[costaricageorge]

75 here and if I wish I could get it to 68 but I think it would just run all the time. I keep my windows open in the winter. It's what down comforters are for. I guess everyone has things they are willing to spend for. I'd guess in Scoops kitchen there would be tons of things I would consider to expensive for me but I have no problem paying a few hundred a month in the summer to stay cool. As soon as the average nightly temps go below 72 I turn it off.

[las vegas drunk]

Originally Posted by Trash Can

Scoop, your neighbor probably thinks your a weirdo for keeping your AC set at 90 and putting styrofoam in your windows. I'm all for saving money on energy, but I think you take things to the opposite extreme. Do you keep the temp set that high when you have visitors?

I applaud Scoop for conserving energy, but I also agree he takes it too far. Having a nice big house that you sweat in is not my cup of tea. I would rather live in a small apartment and be comfortable, but that is just me.

[m73m95]

Originally Posted by las vegas drunk

I applaud Scoop for conserving energy, but I also agree he takes it too far. Having a nice big house that you sweat in is not my cup of tea. I would rather live in a small apartment and be comfortable, but that is just me.

Its surprising how quickly you become acclimated to that temp.

I've been keeping my thermostat set to 85, and I only turn it on at night to sleep. I leave my back door open, about a foot, all day, so my dogs can go in and out. Even last week, when it was 105 in Summerlin, my house only peaked at 89 at about 4pm. Right before bed, I closed the door and turned on the AC to 85. After the house got cool, I turned off the AC.

Admittedly, the first day was miserable...but after about 3 days, I didn't even notice. I don't sweat in my house. I'm perfectly comfortable. It also makes it easier to go outside, because I'm used to the heat. Back when I used the AC a lot, going outside was TORTURE, because I was so used to being at 75. Now, when I go into a casino, I need a jacket

Seriously, try it. Once you get through the first day or 2, its smooth sailing, and you'll have more money to blow at the casino!

[las vegas drunk]

Originally Posted by m73m95

Its surprising how quickly you become acclimated to that temp.

I've been keeping my thermostat set to 85, and I only turn it on at night to sleep. I leave my back door open, about a foot, all day, so my dogs can go in and out. Even last week, when it was 105 in Summerlin, my house only peaked at 89 at about 4pm. Right before bed, I closed the door and turned on the AC to 85. After the house got cool, I turned off the AC.

Admittedly, the first day was miserable...but after about 3 days, I didn't even notice. I don't sweat in my house. I'm perfectly comfortable. It also makes it easier to go outside, because I'm used to the heat. Back when I used the AC a lot, going outside was TORTURE, because I was so used to being at 75. Now, when I go into a casino, I need a jacket

Seriously, try it. Once you get through the first day or 2, its smooth sailing, and you'll have more money to blow at the casino!

I have already tried it (involuntarily), and I hated it. I rented a room from someone who kept the A/C at 80. I had a ceiling fan on high and I still was constantly miserable. I cannot even imagine trying to deal with 85. Sorry, but never again. I am much happier staying in a tiny place just to have a comfortable 75 degrees. Although it may not be normal, I have always been very temperature sensitive. I equally hated renting rooms where people liked to crank up the heater to 80 degrees. I had to sleep with the windows open.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by Trash Can

Scoop, your neighbor probably thinks your a weirdo for keeping your AC set at 90 and putting styrofoam in your windows. I'm all for saving money on energy, but I think you take things to the opposite extreme. Do you keep the temp set that high when you have visitors?

No, we use more AC when we have visitors. We know our guests probably aren't used to 90f. But our guests from Florida don't usually mind at all. Las Vegas 90f is like Florida 80f.

And yes, I try to spend as little on electricity as possible. We take an extra week of vacation because of it. I'd rather do that then send extra money to NVEnergy every month.

[macgeek]

^^ I agree!!!!

[yellowsnow]

I try hard to be like Scoop. I do great in the winter...I probably ran the heat for less than a week. The gas I did use was for heating the spa as a once a month treat! And I cook more in the winter too.

I do OK during the day in the summer. But I can't sleep hot. That's where I break the bank. Here's my latest idea. Get a water bed and don't turn on the heater.

What do you think? Would that let a person sleep comfortably with the AC set on 80 something? Maybe I should do some research and see if I can find a water bed that sleeps sort of like a real mattress. I bet it would be cheaper to use the waterbed heater in the winter than heating the whole house too. But I have several electric blankets(from years in MN) and I've never used them here.

All summer long, I live in fear of the electric bill!

[Trash Can]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

No, we use more AC when we have visitors. We know our guests probably aren't used to 90f. But our guests from Florida don't usually mind at all. Las Vegas 90f is like Florida 80f.

And yes, I try to spend as little on electricity as possible. We take an extra week of vacation because of it. I'd rather do that then send extra money to NVEnergy every month.

That's great, but I prefer to spend the money on keeping my home comfortable year round since I spend the vast majority of my time here. It probably would cost me more if I kept our home anywhere near 90f. Mrs. Trash Can would spend a lot more time at the mall where it's cool buying more crap we don't need, and I'd be stuck with the bill.

I do admire what you're doing, but it's just too extreme (for me). I do what I can to keep my bill down. In fact, I just had Macgeek's solar screen guy install screens on my west facing windows this morning. But the bottom line is that anything above 78f at night is just too warm for us to sleep, ceiling fans running or not.

[Scott456]

I set mine at 83. It's the highest temp I can still be comfortable.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by Trash Can

But the bottom line is that anything above 78f at night is just too warm for us to sleep, ceiling fans running or not.

If it works for you, that's fine with me. (Not that I have any choice in the matter.) Before here, I lived 90 miles north of Havana. Before that, I lived in Africa. I'm used to heat.