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The Short Answer: 24°C

DEWA officially recommends 24°C as the optimal balance of comfort and efficiency for UAE homes. It’s cool enough to feel genuinely comfortable while avoiding the steep energy cost of lower settings — each degree below 24°C typically increases consumption by 4–8%, according to DEWA and multiple energy efficiency sources. Setting to 18-20°C, a surprisingly common habit, wastes significant energy for minimal extra comfort once your body has acclimatized.

Thermostat Settings by Situation

Why You Should Never Fully Switch Off in Summer

It’s tempting to think switching the AC off entirely while out saves the most money — but in Dubai’s summer heat, a home warms up fast, and the AC then has to work considerably harder to cool it back down than it would to simply maintain a higher steady temperature the whole time. There’s also a humidity risk: fully switching off for extended periods, especially while traveling, can allow mold to develop given the region’s humidity levels. Setting to 26-28°C instead of off addresses both issues.

Winter Is a Different Story

From roughly November to February, outdoor temperatures in the UAE often sit in a genuinely comfortable range, especially mornings and evenings. This is a real opportunity to reduce AC reliance significantly — opening windows for natural ventilation during cooler hours and running AC only during the warmest midday stretch can cut usage substantially compared to running it on a fixed summer schedule year-round.

Common Thermostat Mistakes

• Setting to 18-20°C — the most common mistake, wasting significant energy for minimal comfort gain
• “Cranking it down to cool faster” — a genuine myth; your AC cools at the same rate regardless of target temperature, it just runs longer once it reaches a lower setpoint
• Same setting year-round — ignoring the genuine savings available during UAE’s milder months
• Forgetting away mode — leaving it at daily-use temperature during vacations rather than the higher away setting
• Ignoring humidity — a slightly higher temperature with good dehumidification can feel more comfortable than a lower one in a humid room

Getting the Most Out of 24°C

A few habits make 24°C feel just as comfortable as a lower setting, without the extra cost:

• Use a ceiling or standing fan alongside the AC — circulating air makes a room feel 2-3°C cooler than the thermostat reading
• Close curtains or blinds during peak sun hours to reduce heat gain before it reaches the thermostat
• Make sure the thermostat itself isn’t reading inaccurately — see our thermostat issues guide if settings don’t seem to match actual comfort
• Keep filters and coils clean — an inefficient system needs to work harder even at the “right” setting

Frequently Asked Questions