Have you broken down yet?

[henni]

Cooling systems should always be deliberately undersized to allow the system to run continuously and dehumidify efficiently. Have setup several system where a 2ton(24000btu) variable speed system (both blower and compressor, 23 SEER or higher) replaced 3ton,4ton systems.

One added benefit to the variable speed systems is totally silent operation.

 

[OVERKILL]

Depends on how hot the summer ends up being. Last year was the first year I really ran it.

 

[Kestas]

Here in Michigan I haven't turned mine on yet. I have a big shade tree that shades the house and I put on a light colored roof a few years ago. I typically use the a/c no more than three weeks total during the summer.

 

[azjake]

Been on since late March although not used every day back then. Here in Phoenix early spring can require heat in the morning and A/C by mid afternoon.

 

[scurvy]

Since when is turning on the AC 'breaking down'? I bought the dang thing to keep me comfortable and I'll use it whenever I like!

We tend to use the AC more during the day and put a box fan in the window on cooler, less-humid nights. But if it's humid out, it runs more to keep the humidity down than to cool the air.

 

[Spazdog]

Yesterday's high was 96°. Nighttime lows are still in the 70s but that's only for a couple of hours very early in the morning.

So yeah, it's been on.

But we had a mild winter so I only used the heat a couple of times.

Had a couple of really low power bills in spite of living in a house with "crazy light ladies" that walk into a room to turn on the light just because, "it's dark in there. I don't want it to be dark."

 

[Cutehumor]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Just something to think about; My father worked as an industrial refrigeration engineer for over 40 years. In the second house we lived in, he installed central air one summer (big job) He did some record keeping and found out it was just as cost effective to leave the AC on all the time than it was to allow the house to heat up and then try to draw it down to a reasonable temp. Lesson might be "don't wait for it got get hot before turning on the AC"


makes sense. probably burns out the a/c unit by running 2 hours straight to drop a house temp 15 degrees. say if you left your house for two weeks set at 90F on vacation. you come back and put it on 75F.

 

[Cutehumor]

today high is 96 degrees. a/c been on for a month now.

 

[henni]

I think the mentality among the non-technical folks here obscures the fact that latest inverter technology full-time variable speed systems actually cost much less to operate "full time". For example, all of the last variable speed (compressor and blower) systems I've recently installed dropped the average home owner utility power bill by 20-35 percent. That is in addition the the rebates they received from their local power company and it is in addition to the government tax credit rebates and it is in addition to the "totally silent operation". You can literally install the compressor under the master BR (or any BR) window outside on a concrete slab and the inhabitants will never hear the compressor sound or any sounds.

 

[Kestas]

Originally Posted By: scurvy
Since when is turning on the AC 'breaking down'? I bought the dang thing to keep me comfortable and I'll use it whenever I like!

It's called "eco-guilt". We are now made to feel guilty for every watt of electricity, every gallon of gas, and every gallon of water we use for out comfort.

 

[opus1]

Yes, last Saturday. I usually make it either to or just past Memorial Day but this year it wasn't worth the wait. I have less of a problem turning on the AC early than the heat; last fall, I came close to having to turn on the heat in September but I just couldn't bear to do that.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: henni
Cooling systems should always be deliberately undersized to allow the system to run continuously and dehumidify efficiently. Have setup several system where a 2ton(24000btu) variable speed system (both blower and compressor, 23 SEER or higher) replaced 3ton,4ton systems.

One added benefit to the variable speed systems is totally silent operation.


This is my philosophy. 10k btu is not 2x as good as 5k btu for a window AC unit. We don't get "hot" but we do get some curse-worthy humidity and haze that needs the edge cut off. The drain hole from my rinky dinky window unit moves a nice stream of condensate.

I hate hearing the think clunk, start, and stop while I sleep. I've finally gotten over the fact that the compressor sounds like a hobo with a sinus infection gargling with a cupfull of BB's.

eco-guilt: I have none. Save enough energy doing dumb stuff like leaving beer in the snow instead of cooling it in the fridge, turning off lights at work, etc. I deserve AC like any red blooded American.

 

[wander2039]

With the weather here it's been on and off since March. Need to call a tech next week to look at it though. Hasn't been touched in at least the 10 years since we've been here.. getting to where it's taking way longer than it should to cool things down!

 

[RTexasF]

Ours is on 10-11 months per year. After 6.5 years here I think the heater has been used maybe 5-6 times.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: henni
Cooling systems should always be deliberately undersized to allow the system to run continuously and dehumidify efficiently. Have setup several system where a 2ton(24000btu) variable speed system (both blower and compressor, 23 SEER or higher) replaced 3ton,4ton systems.

One added benefit to the variable speed systems is totally silent operation.


This is my philosophy. 10k btu is not 2x as good as 5k btu for a window AC unit. We don't get "hot" but we do get some curse-worthy humidity and haze that needs the edge cut off. The drain hole from my rinky dinky window unit moves a nice stream of condensate.


When visiting my relatives in the north, I noticed that their outside compressor unit was maybe half the size of my compressor unit. Funny because if you include the basement, their house is probably two and a half times larger than ours. (NTX houses typically do not have basements)

It was explained to me that a larger unit would lower the temperature but not remove the humidity. A smaller unit will run longer and dehumidify better.

That's how it was explained to me.

When you run triple digit temperatures and 30% humidity for 3 months out of the year, you get about one + ton per 500 sq-ft or you get hot.

Another funny difference, the compressor units up north weren't mounted on concrete slabs. They had galvanized steel pipes that stuck out of the outside walls and held the unit up. May have just been the builder in that neighborhood.

 

[tig1]

I grew up in Texas near Dallas in the 50s. No AC.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

With the warm weather this winter, I don't think our A/C has been off for more than a few days at a time during the occasional cold snaps since last spring. Still okay to drive with the windows down around sunset though and up to around 11 AM.

 

[PandaBear]

AC is still off. This winter I tinted the living room window and so far the house is much cooler than the last several years.

Originally Posted By: eljefino

eco-guilt: I have none. Save enough energy doing dumb stuff like leaving beer in the snow instead of cooling it in the fridge, turning off lights at work, etc. I deserve AC like any red blooded American.

You do indeed deserve AC with all the frugal living you have been doing.

 

[KrisZ]

I turned mine on last week. It will probably be off this week as the temps are expected to go into low 20s. I just prefer fresh air especially this time of year.

 

[JOD]

I don't have air conditioning, and I've pretty much vowed never to live anywhere where I need air conditioning. I'm sure I was whining last year about the "summer" we had, but I just don't like having to live in air conditioning.

I'm not some sort of nutcase. Most here don't have AC. When I moved here 15 years ago I thought it was a giant conspiracy that you didn't need air conditioning or window screens, but you just don't.