What Temperature Do You Keep Your House? (tax, live in)

[xsa210tx]

Originally Posted by BenjaminNicholas

Dear God. How anyone can survive indoors at over 75 degrees, especially sleeping, is beyond me. [...]. I keep my place like a meatlocker and pay dearly for it. Roughly $400/mo CPS bill.

BN

God answers back, "my son how fortunate you are to be able to afford $400 a month for an electricity bill; however, the vast majority cannot ever afford that much a month and there's many who live in dire poverty worried about a bill too high that might put them in financial peril for the month."

[xsa210tx]

I'm not as fortunate as the majority of you on here who can afford air conditioning.

Unfortuantely I can't. I ONLY run it when I have friends over because I don't want them to complain and of course I want to be hospitable to my friends.

But I NEVER run it when I'm just home (I live by myself) so it almost never runs.

I'm a little lucky though because in the place I live, it's in a large multiplex residence. My apartment is downstairs and shielded from the sun completely on one side. So it stays cooler during the summer and warmer during the winter.

I also have two huge and VERY LOUD floor fans that are very strong and blow a tornado of air around!

Right now, I only have one of the floor fans on and it's on low. But when it starts to get over 100 degrees (like it did last year) I'm gonna run both at FULL setting. When I do that, I can't even hear the TV without turning it much louder and one of the fans literally shakes my hardwood floors (I have them both on a sturdy wooden TV tray - one on carpet and the other on hardwood) but at least I stay cool!

Also, when it does get that hot, I usually will "decide" to run the AC for a very short while (10-15 mins) and put my two floor fans on full blast to circulate the cooler air.

[BenjaminNicholas]

Originally Posted by xsa210tx

God answers back, "my son how fortunate you are to be able to afford $400 a month for an electricity bill; however, the vast majority cannot ever afford that much a month and there's many who live in dire poverty worried about a bill too high that might put them in financial peril for the month."

I gave props to those who CHOOSE that temp, so don't turn this into a 'poor me, cannot afford electricity' argument. I'm not fortunate when it comes to anything... I create my opportunity, as we all do in life. We're all born the same way. I didn't come from money. I made it.

CPS has MANY programs for folks who cannot afford a regular bill. Don't think for a second I'm not more than educated on them and know that everyone has the ability to afford a cool home in the summertime. This is why private & Government programs exist- To help those in need.




BN

[xsa210tx]

Originally Posted by BenjaminNicholas

I gave props to those who CHOOSE that temp, so don't turn this into a 'poor me, cannot afford electricity' argument.

First, I frankly don't care that you can afford a bill that much. If you are able to afford it, good for you. You are very fortunate! WHAT I TAKE ISSUE WITH IS WHEN YOU SAY, "How anyone can survive indoors at over 75 degrees, especially sleeping is BEYOND ME."

"Beyond you"? Wow.

I simply responded that NOT EVERYONE can afford to pay $400 a month like you. So if you are that surprised and it's "beyond you" that people have to live like that...well that's how life is for most Americans who live within a much smaller budget.

Originally Posted by BenjaminNicholas

I'm not fortunate when it comes to anything... I create my opportunity, as we all do in life. We're all born the same way. I didn't come from money. I made it.
BN

Good. I don't care if you came from money or not. Just don't be surprised that people sleep in warmer temperatures than you because they choose to set their thermostart about 78 degrees instead of a "meatlocker" temperature in order to save money. They are not doing it to get "props" btw; they are doing it to save money.

Originally Posted by BenjaminNicholas

CPS has MANY programs for folks who cannot afford a regular bill. Don't think for a second I'm not more than educated on them and know that everyone has the ability to afford a cool home in the summertime. This is why private & Government programs exist- To help those in need.

Unfortunately, If you have an "all-bills-paid" residence through your landlord, these "programs" are useless. You can only get these "discounts" if you are the actual CPS customer, that is, the bill is in your name. Given that all the apartments are all bills paid, in my large multiplex, CPS would go on his income rather than mine.

I'm a trooper though. Being born and raised here in SA, you get through this heat. You do what you gotta do to get through it.

[BenjaminNicholas]

My time and willpower to deal with internet message board quibbles is low this week, so we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.


Have a lovely weekend,




BN

[Sweetie Pie]

72* when I'm home! 78* when it when I'm not!!! LOL!!! I'm trying to go green!, sheesh!!

[suzb98]

My thermostat stays at 77 day and night. The only time I will lower it is if I have friends over and then it drops to 75. My bill has never been more than $80 and I have a 1400 sq ft house.

[daluu]

I try to follow the Energy star/Dept. of Energy recommendations. I posted a thread on that a while back. Seems most folks don't want to put up with those kinds of temperatures.

Anyone use default DOE/Energy star A/C temperature settings?

It's actually not that bad, if you've lived like that before.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by daluu

I try to follow the Energy star/Dept. of Energy recommendations. I posted a thread on that a while back. Seems most folks don't want to put up with those kinds of temperatures.

Anyone use default DOE/Energy star A/C temperature settings?

It's actually not that bad, if you've lived like that before.

I've lived and worked in the tropics and these temps are not hard to adapt to. There's a reason people move slower in the tropics, and that's not a bad thing. Work days are scheduled around the heat, buildings are constructed to deal with the heat (making the most of shade/air flow, etc). Our house, having been built before a/c existed, is well situated to make the most of air flow. Unfortunately, we still have a few windows/doors to fix so we can't make the most of them now. Still, it's not that hard to adapt to if you don't have health complications. However I can see that it could be extremely difficult in a house with no shade, nothing overhanging windows, sitting with full South/west exposure.

[crazedchef]

65 night, 75 day.

I live in constant pain and I also had to start Blood Pressure meds this year so I am very temperature sensitive. This coming from a guy who spent three years in Baghdad.