Air conditioning for my house

[Tungsten,]

Those of you with a/c in your home do you set a temp and leave it or do you turn on when you come home? I guess that depends on temp but say my house gets to 80f roughly how long would it take to get it to 75f?
Getting a quote on a/c for my 1100 sq ft bungalow. I have two separate furnaces so just looking to do the up stairs. Assuming a 1.5-2 ton unit.? Older windows which will be changed in the future.

[elkhunter11]

I just leave my thermostat at one setting, it's a lot easier to maintain a temperature, than to cool it 5 degrees.

[Dylan15]

Too many factors to guess how long it will take. Age of home, insulation type, thickness of wall framing, attic insulation R value, etc. My AC takes forever to drop it a degree Celsius. But, I have just about 4000 sq ft between main and basement, with 9 ft basement, and this is when its 30+ outside. Maybe 2 hours. I just use it to take the edge off. Last older home I lived in would take 45 minutes to drop 1 degree Celsius. If you want cool at 5, look as getting wifi thermostat. I bought my Nest brand ones used on marketplace for $50-100. If its hot, I hop on my phone and get it started. Or run schedules on any programmable timer. I'll let someone more mechanical than me chime in, but I would oversize the AC a bit. I didn't, and wish I would've had an extra ton.

I also will run in fan only for a few hours mid to late morning. Close vents in basement, which recirculates cool air around the house somewhat.

[Tungsten,]

Last couple of years Ive ran window units,so Im use too cooling quite quickly.
Im afraid of being disappointed if I install central a/c.

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by Dylan15

Too many factors to guess how long it will take. Age of home, insulation type, thickness of wall framing, attic insulation R value, etc. My AC takes forever to drop it a degree Celsius. But, I have just about 4000 sq ft between main and basement, with 9 ft basement, and this is when its 30+ outside. Maybe 2 hours. I just use it to take the edge off. Last older home I lived in would take 45 minutes to drop 1 degree Celsius. If you want cool at 5, look as getting wifi thermostat. I bought my Nest brand ones used on marketplace for $50-100. If its hot, I hop on my phone and get it started. Or run schedules on any programmable timer. I'll let someone more mechanical than me chime in, but I would oversize the AC a bit. I didn't, and wish I would've had an extra ton.

I also will run in fan only for a few hours mid to late morning. Close vents in basement, which recirculates cool air around the house somewhat.

Yes lots of factors to get an answer,5 deg drop is also a lot from my search.
A programmable thermostat would be a must Id think,have it come on 2-3 hours before I get home kinda deal.

[huntinstuff]

My house is 3200sqft

Dyand Mechanical installed a Carrier a/c unit for me. It is about 36"×36".

They installed a digital thermostat. I simply turn the "cool" switch on, it auto sets to 18 degrees and within 2 hours the house is at 18. Simple touch button to set the temp. It can be preprogrammed to run at different times too. But I just let it run until 10pm then I shut it down.

It can be as simple or complex as i choose to make.it. I paid $5700 all in and had zero issues with it. Took them 2 hrs to install.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Tungsten,

Last couple of years Ive ran window units,so Im use too cooling quite quickly.
Im afraid of being disappointed if I install central a/c.

You will be pleased at being able to control the temperatures in each part of the house better, and with how much quieter it is, and at circulating filtered air, but it does take longer to cool.

[golferac]

House is at 20 degrees during the day. At 7pm, A/C kicks on to get the temperature down to 16 degrees by 9:30 ish. 1800 square foot house. Temperature is held until 4 am and then it just rises natural back to 20 degrees during the day.

Only on the hottest days of the summer (33 degrees plus) has the house every got remotely close to 80 F (26.6) if the AC is not on. I don't think I have seen higher than 24 degrees on the thermostat and that was scorching LOL

[tbiddy]

We have a wifi thermostat and keep the house 20°C during the day and about an hour or so before we get home we drop it to 18.5°C until we leave for work. Somebody on here told me a few years ago when we were having A/C issues to keep the fan running all the time and when it cools the house down it needs to cool everything in the house down to get to the proper temp (walls, floors, furniture, etc..), so the unit runs longer if it needs to drop a few degrees. Don’t know if it’s true or not but it works for us.

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

You will be pleased at being able to control the temperatures in each part of the house better, and with how much quieter it is, and at circulating filtered air, but it does take longer to cool.

The noise and not being able to open windows with window units on cool breezy evenings is why Im thinking of central ac. And of course I hate hot weather.Calgary doesn't see a lot of hot days but when you get a week straight of it the house just never gets a chance to cool down.

[Stinky Buffalo]

We have ours set to a few degrees cooler just before we wake up, as well as at bedtime.

Since there's pretty much someone at home all day (I do work from my home office from time to time) we don't really turn it down that much. Like tbiddy says, we have our fan set to run a certain percent of the time each hour in order to circulate the air throughout the house, so we take advantage of being able to draw some of the cooler air from the basement that way.

[hogie]

Just leave ours set to 22. I like bit cooler but out voted.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by hogie

Just leave ours set to 22. I like bit cooler but out voted.

Haha! I do all the settings for our programmable thermostat, but it is all graded against the "IncrediGirl Comfort Scale™". Which is cooler than I like it, but hey, I have sweaters and some things are more important than my personal AC preferences.

[Tungsten,]

Ok so got it up and running,a lot of hours of changing things.Breakers had to be updated so I could fit another 20amp,wiring to furnace was kinda hoki so changed that.Hole for all the lines took 4 hrs ,1968 cement is pretty hard lol.
New thermostat wire run,new plenum so cooling unit would fit.

So now its done,2 ton unit takes about 2 hours to cool 1100 sqft from 77f to 74f.in the afternoon.
So far just have it to run in the evening to 3am so we can sleep.Probably just leave it off for now and just turn it on when I get home pending on temp.

Well worth all the work to get the better price,ac guy did the technical work and I did the grunt stuff.

Stay cool

[DiabeticKripple]

I have an ecobee thermostat.

I can set a schedule for each day for it to follow. Weeknights it kicks the AC on at 8pm to cool from 21C to 18C and will stay there until 630am where itll kick off and let the house naturally warm up during the day. I have it set to kick back on at 330pm to cool the house back down to 21C before the wife gets home from work. Weekends itll just keep it between 20-21C during the day, cooling again at night.

[Wes_G]

I leave the windows open at night and it is usually 18-20 when I leave for work in the morning. Close all the windows during the day and set the AC to 22.5 The AC wont normally come on untill late afternoon early evening. Open the windows again when we go to bed. The AC only runs for 4-5 hours.

Judging by how few houses on my street that ever have there windows open, how I use it is the exception not the rule. IMO an AC unit should not be running when it is cooler outside then it is in.

[spoiledsaskhunter]

Originally Posted by Wes_G

I leave the windows open at night and it is usually 18-20 when I leave for work in the morning. Close all the windows during the day and set the AC to 22.5 The AC wont normally come on untill late afternoon early evening. Open the windows again when we go to bed. The AC only runs for 4-5 hours.

Judging by how few houses on my street that ever have there windows open, how I use it is the exception not the rule. IMO an AC unit should not be running when it is cooler outside then it is in.

exactly the same here.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Wes_G

I leave the windows open at night and it is usually 18-20 when I leave for work in the morning. Close all the windows during the day and set the AC to 22.5 The AC wont normally come on untill late afternoon early evening. Open the windows again when we go to bed. The AC only runs for 4-5 hours.

Judging by how few houses on my street that ever have there windows open, how I use it is the exception not the rule. IMO an AC unit should not be running when it is cooler outside then it is in.

You are 100% correct ....In my neighborhood I notice the same thing .... both my neighbors and the guy behind me I can hear the AC units running when it's cool enough outside and not needed.

If you have a decent controller and are able to program it, your AC unit won't be running when it's cooler outside. I think most people (and likely the overwhelming majority of people) don't spend the hour or so reading and understanding how to properly program your AC/Heater unit's controller.

Opening windows (old school style) works!!!! - you can also circulate air using your circulating fan alone (far less energy consumption compared to running AC or heat) if there might be rain in the forecast.

So either your neighbors have figured this out OR (more likely, just like mine) they are just setting it and walking away (and likely paying twice as much on energy cooling bills and letting their units run needlessly).

Since taking the time to learn this myself - my energy bill in the summer has been cut by a third. That's pretty good money for a older (not well insulated) and larger home like my own.

[Desert Eagle]

There is the factor that you missed is that perhaps the neighbours have allergies or a condition that is effected by the outside atmosphere, and are not able to open the windows. I know many people are effected depending on what the conditions are like outside.

[Tungsten,]

With the current heat wave I’ve found turning the ac off and just run the fan after its run for 5-6 hours. The plenum and heat ducts were pretty cold so just running the fan for an hour still kept the house cool.
Not sure if I’m saving anything but gives the compressor a rest. Amazing how cold everything in the furnace room gets.

[bezzola]

I leave mine on 20 degrees all the time. I did try turning it off while at work then it would take a ling time to cool it down

[jef612]

A/C units provide comfort by both:

a) Removing moisture from the indoor air (not measurable on a thermostat but plays a huge role in comfort) and

b) Sensibly cooling the indoor air (lowering the measurable temp from say 25 C to 20 C)

There are a lot of variables involved - such as unit sizing, outdoor humidity and temperature levels, etc. But I would recommend leaving your windows closed at night during the peak months of summer and letting your HVAC system handle the indoor load. You may actually spend more on electricity trying to remove the humidity that you allowed into the home during the night than you would have just running the A/C for a couple of cycles.

Once the shoulder seasons arrive - you can open the windows and "free cool" your house to save some energy without running your A/C at all.

Just my 2 cents!

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by jef612

A/C units provide comfort by both:

a) Removing moisture from the indoor air (not measurable on a thermostat but plays a huge role in comfort) and

b) Sensibly cooling the indoor air (lowering the measurable temp from say 25 C to 20 C)

There are a lot of variables involved - such as unit sizing, outdoor humidity and temperature levels, etc. But I would recommend leaving your windows closed at night during the peak months of summer and letting your HVAC system handle the indoor load. You may actually spend more on electricity trying to remove the humidity that you allowed into the home during the night than you would have just running the A/C for a couple of cycles.



Once the shoulder seasons arrive - you can open the windows and "free cool" your house to save some energy without running your A/C at all.



Just my 2 cents!

Pending on your location I guess but in Calgary at night it drops to 9-13c and no humidity issues. It’s actually welcome since it’s so dry.

[jef612]

As I said - lots of variables
85% RH tonite where I am

https://saskatoon.weatherstats.ca/ch...ty-hourly.html

[traderal]

Originally Posted by jef612

A/C units provide comfort by both:


Once the shoulder seasons arrive - you can open the windows and "free cool" your house to save some energy without running your A/C at all.

Just my 2 cents!

We have an open beam ceiling so I installed a 15 inch attic type fan into the roof at one end and can draw cooler air in at night through open windows. During the day of course AC and fan is run continuously. Adds about $100 per month on power bill nowadays but well worth it. Been doing this since 1987.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Had AC installed in 2020 and I do have to say, it was the right decision for us (and our marriage!)

I use a smart thermostat to control the fan duty cycle (keep circulating air within the house) and I can bump it up or down a few degrees here and there, depending on who is home, etc.

[-JR-]

I find 22 is to warm and 21 to cold . I wish I could get at 21.5 Lol

One think you will notice is all the cold air will sink to your basement if you do not have a way to close it off , like a door or a curtain .
If you don't close it off your A/C unit will run all day and never shut off. $$$

[flydude]

Originally Posted by -JR-

I find 22 is to warm and 21 to cold . I wish I could get at 21.5 Lol

Some digital t-stats can be calibrated via an offset, good way to fool the wifey too

[flydude]

Originally Posted by -JR-

One think you will notice is all the cold air will sink to your basement if you do not have a way to close it off , like a door or a curtain .
If you don't close it off your A/C unit will run all day and never shut off. $$$

Good point, another trick is to block off any return air grilles in the basement during the summer. This should only be done if your furnace will handle the extra pressure drop in the system.

[Tungsten,]

Originally Posted by -JR-

I find 22 is to warm and 21 to cold . I wish I could get at 21.5 Lol

One think you will notice is all the cold air will sink to your basement if you do not have a way to close it off , like a door or a curtain .
If you don't close it off your A/C unit will run all day and never shut off. $$$

I removed my old humidifier that was attached to the air in that runs upstairs,now the open hole allows furnace room air in.Kinda works I guess.In the winter Ill block it off.