Save money setting your summer thermostat to 78 degrees, utilities say. But should you?

Search Google or ask your electric utility for ways to lower your energy costs this summer and you'll come across one specific recommendation that stands out among the rest: Turn up your thermostat to 78 degrees Fahrenheit.

Are you sweating yet?

But where did this specific temperature come from? Many say the source is ENERGY STAR, a program run by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that has become synonymous with energy efficient appliances.

But ENERGY STAR says it doesn’t recommend 78 degrees — or any specific temperature — in the summer.

“ENERGY STAR does not assert that any particular temperature setting is good for households,” the EPA said in an email to The Palm Beach Post.

Despite the program making its clarification four years ago after the purported recommendation went viral, air conditioning companies, news reports and electric utilities, including in Florida, continue to promote the 78-degree figure, citing ENERGY STAR or the Energy Department. The department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy said the specific temperature recommendation came “through an older report" from ENERGY STAR.

How do Florida homeowners, renters save money on electric bills?

So what is a homeowner or renter who wants to save money to do? It really comes down to comfort.

Sizzling summer temperatures in Florida continue to set new records. As a result, air conditioning units will churn out chilly air to combat the rising heat and humidity. The harder the machine works, the more expensive electricity bills become.

Turning the thermostat up or down depending on the season to save money and use less energy is a valid recommendation as is changing your habits at home or making your house or apartment more efficient. After all, the closer your indoor temperature is to the outside, the less often the air conditioner will run. Ergo, savings to your wallet.

The 78-degree figure appears as early as a 2009 ENERGY STAR document, within a chart describing how to use a programmable thermostat as a tool for energy efficiency.

More: High electricity bill? I tried to lower mine with these energy efficient habits

The chart shows two scenarios, warmer and cooler seasons, and the number of degrees to turn your thermostat up or down when no one is home or you’re asleep.

In the column for warmer seasons, the day begins at 6 a.m. with the thermostat at 78 degrees and suggests programming the thermostat to at least 7 degrees warmer when you’re out of the house, or 85 degrees, and at least 4 degrees warmer when it’s time for bed, or 82 degrees. For colder months, the chart suggested lowering the temperature to 62 degrees when away from the home and asleep, using a starting temperature of 70 degrees.

The document had noted that those with programmable thermostats could use the figures in the table “as a starting point for setting energy-saving temperatures and then adjust the settings to fit your family’s schedule and stay comfortable.” The same chart appeared on a now-deleted webpage dedicated to information about programmable thermostats.

The chart went viral after a 2019 report from a Tampa-based TV station declared that the federal government, through ENERGY STAR, recommended this summer time thermostat setting to save energy.

The revelation was met with contempt from people online, some of whom shared their own lower temperature settings and said the recommended temperature was too hot to be comfortable.

Following the August 2019 news reports, ENERGY STAR explained that the 78-degree figure was not meant to be a recommendation but rather an example to visualize what a 4- and 7-degree temperature increase could look like at certain points during the day. The EPA confirmed it in June.

ENERGY STAR about four years ago edited the webpage, according to the Internet Archive, to clarify that the figures in the chart were examples.

Today, the program continues to recommend turning the AC up 7 degrees when away from home (while keeping in mind the comfort of other home occupants, such as pets) and 4 degrees when sleeping in the warmer months but does not specify a baseline temperature.

Adjusting thermostat didn't provide the most savings for Palm Beach County man

Bret Bennett knows his thermostat settings may not be for everyone, including his family and friends.

These days, the temperature at his 2,000-square-foot Royal Palm Beach home (1,500 square feet is under air conditioning) is set to 77 degrees, regardless of the time of day. Previously, he would turn up the temperature a degree or two before bed.

An IT professional, Bennett keeps his servers and workstations in his home office, where it can reach 80 degrees.

“I’m used to that,” he said. “But then again, it’s not physically demanding (work).”

If he hosts visitors used to cooler climes, he’ll turn the air conditioning down for them — as long as it’s not for too long.

“If it’s an extended snowbird stay, they’re living at my temperature,” he said.

He found that the most significant energy savings came after he replaced his two-decade-old unit. Previously, his monthly electric bill was around $230.

More: Florida Power & Light bills to decrease in July as summer heats up

“The day we replaced that air conditioner … (the bill) lowered $100 a month, right there,” he said.

He says he continues his habit of keeping the AC temperature high to maintain a lower bill. He says he also There’s a small part of him that keeps his thermostat higher for environmental consideration — the amount of energy used by air conditioners as well as the refrigerants contribute to climate change.

Bennett thinks it might be difficult for people to abide by this specific temperature without working up to it.

“78’s hot. It’s going to feel hot. 77 is doable. I’m OK in here as long as I’m not doing calisthenics,” he said.

FPL still tells customers to set thermostats at 78 degrees

Florida’s investor-owned electric utilities say they will continue advising their customers to turn up the AC to 78 degrees.

“Based on our experience, in the hotter months, 78 degrees is an optimal temperature that balances comfort and cost. However, we recognize that temperature may not work for every customer,” said FPL spokesperson Christopher McGrath. “It’s important to keep in mind for every degree cooler than 78, you could be adding 3-5% to your monthly bill.”

FPL estimated that by increasing your thermostat from 75 to 78 degrees in August, you could save 42 cents a day, or $12.60 that month in cooling costs.

Duke Energy Florida recommends 78 degrees as a starting point, but a spokesperson said consumers should consider comfort, the difference between outdoor and indoor temperatures, energy consumption and the climate.

“Striking the balance between comfort and energy conservation is ultimately a personal decision. Duke Energy offers information, tools and programs to arm customers with energy conservation tips,” said Duke Energy Florida spokesperson Ana Gibbs.

A spokesperson for Tampa Electric Company did not respond to a request for comment, but the utility said in a 2022 news release that “every degree below 78 can add 6% to 8% to the cooling portion of your power bill.”

Altering thermostat settings can also impact health. Indoor humidity levels should sit between 40% and 60% to control mold. Heat-related illnesses can occur not only outdoors, but inside homes that lack air conditioning.

“Making an adjustment to the thermostat is the right recommendation. But the key is it should be based on an individual’s needs and comfort preferences,” said Forest Bradley-Wright, energy efficiency director with the Nashville-based Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

Thomas Lawrence, a professor with the University of Georgia College of Engineering, helped conduct a study on comfort and energy savings. There can be a difference between what someone perceives to be too hot or cold and what they will accept, he said.

“Some people could say, ‘Yes, it’s a little warm, but I like it that way,’ or ‘It’s a little cool, but I like it that way,’” he said. "What we would want to strive for is acceptance."

The study asked students, who didn't know that the temperature in the classroom was altered, what they thought of the temperature and whether they accepted it. More than 80% of those surveyed accepted temperature levels between 73 and 76 degrees. But different people will have varied levels of comfort based on where they’re from or what they’re used to, Lawrence said.

What temperature are you willing to accept?

Another study from 2008 found that a range of 72 degrees to 78 degrees was considered comfortable for most people while still providing humidity control.

Someone interested in saving energy who keeps their home at 70 degrees should increase their temperature settings little by little, he said.

“You’ve got to experiment for awhile and see what you’re happy with,” Lawrence said.

Added Bradley-Wright: “Moving the dial up is going to save you money and it can save you a lot. But what the right exact temperature is going to vary by person. Households should not have to make the difficult choice between keeping their lights on and being able to afford to rent or maintain their health.”

Adjusting the temperature is not the only way to save money on energy costs in the long run. Plus, adjusting the thermostat won’t be as effective in reducing costs if other parts of the home are inefficient.

If a home’s windows are not properly sealed, or if there is insufficient insulation, or if the air conditioning unit is not very efficient, adjusting the thermostat might not be as effective.

“If we have inefficient homes, that means more energy waste. That means the utility is building more expensive power plants. We all have to pay for that, so we keep paying more and more and more,” Bradley-Wright said.

Hannah Morse covers consumer issues for The Palm Beach Post. Drop a line at hmorse@pbpost.com, call 561-820-4833 or follow her on Twitter @mannahhorse.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Turn up your AC temperature to save money this summer. But by how much?