Thermostat and weather

[Eat_Up_Martha]

Having moved from Saskatchewan, with an average annual temperature difference of about 50C, to the West Coast, with an average annual temperature difference of about 10C, I haven't touched my thermostat since I moved in.

 

[Disgustipated]

Question: How many months out of the year do you think your home can maintain itself in between 68 F (20C) and 80 (27C) without *intentional heating or cooling?



I am trying to keep it off as long as I can, but I can't take it any more. 80 is my limit.

This house is about 10 years old, typical track four bedroom suburban home. In Vegas, so it gets fairly hot and only dips a few points below freezing over night in the coldest months. There are at most 3 to 4 months where I can have the air and heating off.



So tell us, how many months, type of house where you live. Perhaps some innovative tips for keeping cool or warm?

I have terrible insulation, and I live on the East side (the hotter part) of town. I had to run my A/C a little last week when it got to 99F outside. I can usually go without A/C until it gets to the upper 90's or 100. It involves opening my windows when it's cooler outside than in my house, and closing them when it's warmer outside than in my house.

But in Vegas we seem to go from A/C weather to heating weather in one month (last October for instance). It's annoying that I had to run the A/C and the heat in the same month. I guess I could move to Hawaii, if only I had the money. Hawaiins move to our city because there are no jobs there.

 

[Disgustipated]

Speaking of, the A/C guys think they have found my leak in the condenser coils. The other guy I had look for the leak the past couple of years couldn't find it. Unfortunately a new condenser will be very expensive. .

 

[emzie]

If we're talking in full month blocks, probably zero. If we're talking # days / year without using AC/heat it's probably 4-5 months worth.

 

[Zelig]

I have no idea.

My thermostat is set to heat my house up to 18 year-round (depending on time of day), and I've got no A/C.

I don't notice when the heater is on, and utility bills are included with rent.

 

[Tabarnak]

Well a month doesn't need to be an all or nothing thing, just a rough estimation of how many days you can keep it off.

Ok, because i voted 4 months but after review it's more like 3 months. If i only count days well yeah i can reach 4 months.

I live near Montreal in Canada. I live on a 2nd floor 5 1/2 appartment with my girlfriend. That may explain why i can reach 4 months for this region(june, july and august are hot enough). I don't have any coolant system. In fact, i only pay an average of 50$ per month for electricity.

 

[El_Machinae]

I remember a scientist that was trying to invent a liquid that had a heat-of-transition temperature at 70F. It would cool our houses when the outside temp went up and warm the house when the temp dropped.

 

[Akkon888]

I remember a scientist that was trying to invent a liquid that had a heat-of-transition temperature at 70F. It would cool our houses when the outside temp went up and warm the house when the temp dropped.

In other words, something like ethanal, only less flammable, toxic and carcinogenic.

We don't use heating/cooling elements from temps 20-28C (~68-80F). Our house is well insulated, and we live in the Pacific Northwest, so we can turn off the heater from early May to late September. So that's five months.

 

[ZeletDude]

Well it gets cold here.. I'd say late April to October.. But it varies each year, it was warm this year.

 

[civ_king]

Question: How many months out of the year do you think your home can maintain itself in between 68 F (20C) and 80 (27C) without *intentional heating or cooling?



I am trying to keep it off as long as I can, but I can't take it any more. 80 is my limit.

This house is about 10 years old, typical track four bedroom suburban home. In Vegas, so it gets fairly hot and only dips a few points below freezing over night in the coldest months. There are at most 3 to 4 months where I can have the air and heating off.



So tell us, how many months, type of house where you live. Perhaps some innovative tips for keeping cool or warm?

1) What's a thermostat?

2) Why so narrow a temperature band? 80-90 is fine as long as it's a dry heat (muggy weather is disgusting) and 55-68 is fine too.

 

[Disgustipated]

80 to 90 is tough. Because locally (ie next to my computer where I always am) is hotter than that due to the heat my computer puts out. This thing puts out massive amounts of heat. I can take up to about 82 inside (if I have a fan on me), and I live in the desert so it's usually a dry heat. But lately I prefer 79 or 78.

In the winter I don't mind keeping it cool, since I'll just wear sweatshirt and sweat pants (and always socks). I'll usually keep it 64 or 65 in the winter.