Setting your air conditioner to 16°C won't cool the room faster, but it can cause the unit to run longer and consume more electricity. Photo: iStock .
Many people have a habit of setting their air conditioner to 16-18°C when entering a hot room, thinking that the lower the temperature setting, the faster the room will cool down. However, this is one of the ways to easily cause the air conditioner to consume more electricity without providing the corresponding cooling effect.
According to Gizmodo , lowering the temperature setting to a very low level does not make the air conditioner cool faster. The device still operates at its original power and cooling capacity, while a lower setting means the machine has to continue running longer to bring the room down to that temperature.
For example, if the room is currently at 32°C and the user wants to reach around 26°C, setting the unit to 16°C won't bring the temperature down to 26°C twice as fast as setting it directly to 26°C. The unit still needs time to draw heat out of the room, and the 16°C setting simply creates a lower temperature target.
EVN also issued a similar recommendation. According to the Vietnam Electricity Group, users should maintain air conditioners at around 26-27°C or higher, instead of setting the temperature too low. EVN stated that every additional 1°C decrease in temperature can increase the electricity consumption of air conditioners by about 3%.
Author/Work
A guide to saving electricity at home.
This book was compiled under the auspices of the Department of Innovation, Green Transformation and Industrial Promotion ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ), in collaboration with Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN), Hanoi University of Science and Technology, and Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, within the framework of the National Program on Energy Saving and Efficiency for the period 2019-2030.
This handbook compiles practical electricity-saving solutions for households, guiding them on how to select, use, and maintain electrical appliances in different areas such as the kitchen, living room, and other essential equipment. The publication aims to help people reduce electricity costs, improve energy efficiency, and contribute to environmental protection.
An experiment cited by EVN from Ton Duc Thang University (Ho Chi Minh City) shows this impact more clearly. Under the same environmental conditions of 35°C, an air conditioner set at 26°C consumed 3.55 kWh, while a setting of 20°C consumed 8.51 kWh. The difference shows that choosing a significantly lower temperature can lead to a sharp increase in electricity consumption.
ENERGY STAR, a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy, also recommends setting air conditioners to the highest level that users still find comfortable. A level of around 26°C is given as a reference point during the hot season, rather than constantly lowering the temperature.
Another way to increase the feeling of coolness without lowering the air conditioner temperature is to use a fan. ENERGY STAR notes that fans don't actually reduce the room temperature but create airflow that helps the body feel cooler. Therefore, you can combine a fan with the air conditioner and maintain a higher temperature instead of setting the unit to 16-18°C.
EVN also recommends using a fan in combination with the air conditioner at around 26-27°C to increase the circulation of cool air. This can improve comfort in the room without forcing the compressor to constantly maintain an excessively low temperature.
Cooling efficiency also depends on the condition of the equipment. ENERGY STAR recommends checking and replacing or cleaning the filter regularly, as a dirty filter can restrict airflow and make the system less efficient. EVN also recommends regular cleaning and maintenance of air conditioners to maintain heat exchange capacity.
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