Summer Thermostat

[Debsi]

Originally Posted by nakold23

Wow, I keep ours at 68-72 at all times. I guess I get hot easily!

Originally Posted by cinnamon_toast

Ideal sleeping temperature is 65-72 degrees. I have a very hard time sleeping in anything over 72! But we keep it at 78 during the day.

Another hot-blooded person here.. sometimes I wonder if it's genetics as I'm 1/4 Russian and have heaps of dark, thick hair like my Russian great-Grandma and all the other women in my Dad's side of the family.

I would love to sleep at 68. I get the best sleep during the winter! I use the heater as little as possible in winter, though we have a little space heater we like. AC on 74-76 when I'm home during the day, 80 if I'm not home, and 72 at night. I still have to sleep with a fan pointed at me.

[biscuitmom]

Originally Posted by mayflowers4me

During the day it's on 70 except when doing a lot of housework then it's on 65.

Cut back on the housework during the hot months, or get up early and do it. I do chores and/or oven-roasting between 7:00 and 9:00 AM. As much as possible, though, I use the microwave, crockpot, and gas grill for summer cooking.

[mayflowers4me]

This has been an insightful thread. I appreciate all of the participation. It's been helpful too! Thank you all so much!

[knotquiteawake]

I work at home so rarely is the house ever unoccupied during the day.
I bought a window AC to use in the office though, I keep that set at 74 during the day (to keep the computers cool) and the rest of the house if my wife and baby are not home will be set to 79.

If my wife is home we keep it at 77 during the day and then I don't have to use the window AC in my office.

At night I set it to 75, seems just barely cool enough but I'm a cheapskate and don't want to spend that much on power. Sometimes if I'm feeling grumpy or sick I'll go ALL the way down to 74 degrees.

Our house was built in 86 and I just had the insulation upgraded to r35 and had attic vents put in. This above all other things has made a HUGE HUGE HUGE difference. Like that 103 degrees we had the other day. I had the AC set to 77 like normal and the AC was able to keep it that temp, it even shut off sometimes. No struggle at all. We also have blackout curtains on all the windows that get direct sun as well as solar blinds on those windows.

[Willsson]

Daytime I keep the thermo at 81, I keep air circulating with fans, and I use a DEhumidifier set at 45%. After the AC does its job, the dehumidifier keeps the humidity low, the fans keep the breeze going. And yeah, if it was any cooler I'd be putting on the long pants. I know it's working when both the dehumidifier AND the AC have shut off. And it's a fairly old house with poor insulation.

At night, I lower the thermo to 79 and keep the fan in my bedroom oscillating. The ceiling fan has started it own swinging routine so I no longer use it while I'm sleeping.

Winter, I keep the thermo at about 68. If it gets a bit cool then I'll do something that creates a steam flow. Take a shower, wash dishes, laundry, boil rice, roast a turkey, use the coffee maker to steam up the kitch. No fans, no dehumidifier.

[Pete53FR]

Originally Posted by biscuitmom

80-82 during waking hours; if we leave the house, we move it up to 86.
76 for sleeping.

We have separate AC systems for the sleeping and living areas. During waking hours, sleeping AC is set at 86, and vice versa. ~edit to add: since the room temps hardly ever hit 86, this is the same as turning it off.

Ceiling fans in every room, super insulation, and the perfect house directional orientation for hot weather (no living or sleeping areas on south or west sides).
We're never uncomfortable. We have 2300 sq. ft., two stories, and our monthly electric bill runs about $115 in the summer months.

Sweet