How Cool Is Your House?

[Lucky]

With July now on record as the hottest July ever, I wonder where folks here have set their thermostats. My electric bill is so high that I have raised it to 77.

When we moved here, we kept it at 72. Each year it went a bit higher as the electric bills came in. Strange thing is, I adjust to each rise in the number. I never thought I could live with 77. (In the winter, I go down to 69.)

So where is yours? Do you pay much for the electric?

[Guest FourAces]

With many days over 100 here I tend to use the AC when home. When I am out, which is most the day, its set at about 77 - 80. When I return home I set it at 74 ... but when its time to get some sleep I set it at 71. I like to sleep when I'm in a cool place.

Winters are not too bad here I usually keep the temp around 68 - 71 depending on my mood.

[BigK]

86 when not home, 79 when home during the day or evening, 78 when sleeping. Houston. I think it's cooler then those temperatures are reflecting. I think my thermostat is not properly calibrated.

I've had the same experience of raising the temp during the summer slowly over the years.

[Guest EXPAT]

Well, I shouldn't answer because everyone will kill me. But I haven't used my air conditioner until today for the first time. It got up to 84 at the beach today and that is a bit too warm for me. But before this month, my electric bill hasn't been above $55 / month at most.

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

Luckily, when I bought my condo back in 2008, it came with a new programmable thermostat.. So I have it set where it goes up during the day, then gradually lowers for nights. I like it cool to sleep, so at night it goes to 71.. during the day, it goes up to 80. But since I live in Phoenix, we pay thru the nose for our summer electric bills. Yesterday we set two records for the date.. the high was 114, which was the highest temperature ever for that day.. and we also saw a record low.. NO, not the lowest low, but instead, the highest record low. It was 93. There have been days in Phoenix where it is still over 100 degrees at midnite..Days like that, you just say "Damn the electric bill, I am gonna be comfortable."

[ihpguy]

No heating here and haven't needed to use the airconditioner since January 2008. Just a ceiling fan and tropical breezes.

[OneFinger]

My condo is all electric and does NOT have AC.

I'm paying less than $50 per month and that includes the cost of room fans to circulate the air.

There are probably only 6 or less nights per year when I actually wish I had AC. Most of the time I'm very comfortable with the room fans.

[Guest samfitzpatrick]

I also have a programmable thermostat. Set at 80 while I'm at work. 72 when I get home, and 74 at night. For some reason, my bedroom tends to be a couple of degrees cooler than the rest of the condo, so I don't feel much difference when I good to bed.

[Guest NCBored]

Since my father came to live with me (in NC) in March, I keep the thermostat set on 75 (& he wears a sweatshirt most of the time!) But duiring our weeks of 95-101, the AC couldn't cope & it would reach 80 by evening.

At night, I turn it down to 73.

If I were living alone, I'd lower it a degree or 2.

[Guest CharliePS]

I guess I can handle heat better than many people. This morning I was playing tennis in the sun at 100+ (luckily, one of the other players is a doctor), and it was oppressive, but not unbearable. During the summer I keep the house set at 80 all the time, and have no trouble sleeping. In the winter, I keep it at 75, wear sweats in the house during the day and sleep under a quilt at night. The water temperature in my pool today was 91, not really refreshing.

[AdamSmith]

Here in Raleigh I keep it at 79 most of the day. May click it down to 78 a little before beddie-bye if the front wall (against which my bed lies) is blasting forth a lot of retained heat soaked up from the afternoon sun.

Winters, 68 or 69 is fine day and night.

[boiworship]

No AC at my place near the beach. Slept last night with a comforter as a cool breeze wafted through the second floor.

[Guest hitoallusa]

I leave all the windows open with the security alarm on so rarely use AC... I sleep on the floor sometimes when it's really hot... Winter is always problem for me though it gets too cold I need a warm husband beside me

[Guest Oliver]

With the humidity in central Ohio, I use the AC most of the time in July and August - 74 during the day - 68 at night.

... (In the winter, I go down to 69.) ...

Only in the winter??? I would have thought any time!

[Lucky]

Gosh, it has been so long since i 69'd that i forgot the meaning!

[Guest lurkerspeaks]

Gosh, it has been so long since i 69'd that i forgot the meaning!

i prefer 77, you get ate (8) more

[Guest epigonos]

Fortunately, until a couple of day ago, we have had a rather cool summer here in north Orange County, CA. Today was a scorcher 100+. I absolutely HATE hot weather. I don't care whether the heat is dry or wet -- I HATE IT. I keep my daytime temperature between 76 and 78. It cools off here at night thus I can turn the air conditioning off. Our winters are quite mild and as I don't like artificial heat any better than I do natural heat I haven't used my furnace in years. When it get into the fifties outside I simply put on a sweater in the house. I have found that using the heater dries out my skin and I develop a rash.

[Guest zipperzone]

We can all so as Marilyn did in "The Seven Year Itch" and keep our undies in the fridge.....

[Guest sfolax]

I live in an older building so electricity is included in the rent (no individually metered units) so I keep it at 65 in NYC.