re wondering how to figure out the correct temperature for your air conditioner now that you know how cold it may get. The US Department of Energy, to its surprise, does have some recommendations in this area. It’s recommended that you keep your air conditioner at 78 degrees while you’re at work and decrease it somewhat while you’re away, but never entirely turn it off. Setting your thermostat as high as you are comfortable doing so will result in lower cooling costs because of the smaller difference between the inside and outdoor temperatures. If your home is well-shaded, you’ll need a larger air conditioner than if it is well-shaded. It’s possible that you can operate your air conditioner at lower temperatures if there isn’t much direct sunshine.

Consider adding a programmable thermostat once you’ve found the right settings. It will adjust itself throughout the day based on your schedule.

Remember, if you want your house to cool down quickly, don’t put your air conditioner to a low setting. You’ll just be wasting your time and energy if you do that.

Important: Ensure Proper Thermostat Placement

Having a thermostat that can’t accurately measure your home’s temperature will hinder your ability to achieve desired outcomes. Find out if a broken thermostat is to blame for any of these common HVAC issues. For the best thermostat placement, here are some general guidelines:

  • The kitchen, air vents, windows, and other locations that you don’t spend a lot of time in should be avoided when choosing an interior wall for your mural (i.e. a hallway).
  • Centralizing the thermostat is a good idea.
  • The living room is usually the best area to put your thermostat because it is centrally located and because your family’s preferences for temperature are likely to be similar across your home.

Tips If You Are In Extreme Temperature

There is little you can do to impact the humidity outside your home, other than planting trees and waiting for a period of time.

Close the windows if you want to keep the warm air out.

You can keep your house cool if your air conditioner isn’t able to keep up with the heat:

  • Keep your blinds closed throughout the day.
  • Do your household duties and wash the dishes until the weather outside your home has cooled.
  • Consider cooking outside if you want to avoid your home becoming overheated from the hot air from the stove.
  • Your air conditioner will thank you if you raise the temperature on your thermostat.
  • Reset the filter.
  • Trim the bushes around your air conditioner’s condenser unit to prevent it from overheating.
  • Clean the condenser with a hose or running water.
  • Your equipment requires ventilation to work, therefore keeping vents open is preferable.

How Many Degrees Can An Air Conditioner Cool? Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if you set your AC too low?

It is not possible for air conditioners to work or produce temperatures lower than 60 degrees Fahrenheit (37 Celsius). In reality, they’re most content at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Most thermostats will not let you lower the temperature below this point. When the temperature drops below 60 degrees, you risk harming the compressor if you attempt to run the device.

Is 72 too cold for AC?

72 degrees is significantly over the ‘bottom out’ mark of 60 degrees for the proper operation of your air conditioner. As a result, setting your air conditioner’s temperature to 72 degrees will not cause any harm.

India's global share of AC units to increase 1/4th by 2050

What temperature should I set my AC at night?

When you’re at home, set your air conditioner at 78 degrees Fahrenheit, regardless of the time of day or night. That way, you’ll have a lot of room to relax while saving on electricity.

Is it cheaper to leave an AC on all day?

Even when you’re not home, you shouldn’t leave your air conditioner on when it’s hot outside. As a result, you’ll be tempted to overpower it. Instead, the Department of Energy suggests setting your air conditioner to 78 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re home and lowering it slightly when you’re not.

How many degrees should an air conditioner cool?

About 15-20 degrees lower than ambient temperature, air conditioners are at their most efficient. Your air conditioner may require maintenance if it doesn’t do this.

Why You Need to Call Us

You should perform routine maintenance on your air conditioner as you would on any mechanical device. With a little spring maintenance, the majority of our emergency calls this summer could have been avoided. Consider getting your system cleaned and examined for proper refrigerant levels if you’ve been fortunate enough to avoid an incident. There is no guarantee that a clean coil and optimum refrigerant levels would improve the temperature in your home; nonetheless, it is likely to keep your system from breaking down.

Get the most out of your system by enrolling in our Preventative Maintenance Program. Maintenance visits for your AC and furnace will be made twice a year, at the beginning and end of the year.

Conclusion

A temperature drop of 15 to 20 degrees is to be expected. The air conditioners’ maximum operating temperature is also at this level.

All air conditioners are basically the same. Check the thermostat first before making any changes to the temperature or turning on the air conditioner.

To keep your air conditioner in good working order, you need to be aware of these facts.

An air conditioner is capable of cooling temperatures down to a maximum of 78 degrees Fahrenheit.

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