Air Conditioning: 5 Good Reasons To Set The Ac To 26°c
In its energy sobriety plan for the summer of 2023, the government recommended limiting air conditioning to 26 degrees Celsius in shops and transportation. Of course, this regulation does not apply to private homes and cars. However, we will give you 5 good reasons to set the air conditioning to 26°C or higher.
1- This setting consumes much less energy.
It is no coincidence that the government is seeking to limit the use of air conditioning as part of its energy sobriety plan. The difference in terms of electricity consumption is considerable depending on whether an air conditioner is set to 20 or 26 degrees Celsius.
The first good reason to set the air conditioning to 26°C is that this action allows you not to consume too much energy. Indeed, even though the use of air conditioners is very effective in mitigating the consequences of heatwaves on health and economic activity, this solution is energy-intensive and leads to greenhouse gas emissions.
It is therefore very important not to overuse this solution to avoid entering a vicious circle and worsening global warming. At home, remember that it is unnecessary to leave your air conditioner on when you are not in the room.
2- This setting allows you to control your electricity bill.
Energy sobriety is an effort we must all make on a global scale for ecological reasons. But, at the household level, the reasonable use of the air conditioner is often motivated by economic reasons. The second good reason to set the air conditioner to 26°C or higher is simply to avoid skyrocketing your electricity bill in the summer.
When you turn on your air conditioner, you should keep in mind that every degree counts and impacts the final bill. Increasing the setting of your air conditioner by one degree can help you save on your electricity bill by reducing its energy consumption by 20 to 25%.
3- This setting prevents thermal shock.
Among the official recommendations during heatwaves for vulnerable individuals such as children and the elderly, it is advised to spend several hours a day in a cool, air-conditioned public place, such as a library or a museum.
However, air conditioning is not without health risks. The main risk when air conditioners are set too high is thermal shock. This phenomenon is exactly the same as a hydrocution at the beach in summer.
Even if you do not enter the water, going from 40 degrees outside to 20 degrees inside constitutes, for your body, a thermal shock that can result in loss of consciousness or even cardiac arrest. This risk is very real as soon as the temperature difference between the inside and outside exceeds 5 to 7°C.
Avoiding thermal shock is the third good reason to set the air conditioning to 26°C when the outside temperature is around 30°C. Following the same logic, if it is 40°C outside, the air conditioner should be set to 33°C. This figure may seem high, but it is enough to create a sensation of coolness by contrast with the outside temperature.
4- This setting is better for health.
In addition to thermal shock, the use of air conditioning poses other health risks for users. Respiratory infections such as colds or sore throats are among the most common health problems.
Indeed, air conditioning systems dry out the air and respiratory mucous membranes, while the transition from hot to cold irritates these same mucous membranes. As a result, they become more vulnerable to viruses and bacteria. Setting the air conditioning to 26°C is one of the measures that help prevent colds and other respiratory infections.
To protect your health, remember that it is essential to have your air conditioning system maintained by a professional every year. Only regular maintenance can reduce the risk of Legionnaires' disease... Do not underestimate the danger posed by contamination of the system and ambient air by these potentially deadly bacteria!
5- This setting makes you less dependent on air conditioning.
We don't always think about it when we have air conditioners installed at home, but the use of air conditioning can create a form of dependency. Studies have shown that if we rely too much on air conditioners, we become very vulnerable in case of a power outage.
In some parts of the world, such as India, Pakistan, or the southern United States, heatwaves lead to peaks in electricity consumption and sometimes cause power outages. Setting the air conditioner to 26°C or higher helps both to limit the risk of such power outages and to not become too dependent on air conditioning.
Moreover, whenever possible, it is recommended to use alternative solutions:
• close windows and shutters during the day to protect your home from the sun.
• open your home wide to let in cool air as soon as night falls.
• create air drafts in your home to cool it down.
• use a fan or an air cooler that consumes less energy than the air conditioner.
• wet your face and body with a mist sprayer to lower your body temperature.
