Is 78° Really Comfortable in Summer? It Depends on Where You Live

⏱️ Read Time 5 min

The “78° rule” is more about saving energy than comfort—and in Southwest Missouri, humidity changes everything.

The 78° Recommendation—What It Really Means

You’ve probably heard that setting your thermostat to 78°F in the summer is the ideal setting for comfort and efficiency. That number shows up in national energy guidelines and manufacturer recommendations, including from Trane.

But here’s the part that often gets overlooked.

👉 The 78° recommendation is primarily about reducing energy use and lowering utility bills—not guaranteeing comfort in every home.

It’s based on the idea that raising your thermostat a few degrees will reduce how often your system runs, which saves energy over time. And while that’s true, it assumes your home is able to stay comfortable at that temperature.

In reality, that depends heavily on humidity, system performance, and your home itself.

Why 78° Feels Different in Missouri

In Southwest Missouri—Springfield, Nixa, Ozark, and surrounding areas—summer isn’t just hot. It’s humid.

That humidity changes everything about how your home feels.

At higher humidity levels, the air holds more moisture, which makes it feel warmer than the actual temperature. Your body also has a harder time cooling itself because sweat doesn’t evaporate as easily. The result is that even at 78°, your home can feel heavy, sticky, and uncomfortable.

That’s why the same temperature that might feel fine in a dry climate like Arizona can feel completely different here in the Ozarks.

Why Higher Thermostat Settings Can Backfire

Your air conditioner does more than cool the air—it also removes moisture.

But when you raise your thermostat to 78°, your system runs less often. That shorter run time means it doesn’t pull as much humidity out of the air.

Over time, that can leave your home feeling damp and uncomfortable, even though the temperature looks reasonable on the thermostat. Many homeowners describe it as a house that just never quite feels cool.

The Reality for Most Homes Today

High-end HVAC systems with variable-speed technology and advanced humidity control can maintain comfort at higher temperatures. They run longer at lower speeds and remove more moisture from the air.

But most homes don’t have that kind of system.

And with the cost of HVAC equipment today, upgrading to that level isn’t always practical.

For many homeowners in our area, the system they have works best when it’s allowed to run a little longer—which usually means setting the thermostat somewhere in the 72–75°F range to stay comfortable.

Comfort Isn’t Just a Number

It’s easy to focus on the thermostat setting, but real comfort comes from a combination of temperature, humidity, and airflow working together.

That’s why two homes set at 78° can feel completely different. One may feel fine, while the other feels warm and humid.

Finding the Right Setting for Your Home

There isn’t a single “correct” temperature for every home. A good starting point in our area is around 74–75°F, then adjusting based on how your home actually feels.

If the air starts to feel humid or sticky, lowering the temperature slightly can help your system run longer and remove more moisture, which often improves comfort more than the temperature change alone.

When Humidity Becomes a Bigger Problem

If your home still feels uncomfortable even at lower settings, it may not be the thermostat at all. Issues like improper system sizing, airflow problems, aging equipment, or elevated indoor humidity levels can all play a role in how your home feels.

Local Comfort Matters

At SS&B Heating & Cooling, we’ve been serving Springfield and the surrounding Ozarks for decades, and one thing is clear:

👉 What works in a dry climate doesn’t always work here.

Humidity plays a major role in comfort, and it’s something homeowners in this area deal with every summer.

Need Help Getting Comfortable?

If your home never quite feels right—even when you adjust the thermostat—we can help identify what’s going on and recommend solutions that fit your home and your budget.

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