Author Topic: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer  (Read 10454 times)

tampaite

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Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« on: June 03, 2019, 01:09:22 PM »
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« Last Edit: June 28, 2019, 08:38:29 AM by tampaite »

SimpleCycle

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2019, 01:12:30 PM »
I have dialed this in exactly, and 77F is the maximum upper temp DW will tolerate before she starts to want me dead.  Therefore, it is set to 77F.

eljefe-speaks

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #2 on: June 03, 2019, 01:13:23 PM »
A: 76
B: 76, spouse and I are on the same page.

naj89

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #3 on: June 03, 2019, 01:14:14 PM »
I'm likely an outlier on this issue

We leave ours at 74F. We could go to 76F without too much issue but I get grumpy when hot.

We are in a hot and humid Midwest state and have been told it's better for our old A/C mechanical equipment to leave it at a constant temp to maintain humidity levels rather than adjust up and down when home or away.

We also have pets that I don't want to get too hot.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk


rantk81

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #4 on: June 03, 2019, 01:16:31 PM »
73F.  And even with a regular fan pointed at me at night, I still feel too warm sometimes. My electric bills in the heavy-AC-usage months top out around $120 so it doesn't break the budget, and it is one of the luxuries that is "worth it" to me.

tipster350

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2019, 01:25:50 PM »
72
74

I moved from the glorious weather conditions if the Bay Area to a climate with hot and humid summers. When I was young and poor and lived in the same awful humidity, I wasn't able to afford air conditioning. It was horrible.

When moving back for family reasons, I gave myself permission to set the thermostat at whatever temp I need to feel comfortable, as the circumstances of my stay here already make life very difficult. At the same time, I live in a very small house and the a/c is efficient. As I am careful about resource use in general, I don't stress about this one thing.

DadJokes

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #6 on: June 03, 2019, 01:32:11 PM »
72

Happy wife, happy life.

When I was young, single, and lived in a dry heat (as opposed to current 2000% humidity), I didn't use A/C...or heat. I also didn't spend much time at home, except to sleep.

Sibley

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #7 on: June 03, 2019, 01:33:41 PM »
Depending on the situation, my a/c is off, or set to between 75-78 F. It's programmed at 78, but if I'm moving around a lot I will sometimes bump it down. And when I sit down I get cold, so I push it back up. Basically, it's all over.

skp

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2019, 01:34:37 PM »
76 degrees.  I would turn it off but my husband insists we need it for the humidity.  We only run it when it is humid.  We do have a dehumidifier in our basement that runs all summer. 

ketchup

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2019, 01:40:49 PM »
We only have window units that don't have exact temperature presets, but they keep it around 74F upstairs.  Downstairs has no unit set up at the moment and maxes around 70F on warm days.  Our house has crappy insulation (it's old as shit) but it's in the shade of 100-year-old oak trees so it still doesn't heat up too badly.  It's just the humidity that the AC really helps take the edge off.  To actually answer your second question though: I'd have it on just enough to get the humidity out and be able to lift weights without it making that harder (I used to lift in a hot garage and that was unbelievably awful), probably only a few ticks higher.

The winter situation is somewhat flopped.  The house does not retain warmth very well at all, so without much sunlight the downstairs we keep at around 50F max all winter and around 60F upstairs with the help of expensive-to-run space heaters.  The furnace heats up the downstairs well but only has one crappy small vent upstairs.  Even with this fairly modest heating arrangement it's expensive as hell.  The dogs love it downstairs in the winter though.  It just means they get to think they're dying on the first 65F day in the spring.

NorthernBlitz

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #10 on: June 03, 2019, 01:41:54 PM »
A: 76
B: 76, spouse and I are on the same page.

We also set at 76.

mizzourah2006

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #11 on: June 03, 2019, 01:42:07 PM »
During the day (I work from home): 80
While we sleep (turned down at 7:30 right before the kiddos bedtime): 76

B. I'd probably bump it up 2 during the day, but much above 76 at night and I am sweating, which makes for uncomfortable sleep

Much Fishing to Do

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #12 on: June 03, 2019, 02:04:37 PM »
During the day (I work from home): 80
While we sleep (turned down at 7:30 right before the kiddos bedtime): 76

B. I'd probably bump it up 2 during the day, but much above 76 at night and I am sweating, which makes for uncomfortable sleep

Yep, 80 is fine for me during the day, but sleeping 75 with ceiling fan on is as high as I'll let it go

Much Fishing to Do

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #13 on: June 03, 2019, 02:06:39 PM »
During the day (I work from home): 80
While we sleep (turned down at 7:30 right before the kiddos bedtime): 76

B. I'd probably bump it up 2 during the day, but much above 76 at night and I am sweating, which makes for uncomfortable sleep

Yep, 80 is fine for me during the day, but sleeping 75 with ceiling fan on is as high as I'll let it go.  Tough all that said I just put in the A/C about 6 years ago so we used to just deal with it...

clarkfan1979

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #14 on: June 03, 2019, 02:07:13 PM »
I live on Kauai and like most long-term residents, we do not have central air conditioning. We have A/C window units framed into the house on two bedrooms, but not the child's room.

On a normal summer day in the afternoon, it will be 92 in the living room and 86 in the bedrooms. During this time, we do not turn on the A/C units. We just hang out on our covered porch with breeze. It's normally 82-84 outside. If there is no breeze, we go to the beach, which is an 8 minute drive.

If it ever goes above 86 in our child's bedroom and our 2 year old soon needs a nap, we will put him in our bedroom with the A/C and turn it on for his nap. We can position the pack and play so the cold air from the A/C blows directly over him. It probably doesn't lower the temperature of the room, but it's much cooler for our son while he sleeps.


mm1970

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #15 on: June 03, 2019, 02:13:24 PM »
I have dialed this in exactly, and 77F is the maximum upper temp DW will tolerate before she starts to want me dead.  Therefore, it is set to 77F.
Yup.

We are usually set at 80 in the daytime.
At night, I think it's set at 76-77.
But there are times I get up and dial it down to 73-75F in the middle of the night.


Khaetra

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #16 on: June 03, 2019, 02:25:11 PM »
During the day it sits at 78, at night it goes down to 75.

FireHiker

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #17 on: June 03, 2019, 02:39:09 PM »
I set mine to 72. We have solar that over-generates since we sized it before switching everything to LED. This year was our first year with an electric bill in the 4 years since we installed our solar. It was $13.87 for the entire year. I HATE being hot, after spending two pregnancies in an office that was literally 88 degrees most of the summer (imbalanced thermostat from hell, so glad my office moved since then). On the flip side, I won't turn on the heat above 63, and if it were up to me I would go as low as 57. I prefer to be cold. My in-laws turn on the AC at 76, and the heat at 74...I cannot fathom a 2-degree comfort swing.

WSUCoug1994

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #18 on: June 03, 2019, 02:45:20 PM »
My wife and I are similar in our thinking.  We keep our house at 76 pretty much throughout the summer.  This is primarily for our kids (3 years and 10 months) when they are sleeping.  If the weather is nice outside (we have a great patio/playground area) we are typically trying to spend as much time as we can outside which makes even 76 degrees feel cold when we come back inside.

We also have a decent solar array which generates so much more electricity than we use so it isn't really a financial decision it is more of an environmental one for us personally.  If we don't use those kWh - others can use them over less environmentally friendly options (I know it likely doesn't really make a difference but it does make us feel like we are helping).

SecondEngineer

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #19 on: June 03, 2019, 02:51:12 PM »
I live in an apartment in the desert with a roommate. It doesn't have AC, but it does have swamp cooling (which I think is enough in the desert in every month but August). If I do find myself home during the day in the summer I have fans to keep me cool (or at least cooler). Overnight the temperature outside drops considerably, so venting the apartment cools it off quite a bit.

 I'm at a stage in life where I don't have anyone else to keep comfortable, so I'm testing my own limits when it comes to temperature.

Nick_Miller

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #20 on: June 03, 2019, 02:52:36 PM »
72 tops! It gets incredibly hot and humid here and I am not sweating in my own home. My wife and I agree on this 100 percent. We don't own a pool. We don't belong to a country club. Our home is our cool sanctuary.

Kris

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #21 on: June 03, 2019, 02:54:27 PM »
No idea. We only have a window unit in the bedroom, which we only turn on at night to sleep (and occasionally keep it on during the day to have one cool room to escape to if things get too brutal).

We pretty much only turn it on if the temperature outside during the day has gotten above 90.

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #22 on: June 03, 2019, 02:56:24 PM »
We haven't had AC in over 10 years.

PurpleYogurt

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #23 on: June 03, 2019, 03:01:35 PM »
76º during the day
74º at night

bogart

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #24 on: June 03, 2019, 03:15:08 PM »
I seek to nudge it up and work to be sure it's higher when we're out, but basically the a/c bill is less than the divorce would cost (by a good amount) and besides, I want to stay married to DH, so 74.

FIREstache

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #25 on: June 03, 2019, 03:47:54 PM »
A: What do you set your A/C at during summer ?

It seems like this gets asked pretty regularly.  Here's from last year:

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/what-temp-do-you-keep-your-houses/

80 to 83 during the day when I'm home, ~85 when I'm not home
78 to 80 at night

Ders

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #26 on: June 03, 2019, 04:32:20 PM »
I'll turn in off when I leave for work and then kick it on during once I'm back, but I don't have a specific temp I'll just set it to whatever I'm feeling. When I go to bed it has to be under 76.

A:74-76
B:79-80

CheapScholar

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #27 on: June 03, 2019, 04:42:42 PM »
Try to only use the AC when really needed.  I don’t mind it hot during the day but like a lot of men I just can’t sleep when it’s hot.  Even 72 is hot for me when it comes to sleeping.  Sometimes on really hot nights I just crash on my basement couch because it’s nice and cold down there.

Cranky

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #28 on: June 03, 2019, 05:04:37 PM »
We don’t use the a/c until the temperatures in the house get into the mid 80s. I’m cold all winter and am very happy to thaw out.

Then we set it at 78° and turn the fans on.

I grew up in Florida without a/c, and we lived in Miami without a/c during my first two pregnancies, so my top bearable temperature is pretty high. I’d rather be hot than cold.

undercover

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #29 on: June 03, 2019, 05:43:08 PM »
The difference in 70 and 80 in my house is probably like $10/mo so I don't even care. But I prefer it warmer anyway so like 74.

dblaace

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #30 on: June 03, 2019, 05:49:52 PM »
I keep mine at 80. Sometimes I'll drop it to 78 at night if it's humid.

Villanelle

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #31 on: June 03, 2019, 06:03:55 PM »
Ours is set at 76*.  However, it is in the coolest part of the house (interior space on the first floor with no windows).  The rest of the house gets to at least 82*, and even higher in some parts, where we have skylights.  Our bathroom has measured as high as 88*, due to a large skylight and the fact that I keep the door closed to keep the heat out of the rest of the house.

That said, we have a portable a/c in our bedroom that is set at 72 when we go to bed.  I can't sleep without it.  72 is actually a push toward mild discomfort, but I can still get some sleep. 

lexde

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #32 on: June 03, 2019, 06:14:07 PM »
76 to both. I have a dog and a window unit. 76 leaves my apartment at about 80. She’s double coated and gets too hot if it’s set warmer, so I can’t really compromise on that. Once I get a better insulated home, I can probably up it to 78.

FIREstache

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #33 on: June 03, 2019, 06:16:28 PM »
Even 72 is hot for me when it comes to sleeping.

That said, we have a portable a/c in our bedroom that is set at 72 when we go to bed.  I can't sleep without it.  72 is actually a push toward mild discomfort, but I can still get some sleep. 

Wow so cool for summer.  LOL.  That's about where I keep mine in the winter and use blankets.  About 78 to 80 for summer sleeping.

NV Teacher

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #34 on: June 03, 2019, 06:17:27 PM »
It’s normally set at 83 day and night.  I have fans in every room and keep a squirt bottle handy to regularly spray down my clothes.  Most times it’s okay.  Occasionally I’ll turn it down to 80 for a couple of hours when I can’t stand it.  I live in the hot dry desert with average daily temps of 105+ for most of the summer.  With the unusual cool spring and early summer I was able to get to June 1st before even turning it on.  That’s a new record for me.  Goodbye $40 power bill.  See you again in the late fall.

qwerty3020

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #35 on: June 03, 2019, 06:46:54 PM »
A. 80. I would probably prefer 81. DH would probably prefer 85. Kids like it a little cooler. So 80 it is.
B. 83.


Goldendog777

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #36 on: June 03, 2019, 06:51:53 PM »
81 during the day and 76 at night but if I wake up and I’m hot, I’ll crank it down a couple notches.  I can’t sleep if I’m hot!

SunnyDays

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #37 on: June 03, 2019, 07:32:05 PM »
Oh man, I'm currently having this "discussion" with my roommate (well, renter - she has one bedroom in my home).  She can't possibly survive if it's not 22 C all year round, so I sweated in the house this winter, and now I'll have to freeze in summer.  My preference is 19 C in winter and 25 - 27 C in summer, depending on humidity levels.  Our winters are frigid (-30 C is not unusual), so I want to enjoy the warmth in summer, damn it!  I've decided to just close the doors to the living room and my bedroom and close the vents and open the windows and enjoy!  And stay outside as much as possible.

golfreak12

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #38 on: June 03, 2019, 07:58:17 PM »
I couldn't live with a lot of y'all.
I like it at 80.
Wife likes it colder.
We settle on 79.
We live in Florida.

LearnTo

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #39 on: June 03, 2019, 08:08:10 PM »
72
75

I get really grouchy in heat and humidity.
OTOH, I set it at 60 on winter nights and only 64 in the days.

FIREstache

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #40 on: June 03, 2019, 08:16:26 PM »
Goodbye $40 power bill.  See you again in the late fall.
$40?  That's a good deal.  If I shut off my main breaker and use no electricity, I still pay about $50 for my electric bill just for having the service available.  Averages closer to $120/mo, not much higher in the summer with AC.  And that's just electricity - natural gas is a separate bill.

NV Teacher

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #41 on: June 03, 2019, 09:43:50 PM »
Goodbye $40 power bill.  See you again in the late fall.
$40?  That's a good deal.  If I shut off my main breaker and use no electricity, I still pay about $50 for my electric bill just for having the service available.  Averages closer to $120/mo, not much higher in the summer with AC.  And that's just electricity - natural gas is a separate bill.

That’s how it is with water here.  My friend that uses three times the water I do only pays about $12 more a month.  With the AC running, my power bill will more than triple over the summer to $130-$150 a month.  Just a part of life. 

dignam

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #42 on: June 04, 2019, 07:07:56 AM »
We have two-zone HVAC, and don't even turn the downstairs zone on unless it's in the 90s outside.  Upstairs where the bedrooms are, we set to 78 during the day, 72 when we go to sleep.  Heat/AC is one thing I will never have a problem spending money on.  I work hard so I don't have to go to bed in a pool of sweat at night, or freezing my boys off.  During mid summer here, it will still be light out close to 10pm (Wisconsin), and the stifling humidity just holds the day's heat in even longer.

brute

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #43 on: June 04, 2019, 07:11:53 AM »
74° F during the day
64° at night

Fie and shame you say? What's better? Spending a little extra on cooling or having to replace the mattress every year because I sweat through it? Gross, yes but welcome to the struggles of the giant strength athlete.

Spitfire

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #44 on: June 04, 2019, 07:20:37 AM »
I roll with 77. First floor condo with ceiling fans on low and blinds closed (most of the time).

Fishindude

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #45 on: June 04, 2019, 07:23:49 AM »
72 tops! It gets incredibly hot and humid here and I am not sweating in my own home. My wife and I agree on this 100 percent. We don't own a pool. We don't belong to a country club. Our home is our cool sanctuary.

Me too !
AC Is one of life's simple pleasures and is relatively inexpensive to operate.   Spend some money on insulation, doors, windows, etc. if your energy bills are out of control.

AMandM

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #46 on: June 04, 2019, 07:51:54 AM »
78

I wouldn't mind having it a bit higher, except that the upstairs gets uncomfortably warmer than the thermostat setting. DH would be happy for it to be lower; he feels the heat more than I do.  Sometimes I think we should keep it lower and see whether it helps the humidity in the basement.

ohio4life

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #47 on: June 04, 2019, 07:55:20 AM »
78 for mornings and evenings. It goes up to 85 before kicking on during the day when we are typically gone or can get up and turn it down manually if we are uncomfortable.

76 at night, which is probably closer to 78 or 80 on the 2nd floor where we sleep.

I honestly am very comfortable at these temps due to fans. If I am sweaty or uncomfortable I don't hesitate turning it down lower.

TheContinentalOp

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #48 on: June 04, 2019, 08:23:30 AM »
Haven't used the AC since I moved into this apartment 10 years ago. There's a unit in the wall. Not even sure if it works. I just put fans in the window and practice my stoicism.

My electric bill is U$27/mo. My neighbor in the next building complains her bill is over U$200 in the summer time when she runs the AC.

Bucksandreds

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Re: Set your A/C at 80 degree F during summer
« Reply #49 on: June 04, 2019, 08:25:34 AM »
For me I'd say about 75ish but wife just had a baby and moves it to 71 so we are a 71 degree household with high electric bills