A lower number on your AC thermostat setting does not necessarily mean the air coming out of your vents will be colder. The thermostat setting simply tells the AC unit to cool the space down to that desired temperature.
Here's a breakdown:
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Thermostat Setting vs. Air Temperature: The thermostat controls the target temperature for your home. It doesn't directly dictate the temperature of the air the AC unit produces.
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AC Operation: Your AC unit works to remove heat from your home. The lower you set the thermostat, the longer and harder the AC unit will work to reach that lower temperature.
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Misconception: Many people believe setting the thermostat much lower than the current temperature will cool the house faster. This isn't true. The AC unit operates at the same capacity regardless of how much lower you set the thermostat (unless your unit has variable speed capabilities). It will simply run longer to reach a significantly lower temperature.
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Variable Speed Units: Some modern AC units have variable speed compressors. In these systems, setting a lower temperature might initially cause the compressor to run at a higher speed for a short period, cooling the house down faster, but it will eventually modulate to a lower speed to maintain the target temperature. However, even with these systems, the air temperature itself isn't necessarily colder, just delivered more forcefully initially.
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Energy Consumption: Setting your thermostat extremely low can waste energy as your AC unit runs longer.
In summary: Setting the thermostat to a lower temperature doesn't make the air coming out of the AC vents colder, but it does make the AC work harder and longer to reach that lower temperature, thus lowering the temperature of your home.
