What is your AC set at?

[SoCalDCLfan]

We live in Southern California. Haven't turned it on since last summer. We will use it on a need to basis. Mostly turn it on over 95-100. Then we put it on about 79-80. Never use it at night except in rare instances where it is over 95. I don't want to pay the high bill so we try and suffer through it.

We do the same. We also participate in Edison's Summer discount program where they can turn off your AC in high usage times. They give us $40 or so credit on our bill each summer month. Funny thing is we don't use our AC much at all, but we still get the credit just by giving them the ability to turn it off. If it gets too hot, we open all windows or head to the beach

 

[delmar411]

68* year round. Our bills are very low too. Just paid the June bill and it was just under $80.

 

[disneychrista]

83 in during the day, 80 for about 3 hours 5 - 8, then we open windows/doors and use fans.

 

[purplegirl247]

Not only is it hot and humid in Central Florida (especially this year, it feels like), but I'm very sensitive to the heat and get VERY irritible if it's too hot. We keep our a/c at 81 on days when hubby and I are both working, and 77 when we are home. Until very recently, we were putting it down to 76 when we went to bed, but our electric bill hit $188 (the highest it's ever been!) last month so we're doing without for now.

In the "winter" we keep the thermostat at 65 (if we turn it on at all) and make due with space heaters (which we're very careful with).

 

[indimom]

We have a pretty broad range, anywhere from 72-78, depending on how it feels at the time. I run a home day care and depending on how many kids are here and what we are doing, it can get pretty warm in here. Also, we sleep on the second floor and it's always warmer up there, so we frequently turn the air down at night. We also have ceiling fans and box fans we use as needed. Our electric bill is under $100 a month in the summer so I don't worry about it too much.
In the winter, I keep it in between 65-68. We seal the one window (in the mud room) which has not been replaced yet. I usually run a space heater in the living room. And we cuddle in blankets a lot, keep our shoes on, and wear sweatshirts. If I use the oven, I leave the door open afterward to pick up the extra heat. Our gas bill is much worse, peaking at about $250 a month in Jan/Feb.

 

[C.Ann]

Today (window unit) it is set at 60 degrees.. It is extremely, extremely humid here today, so I will have to keep it at the lowest setting to avoid breathing issues..

On a typical "hot" day, I usually set it late in the afternoon (after the coolness inside no llonger exists) at around 65 degrees - but - I only run it for a certain length of time, turn it off, and use the ceiling fan until it gets hot enough again that I have to turn it back on..

At night, it's between 60 and 65 degrees - depending on how humid it is..

Humidity is my biggest issue - the "heat" I can tolerate if need be..

 

[Dizneydaz]

We don't turn ours on until the house reaches 80. Then we will set it at 78-79. We have a big house (3500 sq. ft.) and 2 units. We work out of the home so the air needs to be on during the day. Our bill can get really high especially when outside is in the high 90's or 100s. One year our electric bill for one month (in the heat of the summer) was over $500!

We did something last year that seems to have helped. We hooked up our own mister system on the 2 compressors. (you can buy a system that is automatic but we made our own). We turn it on when the air is turned on and turn it off around sunset. Our bills last summer weren't as bad. Close to $300

Luckily, here in So. Cal, the evenings and nights almost always cool down. Even when it's in the 90's during the day we can still be in the 60's at night. And no humidity.

We have ceiling fans in basically every room and I have an oscillating fan that I use 365.

 

[DaniB]

I have not turned on the A/C once yet.

Today was very humid this morning (though not so bad now), and the temp says a high of 34C (93.2) with humidity but there's no point. It will take our A/C a whole day & night to cool the house down, and the temperatures drop tomorrow (average 22C / 71.6F) for a whole week.

I spend all winter waiting to open my windows and "hear" summer. I'm not closing them yet!

(edited to convert C to F)

 

[abmitch01]

I have a crazy a/c system, I have to set it to 68 to reach the upstairs and close all the downstairs vents. But my bill stays pretty low, I think maybe the thermostat is off because it certainly doesn't feel like it's at 68

 

[DSNY4ever]

We try to get by with just the ceiling fans, but if it becomes unbearably hot we set it at 78.

 

[Temair]

Started out with my AC at 75, but found it was to hot for me. So now its at 72 and I'm not constantly sweating. I'm also 6 months pregnant so that may make a difference. Usually its at the 75.

 

[QVCshopper]

We keep ours at 80F when it's above 85F outside. Other than that, we get by with open windows and our 2 ceiling fans (wish we had more). Our electric bill was about $60 for the past month (gas was $18), and we're in SE PA, where we've had at least 3 heat waves (today was 95F).

In the winter, I keep it cool--I think we were doing 60-62F during the day and 55-57F during the night. I don't like giving all of my money to PECO, so I really watch our gas and electric usage.

 

[MandM22]

Oh wow. We keep ours much colder than everyone else! If we're here during the day we keep it at about 72-75. We set it at 75 if we're gone.

At night, dh likes to keep it at 70 but I like it better at 68 or 69. I love having a cold house to sleep in.

We are about the same. Nice and cool at night! Great for sleeping'

 

[Cindyrellablue]

Our A/C is set at 68 - 70 since the beginning of May. We don't turn it off because we run 4 computers 24 hours a day and don't want them to overheat...it can get pretty hot in here with all the machines running all day.

 

[kydisneyfans]

We do 72 downstairs and 70 upstairs with the 2 units. Our year round average electric bill was $82 per month last year. I have never seen an electric bill of more than $140 anywhere I have lived.

 

[Taja]

Phoenix-metro area--Arizona, here!

Temperature reached 113 degrees last Thursday, cooled down to around 108 degrees over the weekend, and we'll be back up to 111 degrees in the next day or so. Humidity has been low, so far--monsoon storms have not kicked in yet. But they probably will within the next 10 days or so. That means the dewpoint will be 55 degrees or higher most of the time--not sure what that translates to in terms of humidity, but, combined with the high temperature, it's extremely uncomfortable! *LOL*

So far, I've been turning the thermostats all the way up (around 90 degrees) when I get up in the morning. Actually one already is there, I just have to turn up the one on the side of the house where my bedroom is located. It stays there until I return home around 7 or 8 p.m., then I slowly turn it down to about 78 degrees before I go to bed so I'm very comfortable sleeping. The house has been staying at around 82 degrees, and I've been setting the thermostat at 85 degrees when I'm home on the weekend. I'll have to lower it a bit when the humidity becomes unbearable.

Electricity is expensive here, and with a 2400 sq.ft. all-electric house, the monthly electric bill can reach $400 very quickly! Unfortunately, the electric company owned the gas company when my house was built, and they declared a moratorium on new gas lines about two years prior to the start of construction. Of course, when they sold the gas company about five years later, the new company completely bypassed this area. *sigh*

During the winter, I keep the house around 66 to 68 degrees, although I occasionally turn it up to 72 degrees on really cold mornings! Usually I just throw on sweats and exercise immediately! *LOL*

Over the years, I have learned that if I maintain a fairly constant temperature in the house, it's less expensive than if I constantly increase and/or decrease the temperature.

 

[momtosam]

This is one area where we don't go budget. We are at 71 all day. My thinking is that it is only for a few months and it is worth the $$$ to keep cool. I hate the heat!

 

[Minnie]

75 when we are away; 72 when we are home

You can live without AC but I won't if I don't have too

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

Ours is at 80 during the day, DH and kids are home for the summer and they use fans as well. We have a 3000 sq foot house that I just can not keep super cool. At night it's usually off, usually we are able to turn on the whole house fan and get it pretty cooled down over night. Yesterday it was 104 here and by morning the down stairs was 68 degrees. Nice and cool.

 

[Mom_Rides]

Ours is set for 80 during the day when we're not home, 76 during the evening (until 10p) and then 78 overnight. Lately I've been getting too hot overnight so I've been getting up in the middle of the night and kicking it down to 75. We have ceiling fans in the bedrooms and one in the kitchen that we use and have an osciliating fan in the livingroom to help move the air and make it a bit more comfortable.

This week is going to be cool here (Northwest Ohio), in the mid 70's so we have the windows open! Our electric bill in the summer generally runs between $100-$125.