How high is high for airconditioning?

[Razzy]

Same here in Tx. What kills me is when the 80 percent or higher and my sinuses go nuts, I mean the the temp outside can be in 40's or 50 and the humidity will still get them. For the last few days I have not been able to open up the window's, even when the temp was in the 70's, because the humidity was so high.


Razzy

[cicy33]

We set ours on 80 while we are gone and then lower it when we get home. At night it goes down to about 72. We don't use the heat at night in the winter unless it drops below 60 for the night. Ours stays on auto, our air guy said not to let the house get above 80 or else it has to work extra hard to cool it back off and it is actually cheaper to maintain the temp. Our light bill is usually around $120 a month including the natural gas. but everything except the water heater is electric. we have a 3 bedroom and I think our square footage is around 1300. maybe more. not to sure. We have very high humidity here as well.

[Razzy]

I have found these last couple of months that if we put the a/c at 80 at night and run the fan on medium at night that is it really comfortable. During the day I try to keep it round 78 and it nice. Now if I get a sinus headache that is a different story I find that in those times I need to have the a/c lower to help me get over the headache.

Razzy

[CheaplyClever]

Summer is officially here, and I've changed my mind on the thermostat. It is hot, humid, and miserable. I have lowered the thermostat to 76 and turned on every fan in the house.

May's electric bill went up to $68. Then I turned down the AC. As soon as June's bill comes in I'll probably go get a part-time job to pay it. LOL

[Razzy]

Get some cold packs and put them around your neck and that will help to keep you cool. I know when I do that when I am sweating the sweat instantly evaporates and I feel a lot cooler.


Razzy


P.S.

If you can find a reasonable tower fan it will also help keep you cooler.

[cicy33]

Using cold packs for me would not be convenient cuz I don't sit in one spot for very long and they would just fall off. of course I would get some exercise picking them up! lol Just keeping it up during the day or night when you are gone helps. I will not sleep in hot weather. I can't and then I wake up all night cuz I am sweating and then in the morning I am cranky. We keep ours cool at night but when we leave turn it up and hopefully it stays cool for a while. doubt it today though. Was humid by 6:30 a.m. here.

[Razzy]

I am the same way you are. The only way I can sleep is when it is cold. I know I sometimes take cold showers and baths before I go to sleep and it helps me sleep better. I know it is hard to get use to having your a/c up at 78 during the day. I know at night I can put the a/c up to 80 and still feel good, I also have the standing fan on med or high too.
If I kept it any lower at night or during the day our electric bill would be about 250 to 300 dollars a month and for us that is not an option we can afford.


Razzy

[CheaplyClever]

Originally Posted by DeNovi

i worked for my dad for years as his secretary who ran an a/c htg company.

Do you by chance know what type of cleaner the AC people spray on the coils (or is it fins?) and then rinse off with the garden hose?

The last time they serviced my unit it was done and it cost about $50. I have that "dirty sock" smell and would love to clean the unit myself.

Thanks

[cercis]

We keep ours on 87 during the day and 84 at night.

It's 100F outside. If we had it any cooler, none of us would ever be willing to go outside and play/work. Plus, it saves A LOT of money. Our bill is still over $125, but it was almost that high in the winter (we didn't have to run the heater).

[HVACcontractor]

for the condensing unit any degreesing detergent will do.
Unless you have a package unit this will do nothing for the smell.
The correct chemicals used to clean the indoor coil(evaporator coil) are purchased at a contractors supply if you have a license in Tx.

Originally Posted by CleverButCheap

Do you by chance know what type of cleaner the AC people spray on the coils (or is it fins?) and then rinse off with the garden hose?

The last time they serviced my unit it was done and it cost about $50. I have that "dirty sock" smell and would love to clean the unit myself.

Thanks

[Ima saver]

Gosh I can't stand hot weather, that is why we left Florida. I keep my a/c set at 73 tops in the summer time. So my elec. bill is much higher in the summer, but I will not be hot if I cn help it.Spending 4 days in fla. in a house heated to 85 was pure torture to me.

[frugalfarmwife]

We don't even have AC here, but our house was built to catch the breeze wonderfully! We're on top of a hill with a valley that channels the breeze right through the house, I just open the windows and have a fan in the family room.

Now for winter this sucks though, the house isn't very air tight and the winds just blow like crazy, some of the windows have been replaced and I hope to replace more in the near future.

kj