Smart Cooling Tips for Ontario Homeowners
The question of “should I keep my A/C on or turn it off whenever I’m not at home?” comes up frequently for homeowners in Ontario.
It’s a persistent worry for everyone when summer arrives, not just homeowners in Ontario. It can be the result of energy waste or worry over a hefty electricity bill.
For over 10 years, Infinity HVAC LTD has been helping families in Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo, Guelph, and nearby areas stay cool and comfortable with smart HVAC solutions. Every summer, we get asked the same question: Can I leave my air conditioner on full day?
During A/C season, this is one of the most frequently asked questions, and the response may surprise you.
Let’s explore it.
The Short Answer
The short answer is yes. The frequent turning on & off will affect the whole cooling system performance of your air conditioner.
The air conditioner has to work more if you are allowing your house to heat up by the frequent On- & -Off practice.
This dilemma between keeping on the system and keeping off the system when not using it will get you into the system wear & tear, increased energy bill, & energy wastage.
Case Study: How A Family in Cambridge Saves an Extensive Amount of Money in the summer!
A homeowner in Cambridge would turn off their air conditioner every day, before going to work, to avoid the energy wastage & hydro bill. They used to switch on the air conditioner and immediately decrease the temperature to very low (16-17°C), expecting that the whole house would cool down faster.
The air conditioning system was operating concurrently as a result of this abrupt action, raising their energy costs and causing issues for the entire system. The homeowner brought up the issues during one of our air conditioner repair service calls. A smart thermostat installation was the perfect solution for it.
Following up with the smart thermostat installation, we advised lowering the temperature to 23°C an hour before leaving for home and setting it to 27°C while you were away. The outcome?
- The A/C no longer had to work overtime.
- Indoor humidity levels stayed stable.
- They saved a significant amount of money per month on their hydro bill.
Sometimes, steady and smart wins over stop-and-go.
Why On-Off Cycling Wastes Energy
Every time your A/C starts from a hot home, it triggers a long cooling cycle. That puts extra strain on:
- The compressor
- The condenser fan motor
- The blower fan inside the furnace/air handler
It’s inefficient with fuel, but it gets you where you’re going. It’s like flooring your car every time you drive.
In addition to shortening system lifespan, repeated full-cooldown cycles raise the possibility of system failures during a heat wave.
The Best Way to Save Without Sacrificing Comfort
So, what’s the smart move?
Here is our money-saving, expert-endorsed plan for staying cool:
1. Make use of a smart or programmable thermostat
Set it to:
- 24–25°C while at home
- 27–28°C while away
- Lower the heat whenever you’re coming back home, reasonably an hour ago.
The peculiarity of a smart thermostat is that it can identify the desired temperature automatically and adjust the system temperature to match it.
2. Never set the thermostat too low
Keeping the temperature too low(17-18°C) won’t cool the home faster; it only increases the run time. Start with a moderate temperature and keep it consistent if you are comfortable.
3. Addition of a Ceiling fan
Adding a Ceiling fan will cool down your home/ room faster, so that a sudden decrease in the thermostat setting is not needed.
4. Use Blinds/Curtains & seal for any air leaks
If you are using an Air conditioner regularly, but you don’t have curtains/ blinds on your window glass, balcony, or any areas with constant sun exposure, the room/ home will heat up fast. Add a curtain/blinds to your home and try to cover it at peak outside temperature times.
5. Routine maintenance of the system
Routine maintenance is a must if you are using a heating and cooling system in your home. The cold air can’t even enter your house through a dirty air filter.
At Infinity HVAC, we offer seasonal tune-ups to keep your A/C running at peak performance.
Should you turn off the A/C when you are away from home for a weekend?
Raising the temperature in the thermostat to a certain level(27-30°C) is totally off if you are away from your home, so that you can save energy.
You don’t have to turn down the A/C completely, in case a heatwave hits, the house can overheat, resulting in:
- Increased humidity (which can damage furniture or flooring)
- Stress on your system when it kicks back on
- Poor indoor air quality when you return
So, keeping the cooling system to a slightly higher temperature than usual & programming the system to cool down the house before you reach there, will help you with energy wastage.
A Waterloo Office Keeping The HVAC System Efficient
A small law firm in Waterloo was turning off its rooftop A/C system every night. In the mornings, staff would arrive to stifling temperatures, and the system would run nonstop until noon.
We installed a Honeywell T6 Pro Smart Thermostat and set up a weekday schedule:
- 24°C during business hours
- 28°C at night and on weekends
This balance improved comfort and reduced monthly utility bills by 17%.
Pro Tip: Don’t Just “Leave It On” Without a Plan
Keeping the cooling system at a very low temperature 24/7 is likely as turning the A/C on and off constantly.
Instead of this, make a plan to arrange the timeframe for your day-to-day life. A smart thermostat would help you to identify this automatically.
Infinity HVAC LTD can help you select, install, and program the right thermostat model for your system.
In Brief
- Turning your A/C completely off and then back on later can use more energy than just keeping a steady, comfortable temperature throughout the day.
- A smart thermostat makes it easy to set the right temperature while you’re home, and dial things back when you’re not.
- Maintain your system to reduce load and wear
- Don’t overcool—stick to efficient set points like 24–25°C
- Avoid long gaps where your home overheats
Be Smart This Summer!
Does it feel like your HVAC system is always running but never quite keeping up?
At Infinity HVAC LTD, we help homeowners in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, and Guelph stay comfortable and save energy with honest advice and expert service you can count on.
We provide:
- A/C installation & Repair
- Furnace Installation & Repair
- HRV Installation & Repair
- Tankless Water Heater Installation & Repairs
- Thermostat Installation
- Humidifier Installation
- Sheet Metal Installation & Repair
- Custom Sheet Metal Fabrication
Ready to stay cool without the high bills? Give us a call or book your free consultation online. Let’s make your home smarter—and more comfortable—this summer.
