A/C and electricity usage

[BlueStar3398]

The heat is on in Texas! We are already hitting triple digits.

I work for a company out of my home and spend most of my days during the week in my office. I usually keep my whole house very comfortably cool with the central A/C unit and have the electric bills to show for it. I was thinking about getting a small window unit for my office to keep just my work area cool and comfy while I work and raising the thermostat on my central A/C during the day.

My office has 2 computers and 2 printers and a TV. It is always about 10 degrees warmer in here than the rest of the house. I am usually the only one home. Do the small window units pull much power? Would getting one for my office during the day save me money on electricity?

 

[Garland powerplay]

I use a box fan works great for 10 dollars at best buy

 

[arglebargle]

I had a setup like this for my bedroom years ago, and it did save on the electricity then. You can find some pretty efficient window units now too. If your office is not too big, I think it's probably worthwhile. Might even be some sales on 'em right now.

 

[BlueStar3398]

I had a setup like this for my bedroom years ago, and it did save on the electricity then. You can find some pretty efficient window units now too. If your office is not too big, I think it's probably worthwhile. Might even be some sales on 'em right now.

Thanks! Yes, my office is only about 10X12. I'm off to Home Depot to see what I can find. I'm thinking the 5,000 BTU should work nicely.

I have a fan already! :laugh2: I was looking for something that kept it a little bit cooler than that during our triple digit weather here in Texas!

My office is on the far side of the house behind the backyard fence and I have solar screens so it shouldn't be an eyesore either.

 

[Faerluna]

Our living room is like that because we have several computers and the big screen TV there. The temperature is always higher there.

We have the ceiling fan on as well as a tower fan that blows cold air in from the dining room.

It works out nicely for us and I usually keep the house at 78, maybe 76 when we sleep.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

Gotta give credit to all those before us who lived through the heat without the benefit of A/C.

That TX heat had to have been brutal. I can't even fathom how people made it through all that heat without even electricity many years ago.

 

[big dog cowboy]

It works out nicely for us and I usually keep the house at 78, maybe 76 when we sleep.

I couldn't sleep if it were that warm in my bedroom. Even with the ceiling fan on.

 

[kmp77]

78 with a ceiling fan is the warmest I like it. I would not have survived in the old west.

 

[Faerluna]

I couldn't sleep if it were that warm in my bedroom. Even with the ceiling fan on.

As long as there is air moving and my feet can stick out from under the covers, I'm good with it.

 

[ologan]

Thanks! Yes, my office is only about 10X12. I'm off to Home Depot to see what I can find. I'm thinking the 5,000 BTU should work nicely.

I have a fan already! :laugh2: I was looking for something that kept it a little bit cooler than that during our triple digit weather here in Texas!

My office is on the far side of the house behind the backyard fence and I have solar screens so it shouldn't be an eyesore either.

If you haven't bought it yet,look into an 8000 btu unit.. I think you'll be happier.

 

[Kevinicus]

I couldn't sleep if it were that warm in my bedroom. Even with the ceiling fan on.

Neither could I. The absolute highest my thermostat goes at any point in the year is 72 (excluding when I may set it higher during the day when I'm at work).

Heat during the winter never goes above 68.

And there's always a fan on in the bedroom (I think it's been running non-stop for over a month now).

 

[BlueStar3398]

Gotta give credit to all those before us who lived through the heat without the benefit of A/C.

That TX heat had to have been brutal. I can't even fathom how people made it through all that heat without even electricity many years ago.

My parents grew up in TX without A/C! I don't know how they did it!

I was talking to an older lady that lives here and she says she cannot afford A/C and goes all Summer without it!

 

[BlueStar3398]

If you haven't bought it yet,look into an 8000 btu unit.. I think you'll be happier.

I went ahead and bought the 5000 BTU, but my boyfriend said he I should've gotten the higher one too. He didn't like the way the air blew out of the top instead of the front. I've never had a window unit before. We will see how this works out. The tag on it (with the energy rating) said that it costs approx. $41 a year to run this one? Sounds cheap to me.

Right now, I have the thermostat set on 74 and it is plenty comfortable in here. I sleep with a fan blowing at night too! I like being cool when I sleep!

 

[jubal]

I don't understand the problem. My last bill was 92.00 and I have close to 2500 sq.ft. At 6 0'clock yesterday it hit 108 setting a new record for the Abilene area. Now I don't doubt that my next one will be higher.
I got on this thread late because of a house full of company,or I could have told of a few things we did to improve efficiency of present cooling.
But you have gotten the problem taken care of so enjoy the holidays and thank a vet.

 

[LeonDixson]

I don't understand the problem. My last bill was 92.00 and I have close to 2500 sq.ft. At 6 0'clock yesterday it hit 108 setting a new record for the Abilene area. Now I don't doubt that my next one will be higher.
I got on this thread late because of a house full of company,or I could have told of a few things we did to improve efficiency of present cooling.
But you have gotten the problem taken care of so enjoy the holidays and thank a vet.

Go ahead and tell the rest of us. I turned my AC on yesterday for the 1st time this year. I live near Granbury about 40 miles south of Ft. Worth.

 

[Temo]

This is why I spend most of the summer in the basement. It's a good 10 degrees cooler down here.

 

[casmith07]

I couldn't sleep if it were that warm in my bedroom. Even with the ceiling fan on.

I have to have my room like an ice box in order to sleep. I'm a furnace.

 

[BlueStar3398]

I don't understand the problem. My last bill was 92.00 and I have close to 2500 sq.ft. At 6 0'clock yesterday it hit 108 setting a new record for the Abilene area. Now I don't doubt that my next one will be higher.
I got on this thread late because of a house full of company,or I could have told of a few things we did to improve efficiency of present cooling.
But you have gotten the problem taken care of so enjoy the holidays and thank a vet.

My electric bills are over $300 in the Summer. Do you have the radiant barrier and one of the new energy efficient A/C units?

 

[BlueStar3398]

Go ahead and tell the rest of us. I turned my AC on yesterday for the 1st time this year. I live near Granbury about 40 miles south of Ft. Worth.

That's where I live! Good ole Granbury! :laugh2:

 

[jimmy40]

I don't understand the problem. My last bill was 92.00 and I have close to 2500 sq.ft. At 6 0'clock yesterday it hit 108 setting a new record for the Abilene area. Now I don't doubt that my next one will be higher.
I got on this thread late because of a house full of company,or I could have told of a few things we did to improve efficiency of present cooling.
But you have gotten the problem taken care of so enjoy the holidays and thank a vet.

so is your house built underground?