Comments on: How to Save Power in Summer http://www.handymanfixhomerepair.com/how-to-save-power-in-summer/ How to Fix, Build, Install, Customize, Repair, Restore, Renovate, and Demolish your House and Home Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:30:03 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: How To Fix http://www.handymanfixhomerepair.com/how-to-save-power-in-summer/comment-page-1/#comment-188 How To Fix Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:58:01 +0000 http://www.handymanfixhomerepair.com/?p=98#comment-188 True if you are in a humid part of the country leave the ac running but turn up the temperature... (I am not in a humid part of the country. I appreciate the insight you are providing.) True if you are in a humid part of the country leave the ac running but turn up the temperature…

(I am not in a humid part of the country. I appreciate the insight you are providing.)

]]> By: Wise Golden http://www.handymanfixhomerepair.com/how-to-save-power-in-summer/comment-page-1/#comment-187 Wise Golden Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:31:20 +0000 http://www.handymanfixhomerepair.com/?p=98#comment-187 Very bad and very false advise for some areas of the country, like Florida. You have to be very careful about turning air-conditioning on and off in the summer because of the humidity. Basically what can happen is that the humid air from outside will come into your house and condense on the colder surfaces – just like moister on a cold glass. The problem is that the cold surfaces are everywhere. Inside furniture, walls, cabinets, closets and you run a serious risk for developing black mold. Black mold can cause serious respiratory problems for many (most) people. No – better advise would be to keep the air on, but to turn it up 2-3 degrees while you’re at work, and 2 degrees while you are sleeping. If you’re going to be away for a few days, turn it up 5-6 degrees. Keep the temperature higher than normal, and wear shorts, t-shirts and no socks. Run ceiling fans in your office, or areas where you are stationed, but turn them off when you leave the room. These steps will allow you to keep the temperature set higher and remain comfortable. Another strategy is to use no air-conditioning for as long as you can bear it. Basically, allow your house to become as cold as you can get it at night (leave windows open,) and in the morning, close it up tight. It will stay cool until dusk in the marginal months. I use this strategy in the spring and fall, and I reverse it as we head into heating season. I figure that I can shorten the cooling cycle by about 6 weeks (3 weeks in spring, and 3 in fall,) and I can shorten heating season by 6 weeks (again 3 in spring and 3 in fall.) I estimate that it cost about $5 per day to cool or to heat, so 90 days of neither is a nice savings. Very bad and very false advise for some areas of the country, like Florida. You have to be very careful about turning air-conditioning on and off in the summer because of the humidity. Basically what can happen is that the humid air from outside will come into your house and condense on the colder surfaces – just like moister on a cold glass. The problem is that the cold surfaces are everywhere. Inside furniture, walls, cabinets, closets and you run a serious risk for developing black mold. Black mold can cause serious respiratory problems for many (most) people.

No – better advise would be to keep the air on, but to turn it up 2-3 degrees while you’re at work, and 2 degrees while you are sleeping. If you’re going to be away for a few days, turn it up 5-6 degrees. Keep the temperature higher than normal, and wear shorts, t-shirts and no socks. Run ceiling fans in your office, or areas where you are stationed, but turn them off when you leave the room. These steps will allow you to keep the temperature set higher and remain comfortable.

Another strategy is to use no air-conditioning for as long as you can bear it. Basically, allow your house to become as cold as you can get it at night (leave windows open,) and in the morning, close it up tight. It will stay cool until dusk in the marginal months. I use this strategy in the spring and fall, and I reverse it as we head into heating season. I figure that I can shorten the cooling cycle by about 6 weeks (3 weeks in spring, and 3 in fall,) and I can shorten heating season by 6 weeks (again 3 in spring and 3 in fall.) I estimate that it cost about $5 per day to cool or to heat, so 90 days of neither is a nice savings.

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