Any Air Conditioning people out there?

Question

I just got a 550 sq ft apartment. Is it best to run the central a/c constantly at a certain temp or shut it off or raise the temp when I'm at work? I am hearing mixed things--what's the best way to guarantee the lowest bill? Also, would there be big difference in the bill if I were to set it at say, 75 degrees or 70 degrees? I'm in Florida. Thanks!

Answer 1

This is pretty give and take. It's a matter of how hot your apartment gets during a day with it off, which determines how much work the AC has to do when you turn it on. To find the efficiency of on/off during the day, these particular numbers, along with the efficiency rating of your AC unit should be mathematically analyzed. Unfortunately, even Stephen Hawking would not be able to solve it, since we are working only with variables, and not any measured number.

Answer 2

You will save money by setting the thermostat at 75 rather than 70. If you are out of the apartment for more than 8 hours a day, you can bring your resting temperature up 5 degrees to 80 degrees. Your apartment is only 550 sq ft, not a lot of space to cool. Your system should bring the temperature down by one degree every 8 to 12 minutes. You should be able to cool from 80 to 75 in an hour. Your machine will run solid for one hour, rather than off and on every 15 minutes for 8 hours.

During the day, close the drapes, turn off the lights and appliances to further reduce your heat gain.

Keep Kool

Answer 3

I live in Fl. too, and when we are not home we keep the temp in the house at 78, but around 75 when we are home. Even on the hottest days like today (in the 90's) 75 is quite comfortable. It is best to not turn it off because it will have to work even harder(more BTUs) to cool the room when you return home which will run up your bill.

If you are concerned about cost, make sure your home is adequately insulated and check for drafts around windows and entry/exit doors, as these are the main culprits in higher light bill costs, during months when you have your a/c on, and in the cooler months when heat is needed. (Yes, it can get cold here in Fla.)

Also, make sure you replace your filters often. We do ours monthly. (we have pets) Some manufacturers recommend every three months, but if you smoke in your home or have pets I recommend once a month. Filters are inexpensive and can be purchased at your grocery or homecenter stores in your neighborhood. Just be sure to get the correct size. When you remove the old filter it will usually have the size written on it. If not, take the old one with you to the store to either compare the size or as a clerk for assistance.

Good luck!

Answer 4

I would say that if you're going to stay there for awhile, then invest in a programmable thermostat. You can get them pretty cheap at somewhere like Lowe's or Home depot and install it or have it installed.
You can set it to 75 during the day when you're not there and set it to cool down to 70 maybe 30 minutes before you get home. That way you come home to a nice cool house and it wouldn't have been running all day long.
This will save you money.
When you get ready to move out, re-install the old thermostat and take yours with you to your new place.
This saved me alot of money over the years.

Answer 5

I'm an A/C tech in NJ and lately we've had 90+ days. It would cost less if you ran the unit all day. How you say? Think of it logically:

It takes your car more power to get to 65 mph than it takes to keep it there. Your AC is the same.