Guess what category I'm in?  The last one, with 3.8% of respondents.

That's the category to select when you set your A/C at 84 degrees.

And yes, in Texas you need to run A/C almost constantly from late May through the beginning of October -- even if you are strict about A/C usage (for example, we only run it when the temperature is over 90 and humid)

Imagine how much energy is being wasted nationwide -- 68 degrees?  Unless you're in Alaska, you're spending HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS a month on that.

I know someone here in Texas whose son is spoiled, etc. (he plays video games all day) and he turns down her A/C to something in the 60's -- and her bill was over $400 one month. And she has a brand-new (one story) house too -- not exactly an 1890's drafty house.

When you keep your A/C at 84, your electric bill is only $100 a month, even if your house is all-electric (oven, water heater, dryer, etc.), you have 3 people living there, and they are home all day every day.

We're not in one of those new suburban cookie-cutter crapboxes -- that helps. Most of those new houses are 2000, 2400, or even 3600 sq. feet. That takes a lot to cool! Our house is 30 years old, 1-story, brick & asbestos siding, around 1350 sq. feet.

There are various tricks to keeping your house cooler (grow vines on the side of the house that gets hit by the sun, put trees in the right places, etc.).

Matthew

I should have qualified my last post --

We sometimes keep the A/C at 81 or 82 if we're moving around a lot, etc.

Also, I try to focus on what temperature it is outside -- for instance, if it's 100 outside, I'm not going to make it 82 in here because the A/C would be running too much to maintain a 18-degree "delta" (difference or gap).

But today, when it's 88 "feels like 93" and of course hot/humid -- I might have to set the A/C at 81 just to get the thing to come on.

Right now it's 82 in here (we have the windows closed to "keep out the heat" -- it works, depending on the day) but it's also very humid -- inside AND outside. I just turned on the A/C and I'm waiting for it to kick in  :sign-surrender:

I might have to "splurge" and try 80 in a few minutes  :scratchchin:

Besides, my wife gets hot much easier these days -- being 7 months pregnant will do that to you. :faint:  So I can't keep it TOO hot in here.  :plant:

2 things make a person get hot easier -- more padding, and a faster metabolism. Pregnant women experience both! I'm sure a constantly moving baby would generate a lot of heat...

Matthew