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@nightbird47, LOL, me too! when I can open windows and doors, I do! I didn't have AC of any kind until about 95'. The only air conditioned school I attended was in Montana, heheheh.
My parents used a swamp cooler and covered the windows in LA when I was a kid. Ironically, the schools in LA I went to where occasionally the teacher drew a melting ice cube on the board and told us to look it and just think of cool air instead of class the bungalo was so hot never had AC. The high school a quarter mile from the beach did, go figure. Right now my back screen got destroyed by the over two foot tall puppy/near adult wanting in too bad so it needs repair. I miss my full house breeze.
I haven't read the whole thread so forgive me if this has been posted.... here is a couple who live in Louisiana and they're totally off the grid - and no AC.
Just out of curiosity...has anyone living in a hot, humid climate been able to dump their air conditioner?
I live in Texas and my house was built in 1957. It still has the original aluminum windows and they are about to be replaced with brand-new top of the line double-pane low-E models. My attic currently has about 6 inches of insulation and I plan to add another 12-16 inches this fall. I also plan to install some solar-powered attic fans to pull hot air out of the attic and I recently had the house's "whole house fan" restored which pulls outside air into the house and vents the air in the house into the attic. (It works when the air outside is cooler than the air inside; it's a fall/spring thing around here.)
(I've been living here for about a year and have been thinking about how to make my house more energy-efficient. The fridge I bought is energy star, the dishwasher broke so I replaced it with an energy star model, I replaced all the light bulbs with CFLs...easy stuff, basically.)
So getting back to my original question...has anyone in a similar situation dumped their air conditioner and if so, how did you do it? I have a four-ton behemoth in my attic that uses a LOT of power and costs a LOT of money every time it breaks down. And it doesn't even cool the house all that well.
Move out here and try to dump it. You won't be living here long! I think it was 104 today!
- Are you sure you have the right size a/c for your home?
- Check your front and back doors. You might consider a new door (hurricane protection too) or change the rubber insulation around the edges.
- Your home should not be sealed up like a tomb so you can put too much insulation into the attic. I open up the windows every morning, turn on the ceiling fans, let the place air out.
- Ask a roof guy about a attic fan. Most roofs, if done correctly have a specific way to move the heat. If you change the pattern you might not be doing any good moving the heat out.
- I put in impact, tinted windows and it helped with the a/c bill plus are a nice security feature.
- Did you put up the heavy or dark curtains? Keeping the heat out is the 1st rule for homes.
- Can you plant any trees near, but not next to your home?
- I live in FL and it's hot and humid like your area. I keep my a/c set at 79/80, even now, and it works well since my kids complain it's too cold. I think the builder did a very good job on the insulation on this home too.
- I have ceiling fans but bought the more efficient models that are available now. These usually are not on sale a the box stores, more expensive, 200-400 dollars but last 20 plus years.
- Fridge - clean under it and pull it away from the wall. Clean the back and see how much dust is collecting on your motor. If there, turn it off, unscrew the back of the fridge and clean it out.
- Dishwasher - I use it once a week at most. The rest of the time I hand wash and have no problems or complaints.
- Dryer - I put a clothes line in my garage (HOA rule) and use my dryer about 3 times a year. My clothes are a little stiff, but smell nice and clean. This is a double savings. You save on electric bill and wear and tear on a dryer.
- Washer - I had a front loader (came with the house) but it died. It was 6 years old, WP Duet, bought a WP Top Loader. I went to the TL because the old FL seemed to have a problem when I used cold water (musty smell), even cleaning the machine with vinegar. I like the wider choices of soaps with the TL and it has fewer electronics easy to fix myself.
- Hot Water Heater - Mine is in the middle of my home. ( I really hate that), but if I had it in the garage I would buy a hybrid model that uses the surrounding air heat to heat the water.
- I use the trade off method for electric bill. For me and you, humidity is a concern so you have to run the a/c. I usually turn it on when the humid reading is at 50-52 and that is about 10 o'clock in the morning here. I turn it off at 8 at night (unless it is very humid, but no later than 11) and turn on the ceiling fans. I open the windows depending how hot it is outside. If I run the a/c, the tv goes off. I don't care since I got rid of cable a year ago. That 500 dollar per year savings counter balance the a/c bill during the six or seven months I have to run it.
- It is so hot I don't use hot water very often to shower. Also, I take a quick cold shower during the day and before I go to bed.
My last bill was 155 dollars for electricity, 2200 sq foot, 3/2/2, 4 people (2 kids).
- If you upgrade/replace you HVAC, get at least ten bids on two different models. I went with Trane and really like the performance, cost and it's darn quiet. BUT, I will tell you, HVAC business is worse than used car business. You have to do your homework and know exactly what they are going to do. I got ten bids for exactly the same model, work etc...and the difference was 4k between the low and high. I went with a guy that had been in business for 20 years worked with his father and did a good job. Also, get your vents/ducts cleaned before getting a new HVAC installed. Well worth it and use a professional company not so 99 dollar special.
There is a point that you just can't get much more savings and live a comfortable life. You might induce a different problem (mold, bugs, etc) by never running the ac or sealing the home up like a tomb. But after playing this electric game for a while it is a challenge to see that bill each month.
Before you get rid of your a/c system, I'd seriously think about resale. What if you ever have to sell your home? A house in Texas without a/c is not going to sell quickly. It may also severely depreciate the value of your home.
I would have your unit serviced and see if it's working properly. How old is the unit? They do wear out. The models out now are much more energy efficient. Without a/c, you could end up with a severe mold/mildew problem because the house is insulated. It wasn't designed to be without a/c. A whole can worms could be opened up by doing this.
The point about humidity is well made. I live in a high-altitude, low humidity region, which makes living without a/c very doable even when temperatures soar. I find it uncomfortable only during the two-week summer monsoon season. It's also the only time I have trouble with mildew. In a high-humidity region, a/c keeps interior spaces dry.
Last edited by formercalifornian; 08-16-2011 at 02:48 PM..
As mentioned above the air conditioner and the fans can work independantly but not together.
4 tom behemoth in the attic? and where is the hottest place in the house?
Investigate the GSHP, will probably pay for itself in a reasonable time frame in this instance.
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