NEW YORK — Half of Americans wait until summer to turn on the air conditioning, according to a survey of 2,000 Americans. The poll looked at the downsides of summer and found that on average, people think five hours a day outside in the summer is just enough, but 38 percent would opt for even less.
With the worst aspects of the season ranging from feeling sweaty (35%), to bugs (32%), and getting sunburnt (31%), 53 percent of all respondents agree that summer is best spent indoors.
Respondents also named some of their worst summer experiences, which included “feeling faint from the heat,” “getting a second-degree sunburn at the pool,” and “getting dressed up and sweating.”
The average person goes into four public places a week during the summer just to escape the heat, with two-thirds of respondents agreeing that one of the best summer feelings is stepping into an air-conditioned setting.
According to the survey, the perfect temperature to keep the AC running at during the summer months is a chilly 64 degrees! Another reason that 55 percent of people prefer staying inside during the summer is that planning an outdoor outing is more of a hassle compared to an indoor one.
This may be why 53 percent are actually looking for ways to have fun indoors this summer. Most respondents add they’re on the hunt for fun indoor activities to catch up with friends and family indoors this summer (59%), but wish there were more options (57%).
Conducted by OnePoll in partnership with Dave & Buster’s, the survey found that 45 percent think it’s hard to find an activity that everyone wants to do on hot summer days. However, half of respondents admit they feel bored of all the usual activities they do with their loved ones in the summertime (52%), backed by 58 percent who agree that it’s easy to get bored more easily during the summer than any other season.
Three-quarters of parents surveyed also shared it’s hard to keep their kids entertained since they’re at an age where they quickly get bored of doing one thing (74%).
“A majority of Americans are actually planning on making summer memories indoors and it’s easy to understand why,” says Brandon Coleman, Dave & Buster’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer, in a statement. “Cranking up the AC, and dining, drinking and playing games are top choices for enjoying the most of the summer months.”
This summer, people are open to different indoor activities to spend time with their loved ones of all ages like catching up over yummy food (37%), going shopping (31%) or visiting an arcade (25%).
Three in five don’t mind making things interesting with a little friendly competition in their friend group (59%). The same percentage are also more likely to try out new foods or experiences during the summertime and agree that summer is the best time of year for indulgent foods.
“For a long time, the idea of a ‘summer in the great outdoors’ has reigned as king, and frankly, it’s time for a shakeup,” Coleman says. “Spending time indoors is far from boring with endless entertainment possibilities for people of all ages. It’s easy to see how some of the best summer memories are made inside!”
Chris Melore has been a writer, researcher, editor, and producer in the New York-area since 2006. He won a local Emmy award for his work in sports television in 2011.
64F! B.S. I’d like to see that “survey”
I think it’s because there are so many fat people walking around. They get hot easy.
Dude, that’s no way to talk about your momma. But you’re right, she is pretty fat.
I know 5 fat people and your mom is 4 of them.
Agreed! That’s too friggin cold
Indeed. I would imagine those who set their temps at 64 degrees are not concerned about a $500-600 monthly electric bill.
73* day and night during the spring/summer. Once heating season arrives it’s 64-68*.
I have to assume this is for people that have window units and not central air. I live in Florida and the ac stays at 75. When I lived in NY with summer, we set the window unit as low as it would let us…around 64.
Yup. A link to the study being summarized should always be included. Not one person said 64 is the optimal temperature, much less 1200.
At 64 I’d be wearing winter clothes. I don’t even turn on the a/c until it’s about 86 in the house. Although I would set it a little lower when entertaining guests in a formal wear setting.
Yup, I know of no one who keeps their thermostat at 68, not even my Dentist and it’s freaking cold in there.
perfect a/c temp is 72…
That temp assertion is nonsense.
The only people who set their AC to 64F are the ones who don’t have functioning AC! I’m guessing a typo here, with 74F being the preferred number.
When I saw 64F I wondered who are these people. Than I saw your comment stating 74F and that’s exactly what I keep mine set to. The only difference is at night when it goes up to 78F. I’d freeze if my unit was set to 64F.
64 degrees? Did they take the survey in Siberia? I don’t know anyone that sets it that low.
Who sets it at 64F? Native Floridians and others who live in blazing climates. Peri-menopausal and menopausal women who have hot flashes at night. Cardiac and lung patients whose bodies function better in cooler temps. Asthmatics. Lots of people. Insomniacs (cooling the body down helps with sleep). The real question is who can afford to crank down the thermostat that far?
The point is MOST people do not set their thermostats to 64.
But I wholeheartedly agree not many people could afford 64 either…It’s 97 today in San Antonio and I run my AC on 81 – so coming in from 97 makes 81 feel cold.
64 Deg will run for ever and and electric bill to go with it, 74 and on 90+ days runs and runs till the outside temp comes down,
64° a/c temp has to produce a whopping electric bill – or maybe that’s now included in welfare benefits. 74° for us is just fine.
If you are extremely obese maybe. I am 130 lb and I get cold very easy and a temperature between 78-80 feels good to me. I don’t want to pay your power bill!! I run my AC mostly for humidity control keeping it between 50-60%. Keeps mold at bay. To further save electricity, I typically only run my AC twice a day. Once in AM at coolest part of day and then after sunset. The compressor surge current only happens twice per day. 120 surge Amp vrs 34 running amps.
Still keeping my humidity under 60%. My house temperature does increase to about 82-84 degrees but my ceiling fans work well. My AC is a 5-ton heat pump. I have 2000 sqft. I live in extremely humid coastal Louisiana. I keep my power bills to <$100 per month. My last power bill for April to May 9th was $46.40. I try to keep my kWh to <800 per month.
I read that Louisiana has the cheapest kwh rate..that also helps..here in south Texas energy rate went extremely high
64 degrees? This is the dishonest media promoting a shutdown of the electric grid for massive overload caused by 64 degree air conditioners. Who writes this DRIVEL?? Worse why does an editor allow this drivel to be published?
You are right on the mark, Captain!
According to many scientific studies the optimal sleeping temperature is between 60 and 67 degrees.
Stick your lame conspiracy theories where your brains are.
Summer is 78 in my house and winter is 72
Shocking that a poll commissioned by a company that profits off customers paying for overpriced unhealthy food and playing video games would find that people think the outdoors is horrible during the summer months. Coleman can continue promoting his biased survey and skewed perspectives catering to people afraid of the outside. They can hide indoors and the rest of us will be less irritated by them as we enjoy our beautiful summers outside with nice breezes, warm weather, sunshine, and nature. Also, shame on the Emmy winning author for re-promoting this drivel.
Was this survey paid for by Dave and Buster’s? Who the hell wants their AC at 64? And who wants that electric bill?
The poll was put together by Dave and Busters (indoor entertainment and food business) so it’s no surprise that they come up with such statistical nonsense. You can create a survey to have the results you want by manipulating the questions asked and limiting the possible answers as well. All said great free marketing for Dave and Busters though.
After the Medical and Government establishment’s attempt at maiming the world population. Now they have come up with a new trick, freeze us all to death.
Worthless junk science. Dave & Busters is not the PEW Research Center. 64 the prefect temperature? Perhaps for 2,000 people in Anchorage. Many utilities in California recommend 78. Is this the (poor) quality of material that Study Finds usually produces?
Tom, 78 is not recommended. It is ordered by Gov. Newsom. You will comply or else. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/08/17/as-west-coast-faces-historic-heat-wave-energy-shortages-governor-newsom-signs-heat-emergency-proclamation-to-free-up-energy-capacity/ Since our electricity is carbon based, evil Nat Gas, the State does not approve of Nat Gas storage. During summer we are always close to Black Outs . Rolling Black outs come when we can’t get enough electricity. California ISO . ” the blackouts were also a side effect of the state’s increasing shift to solar power and away from natural-gas-fired generators, according to state grid operator CAISO. This shift pushed back the moment of “net peak” demand on the state’s grid — a measure of total demand minus renewable energy’s contribution — into later in the evening, leaving CAISO with less dispatchable generation to fill in shortfalls between supply and demand. With high heat and peak electricity demand expected to continue throughout the week, California may be forced to rely on rolling blackouts for the immediate future.”
Lol! I’d love to have my a/c set to 64′! But living in South Florida, where its 90+ w 85% humidity even in February at 4am, who the heck could afford that? I’m fairly sure my AC couldn’t even make it there! My power bill is already $200-250 and I only turn my AC down to 70 a few hours before bedtime, and put it back to 75 when I wake!
I’d love to see the electric bill on homes with AC’s set to 64°. Here in Florida when the temps start soaring to the 100° I keep my AC temp at 78° especially with electrical costs. At night I drop it to 72°. I also have an older unit that runs constantly trying to keep the house cool.
78 is what I put air conditioner on.
That’s ridiculous. Everyone knows 72° is the perfect setting.
64 lol, this survey was taken by bots that run at higher efficiency the colder they get. it’s def 74.
Depends on outside temperature. The hotter it is outside the higher the inside temp can be for comfort. On 100 degree days 80 inside is fine as the A/C still runs enough to keep the humidity down. On an 85d degree day you might need 75 inside. Thermostats should really be designed to monitor outside temperature and adjust accordingly. 64 is for Eskimos in any case.
What ac are you running. With summer temps over 100 here in Texas it is impossible to get a house down to 64 as most air conditioning will only cool the air 15-20 below the ambient air temp.
What a crock. This author isn’t even on Twitter. Is someome trying to overload the power grid? Smh. 77.
Nope. I’m comfortable at home in 80 degrees, shorts and a tank top.
Me too, approx. 78-80. If people got out more in the heat, they’d acclimate to a much higher AC setting & feel too cool at 74. I think study finds is collaborating to drive up energy bills, hasten the brown-outs and black-outs (and I love traditional, un-woke words).
agreed, but I lived in Phoenix and the air is much drier. 78° at night but I can not imagine someone’s bill setting the temp at 64°
64? Are you insane? Mine stays at 74 except for the hour before I go to bed where I bring it down to 70 to cool off the house enough that I can fall asleep.
Everyone they surveyed, must be on meth.
64…that’s ridiculous! You’d have to bundle up in your house. Go outside when it’s 64 and I bet you’re wearing a sweatshirt. I live in Vegas and in my home it’s 76-78 during the day, but we do take it down to 72 for sleeping.
Sure, set it for 64, my wimpy window AC in an old farmhouse might get it Down to 70 before 2PM, but after that if it can keep it at 73-74 that’s fine.. Now, upstairs, in an 1880’s farmhouse, the bedroom needs to be 68 ish with a ceiling fan going and we’re good. Might keep it at 72-75 on super hot days, but that’s ok. .https://www.energy.gov/articles/history-air-conditioning That was real heat with Humidity! Chokingly hot. Read up. AC is very inefficient, better than it was, but still not great., 64 degrees as a set temp? never happen. The cheapest heat/AC is insulation. The middle class didn’t see widespread AC till the Mid 70’s. Car AC was around in the early 60’s but was unreliable and expensive to maintain.
I know of no AC unit that can obtain 64 degrees, you would need to move to refrigeration.
Who is stupid enough to set their thermostat on 64 degrees in summer?
Most homeowners here in Texas won’t get a temperature that low s with a temperature of 103 outside.
I feel sorry for those who live indoors during the summer and can’t go outside without putting on sunglasses and running to the next a/c.
You surveyed 12 yr olds if 64 is your perfect setting. No bill-paying adult would ever set it that low. Not to mention, freezing your tookus off…
Fat lazy Americans, spending summer indoors consuming massive amounts of energy running AC at 64 degrees ordering fast food deliveries – -accelerating global warming and the production of consumer waste.
I thought this article was very boring. (I read it while indoors with the thermostat set at 75.)
I do 74-76 on average. In the winter I do 76-78. I just can’t take that cool air and I do prefer to walk around the house in light shorts and a tank top all year around.
I think the author of this article is a bit disconnected from reality, or using the same polling people that Hillary Clinton was using.
I like it cold, after my Army aviation career ended, I didn’t move back to my home state of Ma. as Dem lawmakers eviscerated the same Constitutional values I thought I was protecting, so I moved to West Florida, and not looked back. I’ve never seen a home kept at 64* -Not one-
I keep my home at 72, I don’t put a long shirt on unless it’s 50 or lower. My home has an emergency generator and portable A/c in the event a hurricane knocks out the grid. During Hurricane Irma, I lent out my inverter generator and portable Ac as a elderly neighbor with a Cpap machine needed it more than I did, so me and my Maine Coon sat in the dark in a hot house.
Secretly I bought a second portable AC and another generator, hardwired so I cannot loan it out. So I still have a loaner.
Only the fatties need it that cold.
My wife would like 64. I like 74. And so the argument continues.
The people who say they keep it at 64 are probably the same people who are demanding an end to use of fossil fuels, utterly clueless as to the real world impact actually ending use of fossil fuels will be. They won’t like doing without heat in winter and cool air in the summer when all the power plants are shut down and the world is forced to survive on solar and wind power.
Absolutely incorrect. Its 74. Maybe the people you surveyed were overweight from not going outside and doing activities…. Maybe that made them even hotter outside so it was even harder to go outside….. Maybe they have the house so damn cold they never ACCLIMATE to the weather! MAYBE they’re dressing up in PLASTIC! Wear linen or at least cotton! Can’t wear polyester and complain about being hot and sweaty…… /Facepalm
64°??? I’d freeze faster than a popsicle!! I keep my thermostat at 75° during the summer.
A/C split systems are designed to have a maximum 14 degree difference than the outdoor ambient
It’s actually 20 degrees with 14 seer units, which is what the government requires
We keep ours at 67 and always have! Maybe the rest of you are dead and just don’t know it!!!
Click bait. No one sets it at that, this is only for clicks. I work in people’s homes, 70-74 average. I don’t see a source for this, unless it’s Dave and Busters, hardly a reliable source. I will be highly doubtful I ever see on “Study Finds” again.
Get out and play! In the Midwest it’s only summer for about three months, after that it’s butt cold for 9 months! Get out and enjoy nature , it will make you happy !!
64 degrees, are you out of you minds ! I set my home at 77 during the day and 76 at night in the summer. Winter time I set it at 70 degrees .
The temperature you keep depends on the person. 64° with low humidity will feel like 61 or 62°. The air conditioner is not designed for 64°. When the return air is that cold, you risk the unit freezing. Then you could cause damage. I hope it’s a typo because if not you are nuts.
I keep my thermostat set at 65 all summer I am fat and old and it is not comfortable any warmer for me and I rarely get dressed unless I’m going somewhere but the heat is just miserable for me and I can’t afford to live where it is cooler
68 during day and 66 at night
It looks like the survey was done somewhere around NY. I wouldn’t believe a word from New Yorkers
All I want to know is how much Chris Melore got paid by D&B. It’s so ridiculous it’s actually pretty funny.
Also….how much is D&B paying the “moderator”?
The best time to use my AC is in December! Out here in Imperial County, California, it can be super warm and we need to cool down.
In the Summer we leave for a three-month vacation to the beaches of Hawaii! We’ve learned!
64?….really….64 BRRRRRking degrees?……..might as well live in a meat locker…..I set my A/C to;”Open the windows!!! It’s hot in here!!!”
That’s why the country has rolling black outs because of idiots that write crap like this. What idiots.
I know I sleep better when the bedroom is in the 60s, but in the summer here in central California, that ain’t happening (right now as I type this, it’s 6 pm and 103 outside). My compromise is to set it for 80 and have multiple fans to keep the air moving
I dont know what yall are talking about but I always have mine set to 62 degrees and it barely keeps my room cold. I also have a very nice A.C and my room gets extremely hot in the summer. Its the hottest room in the house so maybe that is the problem.
You either have a poorly sealed house, bad AC, or too high of expectations of how AC should be working. I used to live with guys who set the AC at 60-62 and I was wearing winter coats to stay warm. If you are in a hot area most houses will struggle to reach or maintain 62 degrees so your AC will run constantly and your bill will skyrocket.
You must follow Gov. Newsom’s orders, or else. 78 and higher. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/08/17/as-west-coast-faces-historic-heat-wave-energy-shortages-governor-newsom-signs-heat-emergency-proclamation-to-free-up-energy-capacity/
72° in the summer and 68° In the winter was always good for us…
must be a typo, most HVAC can’t maintain that and will be running continuously. 72-78 is the range. Southern states may be higher just for the economics of it
“The contents of this website do not constitute advice and are provided for informational purposes only.” // Makes zero sense as a disclaimer. You wouldn’t post the survey if you didn’t at least partially agree with it. So, you’re either not too bright or you’re fishing for lots of hits from a flabbergasted public. I’m thinking it’s a bit of both. 75 is the proper setting in summer unless you have money to burn, enjoy listening to the AC all day long, or are doing your part to contribute to brown-outs.
I won’t be back.
This is perfect for your electric bill to crush you.
After working all day in 95 degree heat, 75 degrees indoors fills pretty good.
Sorry I live in SC Everyone I know sets the A/C in mid 70s. Besides it would be impossible to cool the house that much with an ambient temperature in the 90s.
In case you’re new, “StudyFinds” publishes anything that calls itself a study. It doesn’t mean it’s actual correct data and conclusions based on science by scientists. This website publishes click-bait trash barely disguised as science. Just read a few articles, and you’ll see it.
HVAC professional here people don’t realize that AC systems are designed with a 10°difference to outside temp.85°outside means 75° inside. At 64° or world is going to hell in a hand basket. That’s what causes rolling blackouts especially with these new electric cars sucking on the power grid. Still burning fuel to make the electric for your car. Oh and don’t forget to put a big generator in your trunk Incase you need to burn gas to fill your ELECTRIC car. That’s my rant I’m done now.
So bogus, AC’s can’t cool more than 20° lower than outdoor temp.
Unfortunately we have a population that is predominantly obese and uninterested in physical activity.
Unit are NOT sized to do 64 ° in houses! LOL….
WTF, 64 degrees! Are you nuts? Did you actually mean 74 degrees? I have never heard anyone recommend setting an AC unit that low.
Irresponsible and inaccurate article promoting alternative reality designed to brainwash ignorant people.
In CA due to the shortage of electricity during the summer, A/C is required to be set at 78 and above. Read the orders of the Governor, https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/08/17/as-west-coast-faces-historic-heat-wave-energy-shortages-governor-newsom-signs-heat-emergency-proclamation-to-free-up-energy-capacity/
Sixty four degrees? I sincerely doubt it. I live in Florida, and setting the A/C to 77 or 78 degrees barely works. Even at that, the A/C runs full blast.
If I set my A/C to 64 degrees, I would have to also set up a GOFUNDME page for my air conditioner!
In other news, poll respondents agreed that 90 degrees is the best thermostat setting when the weather gets chilly, with more than half reporting that they regularly light living room furniture on fire to keep the house toasty.
My roommates used to set the AC at 61 degrees. Electric bill was $400 that month and I froze my ass off. Most people prefer temps in range of 68-72. Personally I think 70 is the sweet spot year round, but a lot of systems and houses vary.
Nobody I know sets the thermostat at 64. No air conditioner will pull a hot house down to 64 degrees and maintain it on a 95 degree day. 75 degrees year round is perfect.
Why so cold? Temperature will never be such as you turn your window AC. The most clearance is 20F for in and out temperatures in regular conditions. So people prefer the coldest mode just to get as lowest as possible temperature in the room.
A tropical island recommendation is indoor temperature is 78 degrees to adjust for indoor and outdoor temperatures. During cooler months heating systems can be set to 72 degrees or lower. Please adjust your indoor humidity accordingly and change your filters.
My family is usually happy with the AC cooling to 74, but for me, even 73 F is where I start sweating. 75 F it becomes hard to think, and at 78 or 80, my thinking grinds to a halt. I’ve always been sensitive to heat, even when I was a skinny kid.
We’re considering putting in a mini split to cool just my room without having to run the main AC, but even with that, the coolest I’ll set my room to is 70. Anything lower than that is just senseless and expensive! 64, wtf?
Is the survey exclusive to electric company CEOs?
My physical therapists gym is at 72 degrees. This is UPMC health system. The biggest non profit, non taxed racket in the world. I am sweating my butt off in a mask. Lower the dang temp.
This entire article and poll are garbage, misinformation. The average homeowner knows nothing’s about HVACR. Your poll failed too take into account very basic principles… Such as heat load, climate, insulation level of the house, windows… Etc. I live in Virginia where our summer times consist of 90-100 degree days with RH ranging from 45-85%. Maintaining 64 degrees with a RH of 40-50% , is 1. going to cost you a shit ton of money ( regardless of heat load, and home insulation level), and 2. Likely to cause your heatpump/condenser to run near constantly. Preventing it from cycling off and on (not short cycling) during somewhat controlled intervals like the systems are designed too. In the residential HVACR Industry a return temperature less than 70 degrees is what’s known as “low heat load”. 99% of residential systems are not designed/optimized for low heat load operation. This leads to the evaporater coil (not always but likely) having too much liquid in it. Too much liquid , not enough heat energy moving over said heat exchanger, preventing all the liquid refrig. From boiling off into what’s known as “superheated vapor”. Whatca end up doing is sending a mix of super heated vapor and liquid refrigerant back to the compressor. Compressors don’t “compress” liquid, instead that liquid slugs the compressor and will destroy the compressor over time regardless of compressor type (scroll, reciprocating). Not only are you sending liquid back to the compressor, there’s a good chance that while ur units been running for the last 4 hours straight your condenser fan motor and compressor are feeling the “heat”. Very rarely do I see run capacitors that maintain proper capacitance while under load for that length of time , causing the “phasing” of said motors to be sync. Not to mention the dramatic decrease in power factor ratio of said motors. When the compressor has been running for that long while getting slugged , you better hope she got an internal overload or some safety mechanism in place. To prevent those hermetically sealed windings from shorting to ground, or better yet an ” open line” across windings. So how does Commerical HVACR equipment maintain below freezing or even sub zero temperature you may be asking but the systems in your home can’t. The simple answer is because of the way they’re engineered, and more in depth answer is that these systems are designed specially for what’s known as low ambient Cooling. And that is achieved through a variety of means , such as different compressor , different style metering devices, variable frequency device controlled fan motors & VFD compressors with multiple PCB(primary circuit boards, which contain chip sets and are basically computers without a monitor.) They also use different refrigerants with completely different temperature glides, and in alot of cases “chilled water” will be used in place of refrigerant in the condensing cycle. On top of that residential duct systems are typically filled with air leaks and not designed with proper static pressure in mind or even thought about 🤣🤷
Moral of the story… Residential HVACR systems have their limitations . Your system isn’t designed to maintain an indoor temp of 64 with appropriate relative humidity. But hey keep your t-stat set that low, and don’t change that air filter, cuz at the end of the day shit like this is what keeps us busy.
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