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Originally Posted by Rawknees'Turbo
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My little, 1960s place is sorely lacking in insulation and sealing efficiency (projects for the future), but I am also an energy hog as I use central air (thermostat never set higher than 77, and that is only when I am not home - I drop the temp to 70 at night during high heat and to mid-lower 60s in more reasonable outside temperatures), plus I use a 2 ton mini-split in one room, along with an 8000 BTU window unit on genuinely hot nights, in order to super cool that room way below what any normal person would want to relax and sleep in (46-48 degrees year round, made possible by using aftermarket controllers, with both the mini-split and window a/c, that override the built in temperature controls of those machines).
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Mine is also a 60's place with plenty of opportunities for improvement of insulation and air leakage. However, my goal for air temps inside at night during sleep is only 75, so very do-able and this time of year I raise the thermostat up to 79 when I get up where it will stay until I get back in later in the day.
I too have an 8K BTU window unit (located in one of my living room windows) to assist my 2.5 ton central air and mitigate some of the wear and tear. The outside Goodman condenser unit is around 10 years old now so doing good. The Trane furnace (gas) & air handler was installed around 20 some years ago and also hanging in there.
Putting in a ductless mini-split is an objective of mine but would need to upgrade my electric box first. I'd leave the central air in place and use the mini as a supplement as you do and then when the central system fails the mini-split would be my main HVAC system.
My utility bills have been quite reasonable. I also have an 8K BTU window AC unit for my 2 car garage, operated on a timer to run around 12 hours/day - just enough to take the edge off the extreme heat during the day.
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Yesterday afternoon after working outside for a while at one of my monthly accounts, I left to head home but stopped at the Dollar General on the way to grab a few groceries. Not unusual to need some recovery time in the AC after spending time working outside here this time of year but yesterday I admit I had to sit in my truck engine running and AC on for about 10 minutes before I felt recovered enough to go inside and get what I needed. Part of it is I'm getting older and part of it is just the suffocating heat and humidity here this time of year.
Fall/Winter is on the way and will be welcomed!
In the meantime....thank the Lord above for AC!!!
I do take time out though for bike rides on the beach, FWIW, with the Labor Day w/e coming up, and along with it crowded beaches, I've been trying to get rides in every week day. We call these days "local days" because we have the beach to ourselves.....
