A/C Usage Throughout the Year

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

It also varies on whether you live in an apartment/condo or a single family house. More A/C and more heat needed with a smaller dwelling, due to more rapid changes in indoor temp.

I've lived in apartments the last 4 years, and setting the thermostat at 75°, I use heat from late November until generally early February. A/C from mid March (most years) until early November, though in a couple of the more recent warmer than average February's, have had to use A/C in Feb as well. There is a window from early Feb to mid March and again for middle November where I don't need heat or A/C

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by FirebirdCamaro1220

It also varies on whether you live in an apartment/condo or a single family house. More A/C and more heat needed with a smaller dwelling, due to more rapid changes in indoor temp.

I've lived in apartments the last 4 years, and setting the thermostat at 75°, I use heat from late November until generally early February. A/C from mid March (most years) until early November, though in a couple of the more recent warmer than average February's, have had to use A/C in Feb as well. There is a window from early Feb to mid March and again for middle November where I don't need heat or A/C

February 2017 didn't seem to get warm enough to need the AC at all for us, and we still had our heat running at night on most days of the month; temperatures were only slightly warmer than average, but not enough to need AC. February 2016 on the other hand had 20 days where the highs were above 80.

[Ponderosa]

Many people here have a heat pump for both cooling and heating. In that case, you are using the AC year round.

[wit-nit]

Our AC temp is set at 74 degrees and left there all year around. It automatically heats up or cools down to that level when necessary. That's our comfort zone.

[pbenjamin]

It shouldn't be that different than what you are used to, A/C in the hot months, heat in the cold months. The only difference will be that the hot months are a larger group and the months when you need the heat on are fewer. Some people claim that they never turn on their heat in the winter. Not sure that I believe them, but that's a different discussion.

[wase4711]

74 degrees is mine too

[ElleTea]

I use the AC from about the beginning of May till the end of October or so. I don't think I really turned the heat on at all last year other than setting it at about 64 overnights just so it wouldn't get colder than that.

My daytime temp is usually about 78-80 in I am home.

74 degrees all the time? I do not have the money for that! LOL

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

74 degrees all the time? I do not have the money for that! LOL

For homes in New York that is actually a fairly typical set point which would otherwise be too expensive to operate in our climate. Since the OP is from New York the she might just have to adjust to 78 unless she can afford cooling her home to the same set point she was used to in New York.

[HollyhockGarden]

ka3la -- Hello! I live down here in the Phoenix area, and have for over 30 years, and just want to say that you have received some very on-the-spot replies! The posted times of using a/c and heat are pretty accurate. And there are definitely a couple of "nothing necessary" months, too, which are nice for the budget.

The only experience I have not heard of before is the one described is the one in #5, where the a/c had to be run more months on the 2nd floor than on the 1st floor. Have not yet met anyone who had to do that, although it could be possible. We do have 2-story house and are blessed to have cross-ventilation in all the rooms upstairs and I am sure that does help. We also have dual-zoned a/c [one for each floor] and that helps too.

One thing to think about is using one of the new electric fireplaces or fireplace stoves, in a family-gathering room. They are great for ambiance in an area which has frequent "no-burn" nights in December and January, and they also take the chill out of a room on a cool night.

Good luck with your potential move! You have lots of things to think about!

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by pbenjamin

It shouldn't be that different than what you are used to, A/C in the hot months, heat in the cold months. The only difference will be that the hot months are a larger group and the months when you need the heat on are fewer. Some people claim that they never turn on their heat in the winter. Not sure that I believe them, but that's a different discussion.

I don't believe them either, an unheated house here would probably be about 58° at night to 63° in the afternoon in Dec&Jan, there is no way