How cold do you keep the A/C in your home during summer?

[thefed]

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?

 

[Rambler]

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

 

[CuppaJoe]

It's 57 degrees F here without A/C. A couple of windows are open.

 

[aaronc879]

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.

 

[FIREd]

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.

 

[W2R]

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.

 

[bbbamI]

It's 57 degrees F here without A/C. A couple of windows are open.

.....

 

[flyfishnevada]

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.

 

[WhoDaresWins]

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.

 

[RunningBum]

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.

 

[Ronstar]

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.

 

[Zathras]

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)

 

[DayDreaming]

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.

 

[rescueme]

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.

 

[REWahoo]

78 with ceiling fans going in every occupied room.

 

[Walt34]

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.

 

[scrabbler1]

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.

 

[samclem]

Usually about 73 deg F.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

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).

 

[VaCollector]

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

 

[donheff]

I'm happy with 74 but I can feel a substantial difference if it gets a degree or two over my favored temperature. Fed - if you don't feel good over 70 keep it low. Your wife can throw on a long sleeved shirt but taking off your shirt won't help.

Edit: a reasonable compromise might be to move it up a degree every couple of days and see if you can get accustomed to a slightly higher temp that is more suitable to your wife.

 

[REWahoo]

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.

Moving air (ie, a ceiling fan) doesn't lower the temperature but acts as a cooling agent through evaporation of moisture on the skin. If no one is in the room to evaporate it is probably a waste of electricity.

 

[ziggy29]

Usually at 78.

 

[HFWR]

76 when I'm away, 75 when I'm at home, 72 at night.

 

[MichaelB]

74 during the day, 73 at night, along with a fan upstairs to help circulate the air.