A condominium manager sparked debate after an air conditioner technician warned that the thermostat shouldn't be set below 72 degrees, even though one bedroom in the unit still wasn't getting cool enough.
The situation highlights the common and costly mistake of turning the thermostat way down to fix one stubbornly warm room when the real issue may be airflow.
Here's what to know
The manager wrote in a post on Reddit's r/HVACadvice that the condo's cooling trouble appeared to involve more than one issue. The AC had been repaired after a blockage and a failed part on the outdoor unit. The tenants had been setting the thermostat in the 60s because that bedroom stayed warmer than the rest of the home.
They also said a dirty filter may have been a factor. In the post, the manager described the renters as "great tenants" and said they wanted "to do everything I can to make their life more pleasant and not be an issue."
Most replies suggested the thermostat setting was not the real cause. As one commenter explained, "You don't cool the air to make it colder. You remove heat." That means lowering the thermostat to 60 is unlikely to solve a room that is not getting enough cool air.
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More background
The conversation focused more on how air was moving through the condo than on refrigerant levels. Commenters said that when the rest of a home cools normally but one room stays hot, the problem can stem from duct balancing or sizing issues, weak airflow, closed doors, closed registers, sun exposure, or a return that is too small.
That kind of uneven cooling often pushes people to run their systems harder than necessary. Turning the thermostat down to make up for a hot bedroom can stress the unit and raise utility bills without doing much to improve comfort in the room that needs it.
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A home that cools evenly often feels comfortable at a higher temperature setting, which can reduce costs over a season. If an older or mismatched system is contributing to the problem, an efficient replacement or heat pump can improve comfort while also lowering monthly bills.
What can be done?
Rather than focusing only on refrigerant or the thermostat, commenters said a qualified HVAC professional should inspect the system's airflow. They suggested looking for kinked ducts, balancing the system with dampers, confirming blower speed, and making sure returns and filters are adequate.
They also warned against closing too many registers in other rooms to force more air into one bedroom, since that can raise system pressure and hurt performance. Other ideas mentioned included keeping interior doors open, adding a register booster fan, or using a seasonal portable unit in the warmest room.
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As the original poster acknowledged, "it likely is an airflow issue at this point but I'm not sure."
Where can I learn more?
These articles cover hot rooms, dangerous indoor heat, and practical AC-setting advice.
• On Long Island, a teen bedroom runs 5 degrees hotter after an AC upgrade.
• In the Southeast, a sick toddler's home still climbed to 94 after repairs.
• Across the U.S., experts say a 78-degree AC setting balances comfort and efficiency.
• A sustainability expert said dry mode cut summer costs while keeping rooms comfortable.
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