How to Cut Electric Usage in Summer

[mmmainm]

My average kwh consumption is 900 per month.  We do not have gas.
This is near Portland, OR.

I have read the article here on how to cut electric usage in the summer.

That is fine for during the day, but, unfortunately, that won't work for us (myself and young son) at night.

We need to sleep at below 66F.  We do not sleep well above this point.  And this is not just right for us, but it is what is recommended by sleep experts.

So...this means that our heat pump has to work pretty hard on warm summer nights to keep the house at 66F.
2000 sf house, one storey

I have looked into a ductless system just for the master bedroom, but the minimum is 5k for that.

A room air conditioner (with a hose running into the next room) was tried, but the noise was unbearable.

A window AC unit is out of the question, for security reasons.

Is there some other (AC) option for the master bedroom that I am missing?

Thanks.

Mac

[Blueskies123]

66 degrees, your kidding. You have two options 1) raise it to 77 like we do or 2) buy room air conditioner.  You can get a cheap one or you can get Mitsubishi.  They make a ductless system that is very expensive but runs on less than a 60 watt bulb.

[Syonyk]

How about a window AC unit and a solid frame or system that prevents someone from popping the window open?  Fit braces above the window to keep it from being slid up, use solid plywood instead of the plastic garbage that comes for sealing the side, and it should be at least as secure as a closed and locked window.

[BudgetSlasher]

What are these "security reasons" for not wanting a window a/c (I personally would go with a dual hose floor unit)? There may be ways around it

For example if you fear a window could be forced open, depending on the window type boards could be above the sliding section of the window to prevent it from opening wider; when coupled with a dual hose floor unit the opening would be 6 or 7 inches (and could likely be further secured).

5k sounds a steep for a heat pump install , especially for the smaller unit that would be required to cool a bedroom (that's in the territory or beyond of a 12-15K btu works below 0 degrees unit would run here at the bleeding edge of SEER); I would get a few more estimates on that front. Remember there is a $300 federal tax credit and you should also look to see if you are eligible for any state incentives for a ductless heat pump.

[pbnj]

At 66f I would need my flannel winter jammies and a down comforter with extra blankets. 


And wow 900kwh a MONTH?  My last bill was for 146, with AC in the summer 200 kWh.  I do not run it until the windows are frosted though.

[Syonyk]

900kWh/mo isn't unreasonable for a purely electric house.

We use about 700-900kWh/mo, but that's everything, including water (and pumping water up a couple hundred feet isn't particularly easy on the energy).

Also, having a kid in cloth diapers uses a good bit of power on the wash/dry cycles.

[Fireball]

I'm assuming that you've done everything else to reduce electricity consumption? Led bulbs, hang drying your clothes, etc. Also, are you running fans while you sleep? Makes a huge difference. If so, the only other piece of advice I can give is to slowly increase the thermostat to give your bodies time to adjust.

Seriously though, 66F is cold as sh!t. My family can't do 77F here in the sweatbox that is the South, but we all sleep great at 73-74F

[meandmyfamily]

66!!!  What!  We keep ours at 78.  I can't imagine our bill at 66. 

[obstinate]

Spot cooling is the answer. Cooling two rooms will use 1/5th the energy of cooling your whole house (assuming 14x14 rooms). Window AC or ductless.

Also, honestly? Portland? Is it that hot? I thought it was supposed to have a pretty mild climate.

[Sdsailing]

Also, honestly? Portland? Is it that hot? I thought it was supposed to have a pretty mild climate.

Well, if it has to be 66F all the time...yeah!

[kpd905]

When you are sleeping at 66 degrees, how many sheets and blankets do you have on top of you?

[mmmainm]

Thanks for the replies.

Sorry, but the window cannot be used.
It faces south, so it allows in huge amounts of heat in the summer.
It faces the street, so it can be noisy.
The window is sealed shut with a dowel and a thermal cover.

Yes, the Portland area is hot in the summer, and getting hotter each summer.  Really, Donald.

As folks noted, the ductless systems are perfect for this situation, but expensive.  5k for the smallest unit, for one or two rooms of cooling.

Yes, 66F. It is what sleep experts recommend, and, it is perfect for us.
We sleep with thin blankets (NOT covering our heads).
The point is to allow the brain to cool at night, so that it can properly do its nighttime work (taking out the waste products from the heavy brain activity of the day, etc). This is all backed by scientific research on what the brain does at night, and what it needs.

Yes, I have done everything otherwise to cut electric usage. My bill is reasonable for an electric house here. No gigantic tv, power strips, etc.
I do use a dryer, and am considering stopping that. But the real issue is the heat pump in the summer.

In the winter, the daytime house temp is 67F.  Perfect for me and the kid.  We save a lof of money - not - overheating the house in winter.

Anyway, I thought maybe there was some small scale AC unit of which I was not aware.  You know, something that would sit in the next room, and which would have a hose through the wall to provide cool air.

I see the evapolar on indiegogo, but I am not sure that that would work for us.
Thanks.
Mac

[GreenSheep]

Have you considered a cooling blanket or cooling pad? I used a cooling blanket for my first summer in Phoenix when I was being ultra cheap with the air conditioning. The idea of staying under the blanket to keep cool took some getting used to, but it worked well enough to get through the summer. Maybe a cooling pad would be less counterintuitive.

[kite]

Water bed.
Or cooling pad as mentioned above. 
But a water bed is good for helping you feel cool. 

[moof]

I live in your neck of the woods, out in Beaverton.  66 F as a sleeping temperature is pretty fringe.  We cool our house to 78 during the day when we are there, then down to 73-74 at night and get good rest with no issues.  In winter we have gas heat, but only keep it at 65 during the day and 63 at night.  We crank of the HVAC system for visitors if they are uncomfortable, we aren't that cheap afterall.  Humans are more adaptable than some of the sciency articles may lead you to believe.  I find that regular exercise, minimal screen time near bed time, no sugary snacks/dessert within a couple hours of bedtime, and a regular routine are all more important to good sleep than an optimal temperature.

Consider moving to a more efficient house, or adding insulation to your existing one.  If your bedroom is south facing, can you switch to a different room in the house?

[mmmainm]

The house is efficient.  That is not the issue.

No, we cannot switch the master bedroom to another part of the house.

Not sure what a cooling blanket or cooling pad is.  Does that provide active cooling?

As for a water bed, that sounds good, if you can actually cool the water so it actively cools you.
I have never seen a water bed with active cooling...

Thanks.

Mac

[Syonyk]

Turn the water bed heater down.  It'll cool you just fine.

[RangerOne]

66 degrees is kind of penguin farming territory.

[RangerOne]

You could try getting a higher SEER AC unit. And possibly updating insulation and windows if any of them could be improved to retain cool air.

If you are only using 900 Kwh a month at peak times at that temp I suspect most of your equipment and insulation is rock solid already.

Our old AC in a 1300 sqft condo with par insulation and single pane windows with double high living room ceilings uses upwards of 1300 kwh in a month if we try to keep temps at 75 F during peak hours.

[chowdan]

I live in Seattle, not to far from you. You keep saying that our climate is getting hotter and hotter(which it is), but in comparison to my hometown(mojave desert) it's not bad. Anyways, besides the point.

You seem to say the "experts" say you need your night time temps at 66F. Is this coming from articles, videos, research papers, or is this coming DIRECTLY from the doctors?

The reason I'm asking is because if there is a direct request from the doctors, and not you just trying to optimize your body(like I do with nootropics), then just bite the bullet and keep chugging a long. Theres many different designs out there, but your not willing to pay for them, so keep what you have and continue to save until you can afford a cheaper operating solution.

IF you are just trying to optimize yourself, then you are honestly taking things a bit far. 66F is incredibly cold for an ambient temperature. Yes research shows that your brain removes more toxins at lower temps while sleeping, but what research ALSO fails to show is that the planet has over 7 billion people in it, and of those 7 billion none of them are REQUIRED to sleep in temps of 66F.

Also if its regarding make you perform better for your daily life, then think of it this way, theres something like 30-50 million+ people in the world who are considered millionaires, so its obvious that you dont have to sleep at this temp to gain more wealth. In fact, sleeping at this temp just might cost you some wealth by over spending in areas that are not needed.

I dont mean to be "mean", however you seem very dead set on not changing the temps. You should be open to the peoples suggestion of sleeping at higher temps. Everyone who has AC who tries to transition out of AC has the trouble of "its too hot to sleep without AC", but given a month or so, you'll become used to it.

Try increasing the temp by 2F every 3-5days until you hit around 75F. Turn a fan on and have it blow on you. You probably dont realize but as these devices operate at lower and lower temps, the less efficient they become. The reason I suggest using a fan is because theres something called the "wind chill effect". I'm sure you've heard it and know about it. The movement of air makes it "feel" cooler than it actually is. Fans consume FAR less energy than a cooler itself, so keeping a room at a higher temp and running a fan will be FAR more effective.

Secondly you seem to say your bedroom is south facing and street facing therefore you can't have a window unit which introduces security problems. You can have a window unit and have it be just as quite and secure. You just choose to not have it. Window units can be locked in place, just as people have described. You can continue to use a wood rod in the window for added security to prevent window from opening even further. You do realize that someone can easily throw a rock, brick or something hard at your window to enter your home right? A piece of 1/2inch thick plywood is ACTUALLY SAFER. You can also heavily insulate the shit out of the plywood so heat wont be a problem.

Since you seem pretty rude about "not moving your master bedroom to a different side of the house", why don't you go out, but a piece of sun shade and tarp, and create a giant ass "cover" to cover the south side of the house? The sunshade would be used on top of the tarp, with a gap between the two. The sun shade will cut thermal transmission and the tarp with further block out light preventing you from having to see traffic and fear for your home being broken into. The problem you are having for the room heating up is because your letting the house bake in the sun. You need to cut down the thermal transmission onto the entire side of the house, not just the window.

[chowdan]

Also forgot to mention, you could modd a water bed. You could get something like a water chiller and cycle the water through the chiller(I'm an aquarium guy so my first thought for a chiller is an aquarium chiller).

I'd be surprised if no one manufactures a water bed with chiller in it?

[Cranky]

Do you have ceiling fans? We keep the house at 78 degrees in the summer, though we only turn the a/c on when the daytime temps are over 85 degrees. I have to get up and turn the fan off in the middle of the night because I get too cold.

I figure that human beings evolved to live in Africa, and our brains can manage to sleep in warm temperatures. 66 degrees (which is chilly in the house in the winter) is nuts for a/c, but if you insist on that you're going to have to pay the electric bill.

[seattlecyclone]

I have trouble sleeping on warm summer nights in Seattle as well. I have a cool basement, and a guest bed set up down there that I use myself a few times a year when it's too warm to sleep upstairs.

[mmmainm]

Cranky,
Thanks for the constructive comment about a ceiling fan.
I will look into that.
Syonyk,
Yes, maybe someone out does make a water bed with a simple cooler feature.
Or maybe just a regular water bed would cool one down.
I will look into that.  Thanks for the constructive comments.
--
As for the 66F business, this is something that is well-publicized on web on sites that promote healthy sleep. They do NOT sell AC units; they pass on what is well-established among sleep experts (Doctors). Try looking on mercola dot com, for example. He has at least one page on sleep hygiene, which covers this.
This is not just about me - this is about the ability of a child to sleep well. When a couple of you are making your snarky comments, please remember that. Thanks.

[kite]

Mercola is nuts.

You don't need "active cooling" with water beds.  Room temperature water will lower your body temperature because water has a higher heat capacity than air.  It draws heat from you, which is why you'd get hypothermia in water sooner than in air of the same temperature. 
Gel pads work the same way.  I have one for my dog who prefers to sleep on cold tile against a metal exterior door.  If I need to keep him contained in a carpeted room, he prefers the gel pad because it helps cool his body that cannot sweat enough to regulate his body temperature.  The alcohol in the gel keeps it about 5 degrees below room temp.

Gel pads and pillows are marketed to hot flash sufferers.  As are bed fans.  These require less commitment and inconvenience than a water bed. 

Mercola is a quack.  For the love of science, steer clear of every thing with his name on it.

[dragoncar]

What was unbearable about the noise of the room AC?  My first thought would be a split AC like these:

http://www.homedepot.com/b/Heating-Venting-Cooling-Air-Conditioners-Coolers-Air-Conditioners-Ductless-Mini-Splits/N-5yc1vZc4m1

It's basically a regular AC, but instead of circulating around the entire house, it has one outlet in your room.  It still makes noise blowing, but the compressor is outside.  Probably the most efficient way to cool one room.

edit: do you rent?  The other alternative is to go solar to offset your usage.

[FiftyIsTheNewTwenty]

How well is your system sized to your house?  Most residential heat pumps are way oversized, so they cycle on and off more than they should -- very inefficient.  It also doesn't dry the air enough, so you wind up running lower temperatures to get a comfortable humidity level. 

Do a "Manual J" calculation, and you may be surprised.  There are online apps for it.

Ceiling fans help a lot, w/ 10-20W power draw.  I sleep with my bedroom at 78F+, and the ceiling fan makes it more than bearable.  I'm not sure it would be without it -- the AC is broken so there's some humidity.

Mini-split systems are fantastic, but double the cost of replacing a ducted heat pump and air handler.  If you're already using only 900 kW-hr at typical 10-12 cents per, I can't see how the math would make sense, unless it adds value to your house through improved comfort and quiet.

[Bracken_Joy]

You asked, how to cut electrical usage in summer. People answered. Just because you don't like the answers doesn't make them not true.

Sorry. The forums are not a mild place.

[pdxmonkey]

Thanks for the replies.

Sorry, but the window cannot be used.
It faces south, so it allows in huge amounts of heat in the summer.
It faces the street, so it can be noisy.
The window is sealed shut with a dowel and a thermal cover.

Yes, the Portland area is hot in the summer, and getting hotter each summer.  Really, Donald.

As folks noted, the ductless systems are perfect for this situation, but expensive.  5k for the smallest unit, for one or two rooms of cooling.

Yes, 66F. It is what sleep experts recommend, and, it is perfect for us.
We sleep with thin blankets (NOT covering our heads).
The point is to allow the brain to cool at night, so that it can properly do its nighttime work (taking out the waste products from the heavy brain activity of the day, etc). This is all backed by scientific research on what the brain does at night, and what it needs.

Yes, I have done everything otherwise to cut electric usage. My bill is reasonable for an electric house here. No gigantic tv, power strips, etc.
I do use a dryer, and am considering stopping that. But the real issue is the heat pump in the summer.

In the winter, the daytime house temp is 67F.  Perfect for me and the kid.  We save a lof of money - not - overheating the house in winter.

Anyway, I thought maybe there was some small scale AC unit of which I was not aware.  You know, something that would sit in the next room, and which would have a hose through the wall to provide cool air.

I see the evapolar on indiegogo, but I am not sure that that would work for us.
Thanks.
Mac

Can you link me to any papers or articles by sleep experts that suggest you must sleep at 66f or lower? I live in Portland with a 2k+ sq ft house with central AC. My summer electric bill is barely over $40. My winter bill is about $30. It doesn't get hot here very often and I set my ac to the low-mid 70s (72-74)depending on the time of year so I'm closer to acclimated when I go outside. 74 is in August for example.

[pdxmonkey]

As suggested by the op I googled Mercola. Here's what I found: https://www.quackwatch.org/11Ind/mercola.html

[kpd905]

As suggested by the op I googled Mercola. Here's what I found: https://www.quackwatch.org/11Ind/mercola.html

That was my thought on my first glance at that site.

[BudgetSlasher]

One other avenues to explore/consider.

How old is your house (and cooling system)? When was the last time is was inspected/serviced/tuned (or just checked refrigerant pressure, replaced the filter, and cleaned the coils)?

Similarly how efficient is your cooling system?

Is your blower fan a split phase capacitor start motor or an ECM motor?

Are your ducts properly sized and balanced (most houses have too little return grill area)?

Where do your ducts run (please tell me there are ducts and not just using a pan between floor joists or the bay between studs)? If they run outside of the conditioned envelope are they sealed and insulated?

As has been mentioned are you sure that the unit is properly sized for the load?

How well air sealed and insulated is your house (have you had an energy audit)?

How warm is the house during the non-sleeping hours?

And do you have it at your sleeping temperature for longer than you are sleeping?

Have you considered warming it up earlier than the time you have set your alarm (programable thermostat) to help you wake up and save energy?

[ducky19]

I don't know why my brain decided to work this way this morning, but I somehow read the thread title as "How to Cut Electric Sausage in Summer". I must say I was intrigued...

[TomTX]

It appears the correct answer is: Quit listening to quacks and set your temperature at a reasonable level. Done.

[dragoncar]

If You just wanna cook your brain, you can get one of those gel hat things that you can refrigerate.  They also make a system that's probably expensive wig active cooling, but I've seen some DIY setups with an aquarium pump and a bucket of ice water .

[pdxmonkey]

Was thinking about this some more. How well ventilated is your attic? An attic vent fan and ridge vent work wonders.

[Driko]

I don't know why my brain decided to work this way this morning, but I somehow read the thread title as "How to Cut Electric Sausage in Summer". I must say I was intrigued...

Probably because your brain isn't getting the required rest it needs. Try lowering your thermostat to 66 ;)

[Astatine]

Our aim in summer is to keep the bedroom below 30C (or 86F). Admittedly our summer heat is usually pretty dry, but we manage it with ceiling fans, spraying ourselves with water just before bed and sleeping with a wet tea towel on torso or thighs. Obviously, we don't sleep with any covers, not even a thin sheet.

66F is not a sensible temperature in summer unless your summer climate is cold and that's the natural temperature of your house.

[ducky19]

I don't know why my brain decided to work this way this morning, but I somehow read the thread title as "How to Cut Electric Sausage in Summer". I must say I was intrigued...

Probably because your brain isn't getting the required rest it needs. Try lowering your thermostat to 66 ;)

Well played!

[Counting_Down]

You don't need "active cooling" with water beds.  Room temperature water will lower your body temperature because water has a higher heat capacity than air.  It draws heat from you, which is why you'd get hypothermia in water sooner than in air of the same temperature. 
Gel pads work the same way. 

+1 Thank god, science.

Also, OP, you're complaining.  Toughen up. No one *needs* AC to 66 deg. to sleep.  You already have your answer for saving energy.

[MMM98]

Well instead of questioning you why you want a temp of 66 degrees, I question why you do not install your own AC unit.  Here on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Air-Conditioner-Inverter-Ductless/dp/B01DVW6G06/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1479234619&sr=1-4&keywords=ductless+air+conditioner  it is a $695.73 unit that at least one reviewer says is quite possible for a DIYer to install.

Use that in your BR and raise the house temp, problem solved!