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The mini heat wave
Posted by: Huntington ()
Date: June 19, 2012 11:19PM

Just curious with the next few days of extreme heat coming on - what do you keep your a/c set at? We keep ours at a steady 72* during the summer. FWIW, during the winter, we keep the heat at 69*. Anybody?

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: GH34 ()
Date: June 19, 2012 11:43PM

A crisp 29. Puts hair on your chest.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: Truotf ()
Date: June 19, 2012 11:45PM

Huntington Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just curious with the next few days of extreme
> heat coming on - what do you keep your a/c set at?
> We keep ours at a steady 72* during the summer.
> FWIW, during the winter, we keep the heat at 69*.
> Anybody?

Jeez. How's your caviar at that temperature? That aged fine wine is pretty good with it, huh. Oh, your monocle fell to the floor.

God I hate when I have to take the car to the shop. There's only 3 Bentley dealers in the area!! Argh.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: Huntington ()
Date: June 20, 2012 12:13AM

I guess I should have been more direct. We don't want to run the a/c too hard in the next few days, and I was curious as to what other people kept their thermostats at when it gets that hot. Clearly, by the fact that I use my neighborhood as my screen name, we are hardly on a caviar/ fine wine/ Bentley budget. We live in a tiny 2 BR duplex built in the 40's, with no insulation. Just wanted some insight from other homeowners, thanks.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: cheapass ()
Date: June 20, 2012 12:26AM

Running the AC is too expensive. I have 3 freezers, I just leave the doors open.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: G01NHAM ()
Date: June 20, 2012 12:37AM

those are good temps to run it at, but if you feel exhaustion then play it safe and run it at a lower temp of course...

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: trogdor! ()
Date: June 20, 2012 12:45AM

Maybe I should take the Bugatti out this weekend, but only at night because I'm a vampire.

We're at 73 during the day, 68 for sleeping. My AC is having problems keeping to those numbers even now. Hmmmm...not good.

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Cool_Air

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: Ito ()
Date: June 20, 2012 12:46AM

If you want to save some coin, turn up the temp a little -- to like 76-78 degrees. Then get a couple $15 fans from Home Depot to put on the floor of the room you're in.

Its amazing how just having some air circulation makes it much more comfortable.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: green is for suckas ()
Date: June 20, 2012 03:23PM

I like in a complex with free utilities. I have the thermostat sent to 60 degrees. If it gets too cold I open a window to let some heat in.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: JBass ()
Date: June 20, 2012 03:44PM

green is for suckas Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I like in a complex with free utilities. I have
> the thermostat sent to 60 degrees. If it gets too
> cold I open a window to let some heat in.


I lived in a building like this once. I could have stored cadavers in my living room!

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: justsayin ()
Date: June 20, 2012 04:11PM

I always have it at 78, maybe 77 if I'm feeling like a 1%-er.

People actually set it to 68-72-ish? That's my winter setting.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: TheMeeper ()
Date: June 20, 2012 04:22PM

I keep mine at 78 or 79 and keep the ceiling fans on high. I don't like sitting around in a cold room. I'd be freezing if I had mine on 72. 72's usually where I usually keep my heat in the winter. I prefer being on the warm side.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: FFX Homeowner ()
Date: June 20, 2012 04:25PM

I keep it at 70 year round. Can't stand the heat. I sometimes break out in hives when it gets hot. Ten minutes outside in this weather and I get dizzy and nauseous. I also sleep with a fan at night - feels like a breeze and is very calming.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: More Complete ()
Date: June 20, 2012 05:18PM

74 Summer
69 Winter

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: jurgenson ()
Date: June 20, 2012 05:30PM

69, huh ?
With what's 'er name?

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: Alexander Smith ()
Date: June 20, 2012 08:52PM

FFX Homeowner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I keep it at 70 year round. Can't stand the heat.
> I sometimes break out in hives when it gets hot.
> Ten minutes outside in this weather and I get
> dizzy and nauseous. I also sleep with a fan at
> night - feels like a breeze and is very calming.


Amen, brother! Can't stand the heat. My thermostat is usually at 69 degrees.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: ThePackLeader ()
Date: June 20, 2012 08:58PM

Ours is always at 68 F., winter and summer (Obviously with the difference being heat vs. A/C). Sometimes it can get chilly at that temp. when it rains, because of the increased moisture (We do have a central dehumidifier these days, but you still notice the difference on extremely wet vs. dry days). The highest we set it is maybe at 69 F. or 70 F., but 68 F. is a safe bet (Before we had our A/C "Recharged", our new unit had to be set at around 66 F. to achieve the same level of coolness as it does now).

==================================================================================================
"And if any women or children get their legs torn off, or faces caved in, well, it's tough shit for them." -2LT. Bert Stiles, 505th, 339th (On Berlin Bombardier Mission, 1944).

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: Ralph Pootawn ()
Date: June 20, 2012 08:59PM

trogdor! Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Maybe I should take the Bugatti out this weekend,
> but only at night because I'm a vampire.
>
> We're at 73 during the day, 68 for sleeping. My
> AC is having problems keeping to those numbers
> even now. Hmmmm...not good.
>
> http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Cool_Air


This right here.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: ThePackLeader ()
Date: June 20, 2012 09:03PM

Alexander Smith Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FFX Homeowner Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I keep it at 70 year round. Can't stand the
> heat.
> > I sometimes break out in hives when it gets
> hot.
> > Ten minutes outside in this weather and I get
> > dizzy and nauseous. I also sleep with a fan at
> > night - feels like a breeze and is very
> calming.
>
>
> Amen, brother! Can't stand the heat. My thermostat
> is usually at 69 degrees.


I hate the heat as well. I really like the distinct four seasons we have around here, but my ideal summertime weather is what we had on Monday and the days prior to that (I refer to them as New England summers). I can deal with the heat when need be, and I've been out in 115 F. Heat Index days and done some strenuous workouts, but I still hate it with a passion. When I was in Spain back in 2004 they had a major heat wave with temps upwards of 120 F., and of course no A/C really anywhere. The only saving grace for me was the thick walled 12th/11th century home, and the open window which faced directly down the mountainside towards the cool air and breezes that came in at night.

I've been without A/C before in the Keys, and I did acclimate to it, but man, in all honesty I wouldn't want to live without it. Up North I can deal with it, even sans A/C, but not anywhere south of UpState NY.

==================================================================================================
"And if any women or children get their legs torn off, or faces caved in, well, it's tough shit for them." -2LT. Bert Stiles, 505th, 339th (On Berlin Bombardier Mission, 1944).

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: Multizoning it ()
Date: June 20, 2012 09:09PM

76 downstairs, 74 upstairs

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: Ralph Pootawn ()
Date: June 20, 2012 09:10PM

Was in Seattle last week and it was 55 and rainy, they called it Juneuary.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: heat miser ()
Date: June 20, 2012 09:26PM

it's the humidity. It sucks, but I will take this anyday over winter. I lived in Maine and below zero Is not fun. keeping the place at 75. turning it to 70 for the next two days.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: Aaron Y. ()
Date: June 20, 2012 09:43PM

I keep my temperature on 74 when I'm at the crib. 79 in the winter time, that's just how I live.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: Two zones ()
Date: June 20, 2012 09:56PM

69 down

68 Up

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: Huntington ()
Date: June 21, 2012 12:22AM

Curious about the people that adjust the temp when they are home vs. not home. I have friends from CT that only run the AC at night, when at home. Doesn't it cost more to do that? The house heats up all day and takes awhile to cool when you finally turn the AC on, right? Or am I wrong on this? On another note, I really wish we had bought a newer house w/ insulation. Our bills aren't bad b/c our house is really small but, still. There is at least a 10-15* degree difference going from first floor to the second. Not bitching, just curious to see what others do.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: Ito ()
Date: June 21, 2012 12:31AM

You can buy an automatic thermostat from Home Depot for about $30-50 and set it to raise and lower the temps for you while you are away during the day.

I had mine set (before I started working from home) to go up into the 80s even at midday, but start cooling the house around 4 p.m. By the time I got home at 6 the house was at a good temperature.

People don't realize that turning the temperature up or down on your thermostat doesn't increase or decrease the output on your A/C. It just tells the A/C when to turn off. So your A/C will just be running less when you set the temp higher, not less hard. Make sense?

Usually it takes 1 - 2 hours to cool your house from a high temperature. Its better to not pay for the A/C to run all day when you're not using it.

One caveat however: if you have computer equipment running all the time and you let your house get too hot, it can hurt your stuff.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: Ito ()
Date: June 21, 2012 12:36AM

Huntington Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> On another note, I really wish we had
> bought a newer house w/ insulation. Our bills
> aren't bad b/c our house is really small but,
> still. There is at least a 10-15* degree
> difference going from first floor to the second.
> Not bitching, just curious to see what others do.

The insulation in your walls is usually not the problem, its the attic insulation you need (mostly in the winter to keep the heat in). If you are having problems keeping your house cool in the summer, the problem is more likely to be old windows and doors.

Both of these problems can be solved. Attic insulation is quite cheap. New windows and doors are a somewhat expensive upgrade, but can really save you a lot of money on your electric bill -- not to mention the resale value on your home.

If your windows and doors are older than 15-20 years, consider replacing them.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2012 12:37AM by Ito.

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: Mr. Michael ()
Date: June 21, 2012 07:11AM

My a/c died. Anyone ever tried them in room a/c units? Not allowed to use window units in my complex.

If I get some dry ice and close the room off would that cool things off adequately for a day?

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: CERTenly3456765 ()
Date: June 21, 2012 11:24AM

CERT training tells us how to treat heat problems. CERT ROCKS!

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Re: The mini heat wave
Posted by: Ale ()
Date: June 21, 2012 11:36AM

I keep mine at 72 during the summer and 74 during the winter. I have a baby and this seems to be the right temperature for him. In my room I do use the fan because to me it is a bit hot.

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