Australia is home to a range of temperatures from freezing to scorching, but it
doesn’t mean that the temperature inside your home needs to fluctuate as
much as the seasons.
So, what should your air conditioner (or heater) be set at? That depends on
how warm it is outside, what you’re doing inside and how your home has been
built.
Best summer temperature
Setting your air-conditioner to around 26 or 27 degrees will see you staying
rather comfortable, even in scorching heat. Keep in mind that the more you
reduce the temperature compared to the ambient heat outside, the harder you
air-conditioner will need to work.
Best winter temperature
Just because your air-conditioner can warm a room to 30 degrees, it doesn’t
mean that you should push it that hard! You will feel comfortable at around 20
degrees.
Best temperature when working from home
Studies have shown that people work rather effectively anywhere between 22
and 25 degrees. Australian regulations state that the temperature in a
workplace should fall anywhere between 21 and 24 degrees.
When taking those two ranges into account, you should be setting your air-
conditioner between 22 and 24 degrees.
It’s worth noting that setting the temperature of a room too warm can make you
start to feel fatigued, while too cold will make you lose your focus.
Best temperature when entertaining
A few variables come into play when entertaining at home:
– How many people will be in the room? Body heat will see a room heat
up, so the more people, the warmer it will get. You could set a room a
couple of degrees cooler to offset the extra heat.
– Will people be wandering in and out? People leave doors open all the
time, particularly if you’re entertaining both inside and out, which can
make your unit work overtime.
– What kind of entertaining? For a dinner party, you might like to stick to
the summer and winter recommendations above, whereas a party with
lots of dancing might be more enjoyable in a cooler room.
One thought that applies in any situation is that you should start getting your
entertaining area at the right temperature at least an hour before guests arrive
to ensure that it’s comfortable.
The best temperature for sleeping
25 degrees seems to be the magic number. It’s best to avoid wind blowing
directly on you, and you might like to set a timer so your air-conditioner doesn’t
run all night.
Everyone wants to be comfortable at home, but staying comfortable shouldn’t
cost you a lot of money on your power bill.
At John’s Refair, we recommend that you:
– Have your air-conditioner serviced each year to ensure it’s running
efficiently,
– Run a unit that is suited for the room or your home,
– And, install the right amount of insulation etc to stop your unit from
working harder than it should.
For more air-conditioner advice, servicing and installation, please contact us
here or call John’s Refair on 03 9735 3958.