Turned central AC on for first time this year (2024)

We're in the heatwave mood the last week or so. I have my AC on 76* and the house is comfortable. I'm so glad the HVAC is a new unit :)

My 89 year old neighbor lady next door is a widow and lives alone. She doesn't have AC, only a couple fans. She said she can't sleep in her bedroom upstairs because there's no fans up there so she's been trying to sleep on the couch. She has a step-son that lives just a couple miles from her but he never does anything for her. Even if he would put a ceiling fan/light in her bedroom, at least it would be air circulating. He's a no-good a..hole. He's just waiting for her to kick off so he can sell the house. I call her and so does my other neighbor to check on her. I've told her to come over here to get in the AC but she says she's alright. :(
 
I put central AC in my home around 2010, not sure how I lived without it. I have a programable thermostat so vary the temp over the day so it's cool inside when I need it to be. My electric bill has never been over $80 for the month, but even if it doubled I would still run the AC, I'm not going to suffer over a few dollars.
 
Had to have my almost 20yr old Heat Pump recharged a couple of weeks ago
It's an old R22 system so I had them evacuate that stuff and charge with R407C
So far so good and we've had and will have lots of hot days
High today for example is 99 and high Tuesday is expected to be 101
Humidity is ALWAYS high here in the deep South

I'm home all day every day so a smart thermostat would not pay for itself
In the summer I keep the (dumb) thermostat set at 79 and have a pedestal fan circulating air about the house
The pedestal fan has a DC motor that uses less power and is quieter than a conventional AC motor.
It dang sure uses less power than Heat Pump for sure
 
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AC has been tested but hasn’t been turned on this summer. It’s strange weather. Just when the temperatures seem to be rising, they don’t. I’ve turned my new little fan on when we’re sitting in the living room. It does the trick.
 
MarkinPhx said:
Does your utility company offer an "equalizer" plan ? Both utility companies here offer one and it does help me some as far as budgeting goes.
Click to expand...
If 'equalizer' plan is like level pay plan, yes, we are on a level pay plan. They average what they think we'll use for the year and we pay a level amount based on that each month and settle any difference at the end of the year. Don...
 
MarkinPhx said:
Does your utility company offer an "equalizer" plan ? Both utility companies here offer one and it does help me some as far as budgeting goes.
Click to expand...

Probably a good idea if that option is available. My billing is an average billing and is the same every month but will slightly fluctuate up or down depending on yearly power usage. Currently I pay the power company $127 a month regardless of the month or power usage because it is an average. I remember a time when my power bill was NEVER over $100 but with the current price of energy, those days are long gone.
 
My housemates live in the central air controlled main part of the house. They control the thermostat and I closed the vent in the kitchen because it seemed too cold. My "suite" does not have air but I have a fan which I have yet to use.

Funny thing is I have been chilly until yesterday when the temp got to 97. Maybe my doctor will have a clue.
 
right now at 9.45pm it's 81 degrees in my house.. very warm... no AC here...

last night it was really difficult to sleep, I have a stand-alone oscillating fan, but I don't use it because of the high cost of electricity here now since the Russia/Ukraine war.. but I think I'm going to use it tonight and maybe all this week when I'm in bed, because we're forecast for heatwave..
 
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