Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
How cold do you keep the A/C in your home during summer?
Old 08-15-2010, 10:03 PM   #1
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
thefed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,203
How cold do you keep the A/C in your home during summer?

My wife says I'm nuts because I like it like an icebox in here. My mom was always broke growing up, and as such, BARELY kept it cool when we had central A/C. Maybe those sweaty, sticky night play a part in me NEED for a cool home.

I usually set it at 70, which is COLD in the summer, but feels so much different when heating the home in the winter.

You?
thefed is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 08-15-2010, 10:12 PM   #2
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Rambler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,487
78, unless we are moving around a lot in the house and working up a sweat. Then it goes down to 75-76. Never lower. If we are having trouble sleeping because we feel it is too warm we will occasionally set it at 75 for the night, but it usually cools down enough that we can sleep with a window open and not even use the A/C.

We use the ceiling fans quite consistently...in the summer to create a cooling breeze, and in the winter to push the heat back from the high ceiling in the family room.

R
__________________
Find Joy in the Journey...
Rambler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2010, 10:17 PM   #3
Moderator Emeritus
CuppaJoe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: At The Cafe
Posts: 6,873
It's 57 degrees F here without A/C. A couple of windows are open.
CuppaJoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2010, 10:18 PM   #4
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,350
I don't touch the A/C...too expensive. I turn on the fan to sleep when it's too hot/muggy and maybe for a few minutes during the day if I worked up a sweat around the house. It's currently 80 in my room and don't have the fan on and feel a little warm but comfortable.
aaronc879 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2010, 10:22 PM   #5
Moderator Emeritus
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 12,901
I set the A/C at 69 this year, but we have a 2-level house so it is still around 75-78 on the second floor.
FIREd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2010, 10:27 PM   #6
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
W2R's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,500
75-78 when I am home, depending on my activity level. 80 if I am really lazy. I use the ceiling fan in the late afternoon if I am home.

85 when I am out during the day.

Sometimes down to 74 at bedtime. That one degree below 75 is such a luxury.
__________________
Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harbourless immensities. - - H. Melville, 1851.

Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
W2R is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2010, 10:32 PM   #7
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
bbbamI's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Collin County, TX
Posts: 9,296
Quote:
Originally Posted by CuppaJoe View Post
It's 57 degrees F here without A/C. A couple of windows are open.
.....
__________________
There's no need to complicate, our time is short..
bbbamI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2010, 12:03 AM   #8
Full time employment: Posting here.
flyfishnevada's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Smith
Posts: 743
74 here. It's only expensive for about two months out of the year, July and August. Other than that, we can afford it and I like it cool. Feels great when you come in from yard work or a walk.
__________________
Retired July 4th, 2010 at age 43
Trout Bum, Writer, Full-Time Dad and Husband


flyfishnevada is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2010, 03:59 AM   #9
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Pittsburgh, PA suburbs
Posts: 1,796
Quote:
Originally Posted by FIREdreamer View Post
I set the A/C at 69 this year, but we have a 2-level house so it is still around 75-78 on the second floor.
Ditto here with the two level house and the difference in temperature on the second floor (where the bedrooms are located). I have the temp set at 70. It can be a little too cool in the evening downstairs so I am under a blanket when lounging on the sofa, but when I go to sleep upstairs it is always with the ceiling fan on due to the temperature change (I can feel it climbing the stairs). During the day when I am at work I bump it up to 74 and draw all the blinds. I still have my little mutt to think about even when I am not here.
WhoDaresWins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2010, 05:05 AM   #10
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
RunningBum's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 13,227
79 or 80 if it's on at all. 78 if I really need to clear the humidity. Off if I'm not home. It was the same when I lived in a warmer area, but I left it at 85 if I went away on a hot day for the cats I had then. Ceiling fans help, plus they could go down to the basement if it was too bad.
RunningBum is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2010, 05:12 AM   #11
Moderator Emeritus
Ronstar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 16,600
Keep the main level and basement at 78. Always keep the A/C fan on to keep air moving. Also ceiling fan in the bedroom.
Ronstar is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2010, 05:21 AM   #12
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,082
79 although I would use it less if it were not for the efficiency gain I get in the winter by cooling in the summer (Geo thermal heat pump)
__________________
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.
(Ancient Indian Proverb)"
Zathras is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2010, 05:23 AM   #13
Full time employment: Posting here.
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 847
I don't have A/C. Ceiling fans keep me comfortable. There are only 2 or 3 nights each year when I wish I had A/C. I live in NJ where the summers are hot & humid.
DayDreaming is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2010, 05:36 AM   #14
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 3,851
We live in the mid-Atlantic area, where temp's have been above 90 degrees most of the summer.

Our temp is set at 74 degrees. Of course with two levels and no split system it does get a bit warmer on the second level. There we have ceiling fans to assist.
rescueme is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2010, 05:53 AM   #15
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
REWahoo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Texas: No Country for Old Men
Posts: 50,021
78 with ceiling fans going in every occupied room.
__________________
Numbers is hard
REWahoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2010, 05:54 AM   #16
Moderator
Walt34's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Eastern WV Panhandle
Posts: 25,340
We keep ours between 78-80 all year round, figuring what we don't spend on A/C in the summer we'll gladly spend on staying warm in the winter. This is one area where frugality (some would say literally) goes out the window.
__________________
When I was a kid I wanted to be older. This is not what I expected.
Walt34 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2010, 06:22 AM   #17
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,695
I don't have central A/C because I live in an apartment. My other summertime problem is that my A/C is too noisy to keep on while I sleep. So what I do at night is to get my place as cool as I can then turn it off before I go to sleep. I can usually get the place down to about 73 or 74 then turn on the fan. If it is cool out, I can also open the window, although this summer it has often been near 80 at night so the window has stayed closed. I have to then hope I can get through the night before it warms up too much inside.

During the day, I don't need the A/C on unless it is over 80 inside, or if I am cooking. I frequently adjust the fan's setting and direction it is pointing so I can get the most out of it. My A/C, although noisy, is very powerful (it runs on a 220V line) and on its HI setting can quickly cool a room down.
__________________
Retired in late 2008 at age 45. Cashed in company stock, bought a lot of shares in a big bond fund and am living nicely off its dividends. IRA, SS, and a pension await me at age 60 and later. No kids, no debts.

"I want my money working for me instead of me working for my money!"
scrabbler1 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2010, 06:27 AM   #18
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
samclem's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 14,404
Usually about 73 deg F.
samclem is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2010, 06:44 AM   #19
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Naples
Posts: 2,179
Quote:
Originally Posted by REWahoo View Post
78 with ceiling fans going in every occupied room.
I noticed you mentioned "occupied" rooms. I have also heard that ceiling fans are only doing some good when someone is in the room to feel the air move over your skin. Otherwise, my utility company says you are wasting your money. I've had other people swear by having them on all the time.

We keep our A/C set at 78 except in the colder months like Dec and Jan and them we set it for 70 (heat pump).
JOHNNIE36 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2010, 06:46 AM   #20
Full time employment: Posting here.
VaCollector's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 549
With a heat pump downstairs, I keep it set at a balmy 72 and the system does a GREAT job as even with outdoor temps near 100 the indoor temp holds at 71-72....upstairs is covered with a separate AC unit that is set at 73 during the day but is lowered to 70 degrees at bedtime.....seems we all sleep better under the blankets
VaCollector is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
What I did on my summer vacation freebird5825 Travel Information 23 02-13-2010 02:37 PM
Florida in the summer Kroeran Life after FIRE 10 07-23-2009 07:14 PM
Hi from cold Cleveland, home of the Browns! oldman Hi, I am... 8 11-22-2007 09:20 PM
Summer driving season? dumpster56 Other topics 14 05-15-2007 10:00 PM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:26 PM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.