[PinkString]

Originally Posted by ApplnowsoonLV

How do u keep the thermostat over 80 degrees??? I would think that would be sauna like conditions...

It's a dry heat silly. Downstairs it's around 82 and upstairs is a nice cool 85. We also have ceiling fans in all the rooms, plus oscillating floor fans.
Now come winter time, it's the perfect temperature upstairs, and freezing like the arctic downstairs. Compliments of a north facing front.

[ApplnowsoonLV]

Originally Posted by PinkString

It's a dry heat silly. Downstairs it's around 82 and upstairs is a nice cool 85. We also have ceiling fans in all the rooms, plus oscillating floor fans.
Now come winter time, it's the perfect temperature upstairs, and freezing like the arctic downstairs. Compliments of a north facing front.

Lol... Heat is heat.... I would need to keep the thermostat at a high of 70 degrees

[ApplnowsoonLV]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

You get used to it. Or you pay through the nose.

I think the main thing is to make the house as efficient as possible, so the compressors don't need to kick on as often or work as hard. Pays dividends two ways: lower power bills and less wear and tear on the AC.

I use attic fans, extra attic insulation, garage door insulation, evaporative coolers, LED lights, outdoor kitchen, solar shades. I even have sheets of insulation on our west-facing windows during summer months (cheap and effective -- but totally negates our view during the day.) In addition, we make use of NVEnergy's Time of Use* and CoolShare programs.

The only thing I HAVEN'T done is PV solar power. As much as I'd like to, it takes too long for any kind of return. And it's a lot of up-front money to spend, even with the rebates.

Power bills for our two-story, 3.7K sqft house is around $100 during the summer months, and $30 the rest of the year.

* The Time of Use plan is inconvenient in the extreme. Basically, we get reamed for power usage between 1pm and 7pm during the summer, but pay lower rates at all other times. This requires that we basically shut all non-essential items off during "ream time." No TV, dishwasher, washer, and ESPECIALLY no AC.

Wow... Those power bills are extremely cheap.... I would rather be cooler and pay 250.00 a month.... I'm going to be very happy with household expenses in Vegas....

[ApplnowsoonLV]

Originally Posted by delgadobb

We keep our downstairs at 81 degrees, depending on the time of day we set the upstairs a few degrees higher.

My fiancee's from Louisiana & 81 degrees is just fine with her, she keeps it set higher upstairs at night. Without the humidity, my guess is she can handle mid-80s without too much issue (so can I). Personally, I don't understand why anyone would need their thermostat set lower than 79 or maybe 78, but that's just my opinion ... to each his/her own.

With the low humidity here, 80-81 degrees is quite reasonable & not hard to maintain. I guess it depends on how you're acclimated, we have friends who insist on setting their thermostat at 71 degrees at all times; their house is half the size, yet their bill is significantly higher. It feels like a meat locker when I'm there, but that's what they want & the temp to which they're accustomed.

Some things that help in our case: I've installed ceiling fans in each room to augment the A/C. They help a lot. We use CFL/LED lights throughout the house (minimal heat) & our primary TV (downstairs) is a large screen LED DLP which uses very little electricity & generates very little heat. Recently I built some solar screens for the ferrets' bedroom, which gets a lot of sun & heat during the morning & early afternoon - they've also helped a bunch. When I get back from the next trip to Chicago, I'll be making several more solar screens for the other rooms that collect the most heat. (BTW, if you're handy & have a few tools around they're not rocket science to make/install. The install quotes we got were all high so I decided to do the work myself.)

Eventually, we want to put in PV solar, but only when costs come down a little more AND we can get the rebates.

I have no idea... Maybe it's a northeast thing.... But my wife and I like it freezing at night during the awful heat of the summer.... My condo electric bill last month was 400.00.... In the winter my electric runs about 175.00 a month.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by ApplnowsoonLV

Wow... Those power bills are extremely cheap.... I would rather be cooler and pay 250.00 a month.... I'm going to be very happy with household expenses in Vegas....

My neighbors who haven't done the energy-saving improvements and keep their house at 75f pay between $500 and $750 per month -- similar square footage and 2-story. The 1-story people pay less.

[ApplnowsoonLV]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

My neighbors who haven't done the energy-saving improvements and keep their house at 75f pay between $500 and $750 per month -- similar square footage and 2-story. The 1-story people pay less.

I gotcha.... Live and learn.....