What temperature do you keep the air conditioning on at your house?

[twinkboylover28]

I like the A/C set at a cool 66 degrees; however, my mother has it set at an insane 76 degrees.

[+ deej]

In California, because of ever-possible rolling blackouts, the official reccomendation is 78.

 

My current setting: OFF. (I like fresh air and the cats will sleep all day anyway.)

[+ Hoover42]

I have an electronic thermostat which is programmed as follows:

 

80 first thing in the morning while I'm getting ready for work,

85 while I'm at work,

78 by the time I get home,

and 76 just before going to bed and through the night.

 

On the weekend, it's set at 78 all day and 76 at bedtime.

 

Sometimes, I'll drop it a degree or two if I'm doing something strenuous inside or if I'm sitting in front of a hot computer monitor.

 

I also have a dehumidier running to keep the humidity down to 30-40%.

 

With the conditions in my area lately hovering around 95 degrees and 80 percent humidity, 78 degrees and 35% humidity is quite a shock when coming in from the outside.

 

...Hoover

[Samai139]

The answer to this question depends on several factors:

1. Where do you live--south, west, east, mid-west, etc., assuming you live in the United States?

2. What season is it?

3. How old are you?

4. How overweight, if you are, are you?

5. What are your electricity rates?

6. Do you own or rent?

7. Do you have central air?

 

If comfort level is the ONLY factor, the answer probably would be more consistent.

Me? I don't have air-conditioning, just ceiling fans and a window fan which I use periodically to "suck" the stale hot air during the late evening/early morning hours. I do have the advantage of living in Western New York, near the "big lake" Ontario.

This will probably start a "fire-storm" of thought but---I am somewhat convinced that air-conditioning and the remote control are partially responsible for the obesity of many Americans.

[Epigonos]

I live in Southern California and this summer has been ungodly hot thus far. In setting my air conditioner comfort is the my only consideration. I know the government recommends 78 but I find that too warm for comfort so my thermostat is set day and night at 76. Those two degrees make a considerable difference -- for me anyway.

[+ Hoover42]

>This will probably start a "fire-storm" of thought but---I am

>somewhat convinced that air-conditioning and the remote

>control are partially responsible for the obesity of many

>Americans.

 

A report recently published in The International Journal of Obesity shows that keeping the temperature too cool actually does contribute to obesity.

 

Apparently, when people are feeling hot they don't eat as much, and they burn a lot more calories sweating to cool off.

 

Hey, Samai, were you one of the contributors to that report?

 

...Hoover

[jawjateck]

76 is very pleasant, and the temp I maintain my home during the summer. It is quite comfortable considering I live in hot humid, south Jawja, where these truly are the dawg days of summer. I cannot remember the last day where the high temp was below 95F.

[+ Charlie]

I live in the Southwest desert, where the normal high temperature for this date is 108 and the humidity relatively low. Since I am retired and spend much of my time at home, I keep the thermostat set at 80 all summer, but bump it up to 82 when there are power usage alerts. I hate places that are over-air-conditioned, and I think it is unhealthy to keep moving in and out of spaces that have very different temperatures.

[edjames]

Even in the Florida summer, the condo temp is set at around 77 degrees.

 

Your Mom probably keeps it at 76 for a number of reasons, first, it's probably the temperature she's most comfortable with and although a little low for some, it probably keeps the high energy costs down. Have you looked at the energy bill lately? Do you contribute to paying it? Second, the older you get, the more you feel the cold, so your Mom's age and health might have something to do with it. 66 is almost frigid, so I have to ask what do you wear around the home? Do you wear cool and comfortable clothing (shorts and tees) in the hot weather, or are you wearing heavy jeans and shirts? Perhaps you and your Mom should discuss the situation and see if you can reach a compromise temperature that meets both your needs while you're in the house.

[Samai139]

Hoover~~

Wish I could take credit, but alas, no. Having lived in tropical climates--West Africa--for many, many years, I can personally attest that appetite is suppressed by heat and humidity. Sweating also helps your body "cleanse" itself of water, salts, and other minerals. So as unpleasant as sweating might be, I believe it is healthy. When I first went to Africa I couldn't really understand the heavy use of very, very hot peppers in almost all dishes. But after adjusting, a little, I came to realise that the "fire" inside somehow alleviates the "fire" externally. Go figure.

[jackhammer91406]

News from the artic

 

Make mine meat locker temperature.

[+ deej]

RE: News from the artic

 

How's that electric bill?

 

My last one TRIPLED over the same period last year. }(

[jackhammer91406]

RE: News from the arctic

 

A company perk, paid for by my employer. ;-)

[+ Oliver]

RE: News from the artic

 

>Make mine meat locker temperature.

 

Just the way l'l jack likes it??? }(

[twinkboylover28]

RE: News from the artic

 

I agree! Meat Locker temperature is ideal! Looks like I'm not the only polar bear in here LOL

 

Malls, casinos, grocery stores, and most commercial establishments (like my work) keep it at 66 degrees.

 

I'm 32, 6'5" tall, 350 pounds and wear size 16 shoes. I drink a lot of caffeine and I'm clinicaly obese. I don't wear a suit and tie; however, I wear dockers and a dress shirt. I hate to sweat, especially after taking a nice shower! I simply can't tolerate any humidity.

 

The younger you are the cooler you like it. Men also like it cooler than women.

 

Two commercials come to mind. One is about "home ownership" where the guy calls his mom and says he's "air conditioning the entire neighborhood."

 

The second commercial is the "lexus car" ad where you can adjust the climate control individualy on each side -- passenger and driver. The man has it on 68 and the women has it on 72.

 

I couldnt sleep comfortably with the AC above 72!

 

Many older people -- senior citizens 60+ -- move to florida because they can't tolerate cool temps.

 

 

At 32 years of age, I believe I am one of the youngest members on this board (as a client).

 

That is why I'm not that surprised that some board members responded with 76+ degrees.

 

Maybe 76+ degrees works if your AC is constantly running 24/7 , but my God that sounds like an oven to me.

 

I use the AC for only one reason -COMFORT!! The electric bill be damned.

 

And the whole obesity thing has nothing to do with AC. It is a simple matter of eating more calories and junk food than burning them off with excercise. Enough with the green peace.

 

If that were true, then in theory, you could reverse the arguemnt and say people are obese because of "heating" in the winter as well! Please.

 

By the way, in the winter I keep the heating temperature at 69 degrees and my mon puts it at 72 degrees.

 

We live in the Detroit, Michigan area.

[Epigonos]

RE: News from the artic

 

I disagree that weight has nothing to do with how ones reacts to heat. I found that when I weighed fifty pounds more than I currently do heat bothered me much more than it does now. I don't know if there is any scientific validity to this conclusion but it is certainly true for me.

[twinkboylover28]

RE: News from the artic

 

Weight has a LOT to do with how one reacts to heat. I never said it didn't.

 

I don't agree that air conditioning contributes to the cause of obesity. I believe obesity is caused by poor diet and lack of excercise.

[Guest bighugbearphx]

RE: News from the artic

 

As had been pointed out, WHERE you live has a lot to do with it. Here in Phoenix, even 82 degrees feels great when you come in from the "oven" that is this city during the summer. And the low humidity most of the year makes it feel more comfortable at higher temperatures than you folks in most cities.

 

Also, keep in mind that, in a house or larger apartment, setting the thermostat at 78 or 80 means you are maintaining that temperature AT THE THERMOSTAT. While as well-insulated as a 40 year old brick house can be in this city, I do lose some of the cooling in the outer rooms to the heat radiating in from outside. I keep it set at 74, but my bedroom actually reads a few degrees warmer during the summer.

 

When I lived in an apartment complex, when I first moved here from NY, a neighbor who had just moved from Brooklyn kept his AC at 64 all summer, and I don't think it ever went off for four months each year. I can only imagine what his electric bill was (We pay almost three times as much for a unit of electricity during the summer, due to fuel surcharges), but he said it was worth it to him, as he worked at night and had to sleep during the day. Walking from outside into his apartment (sometimes more than 40 degrees cooler) was a shock to the system!

[johnnybrk25]

RE: News from the artic

 

I don't even have air conditioning but I usually don't feel all that hot. I'm pretty thin so I find I get cold much more easily than overwarm. Honestly in Oregon you don't really need air conditioning anyways it just doesn't get that hot. Imagine my shock for my first mid-western summer. I think being acclimated to your local climate probably plays a big part in how you react to the heat.