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Yes, how else do people survive those hot ass Az summers. Single digit relative humidity is how. That's also how people can make it on swamp coolers there.
On the flip side, 72 with a low humidity and a slight breeze could be downright chilly
Good point Chow. Humidity makes all the difference. If it's low, I prefer to open a window and let the fresh air flow through. The A/C goes on when humidity is high. When I lived on the central California coast I never needed A/C, it was great! Even on warmer days, the humidity was low and at night we never felt uncomfortable.
While 68 may sound very cold to some, in my home it will be chilly downstairs but upstairs is still warmer, so at night, in order to cool it off I need to drop the thermostat down to 68, otherwise if I'm downstairs it's somewhere between 70 - 72.
I used to have this same problem in the winter at my office. One woman would turn up the thermostat to 80, and another would turn it down to 65. The temperature was always going back and forth and the poor furnace didn't know what to expect next. I took the thermostat cover off and disassembled the thermostat to determine just how it worked. I ended up putting a pin in it that allowed the actual setting to be turned up no higher than about 74 degree, The dial could still be turned up to 80, but nothing would happen to make it go higher than 74. They didn't seem to know the difference. A few months later I bypassed that therostat and put in a new thermostat that was out of sight (hidden) never had any more problems.
Having it set to 80 indoors is insane. People don't realize that 80 indoors is not like 80 outdoors. You're breathing the same hot stagnant air and it gets real stuffy and uncomfortable real fast. Even on the coldest winter days I would never turn it up highter than maybe 73 or 74, and that's during the daytime only. At night it's set lower because I can't sleep if it's too warm.
It's funny that you were able to rig the thermostat so it would split the difference in temperature yet no one noticed.
Good point Chow. Humidity makes all the difference. If it's low, I prefer to open a window and let the fresh air flow through. The A/C goes on when humidity is high. When I lived on the central California coast I never needed A/C, it was great! Even on warmer days, the humidity was low and at night we never felt uncomfortable.
While 68 may sound very cold to some, in my home it will be chilly downstairs but upstairs is still warmer, so at night, in order to cool it off I need to drop the thermostat down to 68, otherwise if I'm downstairs it's somewhere between 70 - 72.
Something you should try if you have a tri-level or two story home. That little switch on your T/S that says fan auto or fan on. Flip it to on to run continuous fan. It will circulate the air upstairs and equalize it out. It will also cut your cycles down at least a few per hour. If you have say, 4 cycles per hour before that might only be 1 or 2 now. It only really is needed in really hot summer days. Unless you have a variable speed furnace I wouldn't do it all the time. If you flip the switch and nothing happens, you should check your T/S and make sure the green wire is hooked up for your 24 volt signal. Red=power, white=heat, green=fan, blue or yellow (depends on if it is 18/4 or 18/5 wire)=cool. There may be a jumper wire in there that ties RH to RC? Most of the newer ones have it at the T/S. Something to think about.
Last edited by 2RUGGED4YOU; 06-06-2010 at 09:49 AM..
Something you should try if you have a tri-level or two story home. That little switch on your T/S that says fan auto or fan on. Flip it to on to run continuous fan. It will circulate the air up stairs and equalize it out. It will also cut your cycles down at least a few per hour. If you have say, 4 cycles per hour before that might only be 1 or 2 now. It only really is needed in really hot summer days. Unless you have a variable speed furnace I wouldn't do it all the time. If you flip the switch and nothing happens, you should check your T/S and make sure the green wire is hooked up for your 24 volt signal. Red=power, white=heat, green=fan, blue or yellow (depends on if it is 18/4 or 18/5 wire)=cool. There may be a jumper wire in there that ties RH to RC? Most of the newer ones have it at the T/S. Something to think about.
Thanks Rugged. It's a digital Robertshaw T/S and I typically have it set to Auto when I turn it on. I'll try switching it to the On setting instead. Part of the problem is that there are multiple vents downstairs so the room cools off evenly, but upstairs there is one small vent to cool the bedroom which is fairly big. Even my daughter's room which is nearly half the size of ours doesn't get all that cool with the A/C running, but go downstairs and it's cold. The house (townhouse) is fairly new, only a year old.
You are like my friend. Complain about the elec bill, worry about the AC, yet he runs a second refridge for drinks, uses the electric garage door to go in and out instead of the front door.
After working all day one should be comfortable specially sleeping wise when at home. I don't care how high the bill gets as long as I am comfortable. I'd rather stay home and not out on a weekend if there is no money left after the bill is paid.
I run my AC way lower than him yet my bill averages half of what his does and I take great pleasure in telling him what my bill is because he gets all bent out of shape.
Thanks Rugged. It's a digital Robertshaw T/S and I typically have it set to Auto when I turn it on. I'll try switching it to the On setting instead. Part of the problem is that there are multiple vents downstairs so the room cools off evenly, but upstairs there is one small vent to cool the bedroom which is fairly big. Even my daughter's room which is nearly half the size of ours doesn't get all that cool with the A/C running, but go downstairs and it's cold. The house (townhouse) is fairly new, only a year old.
I have yet another solution for that! You could look into zone dampers or duct booster fans! The zone dampers are controlled by a board and multiple T/S's placed around the problem target areas. They have little servo motors in them that open and close when that T/S is calling for heat or cool. When that T/S is satisfied, it closes and lets the system run until all T/S's are satisfied closing one by one until it shuts off. The booster fan is installed in a round duct pipe and is powered to add and extra boost to the air you are trying to move. Ideally 350-400 CFM is desired. Hope this helps ya?
I would be fine with 74. I don't get the 68 degrees inside the house. It's just too cool for me.
Ha! I think 68 is where we set the thermo in wintertime. It does get cold in here, but that's why God made sweaters and socks and blankets. Our gas bill can easily be $300 a month in the winter, and the electric bill can be that high in the summer. I have better things to spend our money on.
I can hear somebody getting ready to splutter , but my husband thinks like I do. When it's really hot, we turn on the air. We did a few days ago. If the nights are sweltering, yes, we turn it on. If he wants it on, on it goes. But this house is not a refrigerator. We deliberately chose a house facing north/south, we live in a shady neighborhood, and we use electric fans.
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That's also how people can make it on swamp coolers there.
. Complain about the elec bill, worry about the AC, yet he runs a second refridge for drinks, uses the electric garage door to go in and out instead of the front door.
