Author Topic: My roommate still turns the AC on  (Read 8143 times)

johnny847

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My roommate still turns the AC on
« on: October 31, 2014, 12:56:08 PM »
He sets it 72. It's often cooler than 72 outside these days (Atlanta) so I don't know why he doesn't just open the window.
I don't want to get into an argument with him though, and considering all utilities are included with our rent, I'd rather not raise a fuss.

When I'm home, I turn off the AC and open the windows instead.


I was talking about this to a friend, and he said "I don't know, I use the AC these days too." When I asked him why he doesn't just open a window (he pays for his utilities) he said "the AC smells better."
Now I haven't smelled the air that comes from outside at his apartment, but there's no construction outside, and he's a couple floors up so it's not like he'd get smells of people smoking downstairs and stuff. And since when does AC air smell better than fresh air??

gimp

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Re: My roommate still turns the AC on
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2014, 01:26:37 PM »
u wot m8




Reminds me of the joke. Why did the eskimo buy a refrigerator? To warm up.

Gone Fishing

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Re: My roommate still turns the AC on
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2014, 01:35:16 PM »
 I had a roommate in college that would run the heat, a fan, and have the window open when it was 20 degrees outside, drove me nuts.  As it is today, opening the windows at certain times of the year can trigger an allergy attack for my wife.  I figure if the AC is running when it is in the low 70's outside, it isn't going to take long to cool the house off and the AC is probably running pretty efficiently as the outdoor unit can shed heat much easier at 70 than it can at 90.  Although, it probably only happens a few times of year when we are getting a strong afternoon sun.
« Last Edit: October 31, 2014, 01:53:30 PM by So Close »

Sid Hoffman

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Re: My roommate still turns the AC on
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2014, 01:40:22 PM »
While I agree that's silly to be running A/C at such a low thermostat setting - I would recommend at least 76 - I suspect the other factor is humidity.  I know I can't stand humidity, so living in the desert suits me well.  I can let my house float up to 83-85 degrees in the summer and it's vaguely tolerable with a fan because it's only 9% humidity or something along those lines.

However you said you're in Atlanta.  Opening a window is going to let humid outside air in, so even if it's 72 outside, if it's 72 & 30% humidity indoors but 72 & 60% humidity outdoors, I can see how it still feels better to let the A/C run for 5 minutes every hour or so to keep the temperature and humidity down.  That doesn't make it less goofy to do, but I can understand the rationale.

This is part of why it's easier to be mustachian alone than with someone else.  :)

Bob W

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Re: My roommate still turns the AC on
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2014, 01:47:17 PM »
Gotta agree that even in the woods my filtered house smell better most of the time.   I run the blower 24/7/365 both to move and filter air through our 32 by 32 super filter.   Opening the windows invites, humidity, mold, dust, pollen and other nastys in.     We do it occasionally when the temp, humidity and pollen are just right.   

I think if I lived in a city the window opening would be very rare.

And the cost to run it is probably pennies a day when it is relatively cool outside.   

johnny847

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Re: My roommate still turns the AC on
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2014, 02:11:34 PM »
While I agree that's silly to be running A/C at such a low thermostat setting - I would recommend at least 76 - I suspect the other factor is humidity.  I know I can't stand humidity, so living in the desert suits me well.  I can let my house float up to 83-85 degrees in the summer and it's vaguely tolerable with a fan because it's only 9% humidity or something along those lines.

However you said you're in Atlanta.  Opening a window is going to let humid outside air in, so even if it's 72 outside, if it's 72 & 30% humidity indoors but 72 & 60% humidity outdoors, I can see how it still feels better to let the A/C run for 5 minutes every hour or so to keep the temperature and humidity down.  That doesn't make it less goofy to do, but I can understand the rationale.

This is part of why it's easier to be mustachian alone than with someone else.  :)

It hasn't been humid as of late, so that's not a factor here. And he's not running it for 5 minutes every hour, he just leaves it set to 72, period.

I had a roommate in college that would run the heat, a fan, and have the window open when it was 20 degrees outside, drove me nuts.  As it is today, opening the windows at certain times of the year can trigger an allergy attack for my wife.  I figure if the AC is running when it is in the low 70's outside, it isn't going to take long to cool the house off and the AC is probably running pretty efficiently as the outdoor unit can shed heat much easier at 70 than it can at 90.  Although, it probably only happens a few times of year when we are getting a strong afternoon sun.

I hadn't thought about the allergy bit. I don't think he has allergies though, I don't notice him sneezing when the windows are open. And he doesn't object to the windows being open either.
And what a moron roommate.

But like I said, it's not about the financial cost with respect to my roommate, since all utilities are included for us. It just seems dumb when it's cooler outside, not humid, and he doesn't seem to have allergies.

Gone Fishing

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Re: My roommate still turns the AC on
« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2014, 03:19:51 PM »
It just seems dumb when it's cooler outside, not humid, and he doesn't seem to have allergies.

I'm just guessing that you are youngish because you have a roommate (might be wrong about that).  The number of dumb people (and smart people who do dumb things) you will meet in your lifetime will only compound as you grow older.  As long as you don't marry one of them you'll be fine! Just be glad you are not paying for it.

johnny847

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Re: My roommate still turns the AC on
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2014, 03:21:36 PM »
It just seems dumb when it's cooler outside, not humid, and he doesn't seem to have allergies.

I'm just guessing that you are youngish because you have a roommate (might be wrong about that).  The number of dumb people (and smart people who do dumb things) you will meet in your lifetime will only compound as you grow older.  As long as you don't marry one of them you'll be fine! Just be glad you are not paying for it.

Haha yea we are.

jda1984

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Re: My roommate still turns the AC on
« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2014, 03:52:16 PM »
I turned the heat on this morning at the office and then I switched it over to AC about 2pm.  We have two stories of west facing windows and it will reach 80+ degrees in my office in the later afternoon without AC.  I figure the additional productivity offered by being comfortable more than covers the cost of the electricity to run the AC.  I would open a window if my windows could open, but they can't.

tracylayton

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Re: My roommate still turns the AC on
« Reply #9 on: October 31, 2014, 04:55:16 PM »
I had a room mate in college that would open her bedroom windows at night to sleep, even though the heat was on. We were paying the electric bill, so we had a "Come to Jesus" meeting!

Sid Hoffman

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Re: My roommate still turns the AC on
« Reply #10 on: October 31, 2014, 05:05:41 PM »
It hasn't been humid as of late, so that's not a factor here. And he's not running it for 5 minutes every hour, he just leaves it set to 72, period.

OK, I'm not sure you know how A/C works.  It only has two settings: ON and OFF.  Setting the thermostat to 72 degrees means it will only turn to ON when the temperature rises above a set threshold mark, like to 73 degrees.  Then it will run ON, usually achieving at least an 18 degree cooling effect (meaning if the air going in is 73, the air coming out is 55 degrees) until the thermostat hits another trip, such as reaching 71 degrees.  Then it switches to OFF again.  If you are hearing air running constantly, that is just the fan itself running.  If the A/C was running constantly your place would be about 40 degrees inside.  The thermostat cannot regulate the temperature of the air coming out of the vents the way a car can by mixing cold air from the A/C with hot air from the heater core.  A home A/C system is either on or off.

So my statement is likely true.  Even if it's running the fan 60 minutes per hour, the A/C itself should only need to run for a brief period, such as 5 minutes per hour to deal with body heat, computers, TVs, and so on adding heat, since if it's 72 outside and you're reasonably well shaded, you won't be getting heating from outside.

johnny847

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Re: My roommate still turns the AC on
« Reply #11 on: October 31, 2014, 05:15:27 PM »
It hasn't been humid as of late, so that's not a factor here. And he's not running it for 5 minutes every hour, he just leaves it set to 72, period.

OK, I'm not sure you know how A/C works.  It only has two settings: ON and OFF.  Setting the thermostat to 72 degrees means it will only turn to ON when the temperature rises above a set threshold mark, like to 73 degrees.  Then it will run ON, usually achieving at least an 18 degree cooling effect (meaning if the air going in is 73, the air coming out is 55 degrees) until the thermostat hits another trip, such as reaching 71 degrees.  Then it switches to OFF again.  If you are hearing air running constantly, that is just the fan itself running.  If the A/C was running constantly your place would be about 40 degrees inside.  The thermostat cannot regulate the temperature of the air coming out of the vents the way a car can by mixing cold air from the A/C with hot air from the heater core.  A home A/C system is either on or off.

So my statement is likely true.  Even if it's running the fan 60 minutes per hour, the A/C itself should only need to run for a brief period, such as 5 minutes per hour to deal with body heat, computers, TVs, and so on adding heat, since if it's 72 outside and you're reasonably well shaded, you won't be getting heating from outside.

Haha whoops - I misread what you said - "let the AC run for 5 minutes every hour" became in my mind "turn the AC on for 5 minutes every hour." I understand how AC works.

tmac

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Re: My roommate still turns the AC on
« Reply #12 on: October 31, 2014, 07:16:07 PM »
I had a roommate in college that would run the heat, a fan, and have the window open when it was 20 degrees outside, drove me nuts.

A couple of years back, our electric bill spiked and I couldn't figure out what was going on until I realized that my teenager was running the A/C window unit and a space heater in his room. I just about throttled him.

Elderwood17

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Re: My roommate still turns the AC on
« Reply #13 on: November 01, 2014, 07:32:17 AM »
I had a roommate in college that would run the heat, a fan, and have the window open when it was 20 degrees outside, drove me nuts.

A couple of years back, our electric bill spiked and I couldn't figure out what was going on until I realized that my teenager was running the A/C window unit and a space heater in his room. I just about throttled him.
The joys of having someone else pay the bills!!