New Delhi, June 8 -- After stepping indoors from a scorching 42degC summer afternoon, many Indians instinctively grab the remote and set the AC to 16degC or 18degC, believing the room will cool faster. It feels logical, the lower the temperature, the quicker the cooling, right?

Most air conditioners cool at their designed capacity regardless of whether you set them to 18degC or 24degC. The difference is that a lower temperature setting forces the compressor to keep running for much longer before reaching the target temperature. The result? Higher electricity consumption, increased compressor runtime, and potentially larger power bills.

If you run your AC for long hours, whether while working from home, sleeping through the night, or try...