Window Unit vs Central Unit

[rivka]

My light bill last month was 325 already. I am North of Houston.
Here is my Q: We have 2 story. All bedrooms upstairs.With kids all away at camp for a month, I am trying to convince hubby we should just move mattress to our TV room downstairs that we have a Energy Star window unit and sleep in this room. I keep window unit at 75 on Energy Saver mode. And a rotating fan. So my question is...will I save money for June-July turning off main central AC and just running window unit.

 

[freemotion]

OH, yes.....we use window units, and keep the downstairs at 80 when it is intolerable outside for days. Most of the summer, we just cool the bedroom at night, and use box fans to create some airflow in our house, which has very little cross-breeze due to the design and additions.

Of course, we are in MA, not TX! But when it is hot, it is hot, not as long as in TX, but still....hot!

 

[FarmerChick]

My light bill last month was 325 already. I am North of Houston.
Here is my Q: We have 2 story. All bedrooms upstairs.With kids all away at camp for a month, I am trying to convince hubby we should just move mattress to our TV room downstairs that we have a Energy Star window unit and sleep in this room. I keep window unit at 75 on Energy Saver mode. And a rotating fan. So my question is...will I save money for June-July turning off main central AC and just running window unit.

Absolutely will save money if you shut down the central unit. Cooling one smaller room and not the whole house means less energy used definitely.

I know my hubby wouldn't go for that one though.....he wants the whole house cool---oh well,...what to do right? But I keep the whole house on 78 now....being hot outside, 78 and shorts inside feels fine and it saves so much money just to up the degrees a little in the house. 75 vs. 78 is a big savings right there on a central unit anyway.

 

[reinbeau]

I just need the humidity gone, mainly, we run three window AC's in the summer, one in the kitchen, one in the family room and then one upstairs in our bedroom - but the bedroom one is used less, I've found if I keep the downstairs relatively AC'd then just having the windows open at night upstairs is enough, unless it's really brutal out. I wouldn't want central AC, because I love the fresh air, it's easier to manage my interior climate the way we're set up now.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

When we lived out in the country in a 100 year old tiny farmhouse, we had one giant window unit. We blocked off airflow to the other rooms and camped out in this set of rooms during the summer. It was normally quite nice in the 2 rooms. The others were stifling, but our electric bill was less than $70 a month. After we got our mobile home, we had a central installed and have seen bills as high as $250. We haven't been using the central because the motor is going out (I believe). I can't wait to see what our bill is this month. Was only $95 last month.

 

[rivka]

Thanks for all the replies. I am from Houston/hubby from NY. I am fine with the fan on, he has to have it cold, so we will keep working on this! I hate turning on AC or heater. In winter I just sleep with heated mattress pad and elec blanket. Don't think we turned heat on but 1 or 2 times last year.

 

[Home Maker]

rivka, I admire your "constitution" for being able to live in Houston with that little air conditioning.

 

[OkieAnnie]

With as hot and humid Houston is, I would think that if you keep the house a/c at 80 rather than 75, you would see a lower bill if your hubby won't go for the idea of the one room with a window unit. We live just north a bit in Oklahoma. It has been over 100 the past 3 days and it is just mid June ..
We keep the house at 80 for the a/c and when you are outside then walk in it feels nice and cool. like aaahhhhh cool.

 

[rivka]

Ok Annie...is your yard DOA yet? I am about ready to call it quits on watering. My grass looks like twigs.
So while hubby is out of town, I moved mattress downstairs with fan. I turn on Window unit too 79 energy saver mode during day since I got cutie pie dog and two hens inside while at work. I keep window unit to 75 energy saver when I get home for about 2 hours, then just fan at night. I have energy star dehumidifier running upstairs 24/7. Need a little break in this!

 

[FarmerChick]

Why fight and water and cut a yard with grass?

one thing I am starting to do is turn over the yard to native plants and veggies and such.....all ground can be utilized and make it less work for what it is worth..........like getting cukes and having no water native plants from the front yard is better than buying gas and using a mower and watering.

of course you have to like the look vs. a manicured lawn...LOL-LOL


I am slowly just chaning the front yard bit by bit and making it productive rather than destructive for me.....will take time and doing research on how to make it attractive but my final goal is no mowing ever....yup, might get there eventually..LOL