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Some Questioning New Guidelines for Air Conditioning

SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHIP,  Pa. — A federal program that promotes energy efficiency is offering thermostat settings recommendations for folks trying to stay...

SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHIP,  Pa. -- A federal program that promotes energy efficiency is offering thermostat settings recommendations for folks trying to stay cool while saving money.

That federal program is called Energy Star. It's run by the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.

It is recommending temperature settings for when you're not home and when you are, both awake and asleep.

The recommended temperature while you're not home is 85. While you are home and awake, it's 78, and while you're asleep, it's 82.

At Clarks Summit Senior Living in South Abington Township, employees say residents are always cold, but 82 degrees doesn't seem right.

"I don't imagine that would be comfortable, either. Most of our residents, of course, the elderly, they like it warmer, but then we also have to watch even at 82, we have to watch for dehydration," said Amy Cutrona, director of resident care.

Residents say they don't think they'd even be able to fall asleep with the thermostat set that warm.

"You have to be comfortable or you're not going to be able to sleep," said James Edmund.

Residents and employees at Clarks Summit Senior Living say with this heat and humidity we've been dealing with the last several days, the temperatures on their air conditioners are set even lower.

"Average is between 72 and 75 they would like the building to stay at," said lifestyle director Carol Werner.

That's for the common areas. In fact, there are regulations facilities like this have to follow.

"If you go to a hospital or emergency care or anything, they're always much colder. It's much healthier; when the germs are here it circulates."

Residents here can control the air conditioners in their individual rooms, and they even take pride in getting the perfect temperature set.

Energy Star, the federal program that released these recommendations, offers other energy-saving tips for the summer season on how to keep your home cool.

The Department of Energy says that raising your thermostat 1 degree at a time could save you about 3 percent on your bill.

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