Air Con in Villas

[paul_sheps]

Hi Everyone
On our first trip to FLA last year we were told by our villa management company not to have our air con any lower than 75f or it would freeze up and we'd be liable.
That was way too hot for us about 70f would be about right.
Is this normal or just a way to cut down on energy costs.
We rented the villa through TCD.

 

[UKDEB]

We've rented many villas and, yes, that's normal, Paul (I think most say not to set it below 73 degrees). You do have to make sure you have it set to cooling and not heat, though. You'd think 75 degrees would be 75 degrees, but it doesn't work like that.

We usually find that around 73 is low enough. We have occasionally reduced it to 70 degrees, although you'll find it's soon like an ice-box at that level. Just make sure you keep the doors closed and you shouldn't cause any damage to the system.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Generally in the villas we have stayed at we have been told not to adjust the air-con settings.
The temperatures are regulated and you do not get the icy blasts that are common when you step into a hotel room.

To be honest we always book one that has ceiling fans, especially in the bedrooms as we have found it not necessarily warm but just not cool enough (if that makes sense!).
They are very useful to have.

 

[tashasmum]

When we stayed in a villa last year we were not able to change the temps as the controls were inside a locked box. We had to get maintenance in before to change it.We did have ceiling fans in all of the bedrooms though which were great.

 

[isla bonita]

I have a villa in Florida and have never heard of this. Personally I think that if a guest is paying why can they not be comfortable. I can understand keeping the sliders and doors closed but to not be able to be comfortable does not right.

I am going to look into this myself. I am going to ask on my forum if they know anything about this?

 

[Boss Hogg]

Best thing to do if you've got celing fans is to keep all of the doors open. That way the air can circulate throughout the whole house and will be more likely to cool it better.

 

[paul_sheps]

I have a villa in Florida and have never heard of this. Personally I think that if a guest is paying why can they not be comfortable. I can understand keeping the sliders and doors closed but to not be able to be comfortable does not right.

I am going to look into this myself. I am going to ask on my forum if they know anything about this?

Sounds good do you have a site for your villa?

 

[JANNYANS]

Deb be wary of allowing freedon on the air con I have guests freeze mine up before now by putting it too low .

 

[vicky1bfc]

We had the same thing when we went with TCD.To be honest though i was freezing even with it set at that.

 

[UKDEB]

Deb be wary of allowing freedon on the air con I have guests freeze mine up before now by putting it too low

Quite. I suspect they have been running it at sub 70 degrees, or haven't kept the doors closed. If you're going to rent out your home, though, the whole thing is based on trust. I would rather rent from someone like Deb who is going to allow me to exercise my own judgement. I hate it when all the controls are locked. (And they're not actually locked anyway if you know what you're doing). I'm a responsible tenant and I treat all homes I rent as though they were my own, but I need the trust to work both ways.

 

[k-herm]

Best thing to do if you've got celing fans is to keep all of the doors open. That way the air can circulate throughout the whole house and will be more likely to cool it better.

Apologies for be a pedant , but a fan does not cool a house.

In fact, because of the heat generated by it's motor, it will actually increase the temperature around it.

Where a fan will seem to work [ie, will make one feel cooler] is when you are directly in it's air-shifting path, as this helps sweat evaporate which will make you feel cooler, but it will not have actually cooled the air.

If you were to place a thermometer in a villa's bedroom, for instance, and take a reading; then switch on the ceiling fan and take another reading, it will not be cooler...if anything, the temperature would have increased marginally.

So shifting air doesn't cool a house, but it can make a person feel cooler.

 

[isla bonita]

Sorry all it took a while to get a response. This is what a fellow owner stated. Sound ok. I am waiting to hear from others.

I turn mine down to about 72 with no problems, haven't tried 70. I never quite understood that "freeze-up" thing as it relates to temp setting anyway, at least for a properly working unit. The condensor (outside thing) has no idea what the temp inside the house is, and the evaporator (the inside thing) does get a flow of air from within the house, but what difference would 75 or 72 make.

Things that will make a difference are a clogged filter (reduced airflow will cause evaporator to freeze as warm air is not reaching it) and a low outside temp (below 65) can affect the pressure in the condensor.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Apologies for be a pedant , but a fan does not cool a house.

In fact, because of the heat generated by it's motor, it will actually increase the temperature around it.

Where a fan will seem to work [ie, will make one feel cooler] is when you are directly in it's air-shifting path, as this helps sweat evaporate which will make you feel cooler, but it will not have actually cooled the air.

If you were to place a thermometer in a villa's bedroom, for instance, and take a reading; then switch on the ceiling fan and take another reading, it will not be cooler...if anything, the temperature would have increased marginally.

So shifting air doesn't cool a house, but it can make a person feel cooler.

Great post

Strange, we have the ceiling fan on in the bedroom and when we turn it off it gets warmer....or maybe I am not in the 'air shifting path'?

 

[SimonY]

Apologies for be a pedant , but a fan does not cool a house.

In fact, because of the heat generated by it's motor, it will actually increase the temperature around it.

Where a fan will seem to work [ie, will make one feel cooler] is when you are directly in it's air-shifting path, as this helps sweat evaporate which will make you feel cooler, but it will not have actually cooled the air.

If you were to place a thermometer in a villa's bedroom, for instance, and take a reading; then switch on the ceiling fan and take another reading, it will not be cooler...if anything, the temperature would have increased marginally.

So shifting air doesn't cool a house, but it can make a person feel cooler.

And of course the fan will help circulate the air. Heat rises/cold sinks so taking the temperature at floor level and at ceiling level will show a temperature gradient. Switching on your ceiling fan will help mix the air so giving a more even temperature in the room (so may make it feel cooler).

 

[minnie29uk]

Hi Everyone
On our first trip to FLA last year we were told by our villa management company not to have our air con any lower than 75f or it would freeze up and we'd be liable.
That was way too hot for us about 70f would be about right.
Is this normal or just a way to cut down on energy costs.
We rented the villa through TCD.

This is very normal.Dont worry,there will probably be a notice by the air con controls and possibly some information in your welcome book too.
Yes,the controls will freeze if lower than recommended temp and you will then be left without air conditioning and the repair fee will come out of your security deposit.

Many homes have additional ceiling fans,which help cool you down when you are laying or sitting underneath them.

Its great to come home to a cool home after a hot day at the parks.

Enjoy your holiday,
Lynn