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The New York Times (Home section) had an interesting article today titled "The Unchilled Life." It got me thinking.I'm pretty sure that I would not go without air conditioning where I live since summer temperatures frequently reach into the 100s - I wouldn't want to put my children through that. But the article really made me think about raising the temperature on our thermostat above what I'd previously considered "comfortable." Might it actually be better for my family's electric bill and health?
As I drive around my town, I frequently see landscape crews working in the intense heat of the summer - wearing long sleeves and hats, no less. Obviously, the body must adjust somewhat to extreme temperatures or these guys would pass out from that heat.
Do you live without A/C? If so, what was that adjustment like? If not, at what temperature do you typically have the thermostat set?
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2 comments:
We have found that we keep our home a little warmer than most. Usually when we have family/friends stay overnight. We keep our thermosat off, or at 73-76 at all times. At night, we have an exposed brick wall in our bedrooms that makes it 5-10 degrees cooler than the rest of the house. This doesn`t become a problem until company makes it very clear that they burn up while trying to sleep in the opposite end of the house. We have to remind ourselves to turn the AC on for the others in the house. Since leaving the AC off, we have noticed that our sinuses do not act up as much, that we have a higher tolerance for the outdoor temps (we spend alot of time outside) and we also are more even tempered, almost as if our bodies are adjusting to a more "neutral" temp. Also, our electric bill is HALF what others in the area have. The true testament came in the summer months when eletric bills in our area are generally "projeccted", we insisted that our meter be read..It was a difference of over $130!!! Our neighbor, who`s home has over 1100 sq. ft. less than we do, her bill was the same as ours. We have enjoyed the benefits, and with the exception of the complaints from guests, until they also adjust, we have not yet found a downside! Thanks so much for your site, and blog!
we keep ours at 76 but also have ceiling fans on in each room upstairs to keep air moving. little ones nap with no problem and there is a difference to our electric bill.
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