Author Topic: No-HVAC record  (Read 5160 times)

zephyr911

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No-HVAC record
« on: May 31, 2016, 07:55:44 AM »
Hey all,
Just curious how long you Northern Hemisphere badasses have had your heat off, and how long you think you can make it before you flip the switch on the AC.
We killed the heat in late March, and lately we've achieved steady-state temps of 80 degrees while waiting for the ambient to drop below interior temp and start ventilating. Would like to get that to 85 or so - stretch goal for me, as my natural preference is more like 60. My goal is to break 3 months before turning on AC. We have an old friend coming to stay June 22nd so we'll probably fire it up then for him.

2Birds1Stone

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2016, 08:44:37 AM »
We don't even have AC installed in our apartment here in NY.

hoodedfalcon

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2016, 08:48:52 AM »
South Carolina here. I haven't turned the AC on yet! It's been 82 or 83 inside (downstairs) on the hottest days. I put a box fan in the window of the second floor bedroom (much warmer) at night and that seems to work and I still sleep under a sheet. We have only had a few days in the 90s so far so I've been lucky. Making it to June without AC will be a personal record for me!

onlykelsey

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2016, 08:53:15 AM »
I'm in NYC.  We have had no heat since February (not by choice but then when it came back we were used to it), and are fighting putting in the A/C now.   Once it's hitting 85 in the house during the day, I don't feel okay leaving my giant furry dog home alone.  That will probably come in the next couple weeks. Also, apparently being pregnant makes you hot, because I am melting with a ceiling fan at 83, which has not historically been the case.

zephyr911

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2016, 09:18:59 AM »
Feel free to share any tricks you use to raise your tolerance. I used to wear long sleeves or even hoodies a little longer than necessary in spring in MS to push me toward summer acclimation. Now I just try to spend more time outside so 75 or 80 indoors feels cold by comparison.

onlykelsey

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2016, 09:41:33 AM »
Feel free to share any tricks you use to raise your tolerance. I used to wear long sleeves or even hoodies a little longer than necessary in spring in MS to push me toward summer acclimation. Now I just try to spend more time outside so 75 or 80 indoors feels cold by comparison.

I wear layers in my air conditioned office and on the subway.  The platforms are sweltering and my walk to and from the subway is outside, so it's mostly my day in the office I have to worry about.  I think running (outside) also helps.

That said, when I lived in Texas and was running 40-60 mile weeks, I had the problem that my body was SO GOOD at managing heat that it would start sweating as soon as I moved.  Which was GREAT when I was trying to outlast a heatwave or running.  It was a pain when I was just walking to my car and waiting 30 seconds for the A/C to bring it below 110 inside, because I was immediately SOAKED.  So I think training for heat tolerance can go too far.

zephyr911

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #6 on: May 31, 2016, 09:52:55 AM »
Related: when showering before a departure, I wind up with cold water at the end so my body won't react as quickly to the hot air outside.

Rural

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #7 on: May 31, 2016, 12:05:59 PM »
Turned off in mid or late March here, and back on (daytime only) two days ago. Nights we open up still. The complicating factor was we had to run a portable dehumidifier in a fairly central closet next to the berm on the north side, and the heat from that heated the whole place. Better than moldy clothes, though, and it was getting pretty musty in there.


We are also going for stability over temperature swings here long-term. Some limited use of heat or AC when things start to change seems to work better and use less power than letting the whole thermal mass trend away from the median and then having to artificially try to bring all that back to the middle. It means I won't ever win one of these contests, probably, but I think it will be more efficient in the long term due to our extreme thermal mass.

lizzzi

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2016, 12:22:14 PM »
Before I got my puppy in January, my heat was 55/65. I found I had to just leave the heat at 67 day/night, or the puppy clung to me like I was a big hot water bottle.  Now that we're just coming into the cooling season (NE Ohio), I'm finding that 78 seems too warm in the house for the pup--he pants, looks hot, etc. Keeping the air con at 76 seems to keep him comfortable. I've never used the air con in this house except to turn it on to make sure it works--I just opened windows. So for the foreseeable future it's going to be heat 67 and cooling at 76. Sigh. As they say, a dog is a lifestyle.

zephyr911

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2016, 01:16:41 PM »
Puppies can be a bit delicate, but as they grow up they should quickly develop a tolerance well beyond yours, especially if you're giving them outdoor exercise. I walk my dogs at least twice a day, every day I have them, whether it's 20 or 100 out. A few days ago when our inside temp was hitting 80, they seemed fine.
Side note: dog wanting to snuggle? What's the downside? Ahahaha...

onlykelsey

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2016, 01:23:15 PM »
Puppies can be a bit delicate, but as they grow up they should quickly develop a tolerance well beyond yours, especially if you're giving them outdoor exercise. I walk my dogs at least twice a day, every day I have them, whether it's 20 or 100 out. A few days ago when our inside temp was hitting 80, they seemed fine.
Side note: dog wanting to snuggle? What's the downside? Ahahaha...

Agreed that dogs will develop a tolerance.  I worried in the beginning when my dog panted or hung out in cool places in the apartment (he's a ginormous largely black airedale terrier), but the vet assured me it's all good if it's a livable temperature for a human.  I'll probably be softer as he gets elderly, but for now, he's ok with 82-84 inside temp (and adequate water, etc).

Of course all bets are off with the super genetically engineered dogs (pugs, french bulldogs, etc).  They really can't cool themselves.

Lake161

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #11 on: June 02, 2016, 02:07:18 PM »
One year and counting ... Of course we are cheating by living in the highlands of Panama, with 70 degree temps year round. No HVAC at all in houses here.

That's one reason why there are so many early retirees (and late retirees trying to make a go of it on social security alone) down here.

I will take up the challenge later this year when we move back to the Lake Tahoe area.

KarefulKactus15

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #12 on: June 02, 2016, 02:36:48 PM »
South Carolina here. I haven't turned the AC on yet! It's been 82 or 83 inside (downstairs) on the hottest days. I put a box fan in the window of the second floor bedroom (much warmer) at night and that seems to work and I still sleep under a sheet. We have only had a few days in the 90s so far so I've been lucky. Making it to June without AC will be a personal record for me!

Also south carolina here.    The following is facepunch worthy.   

I sleep with the AC on 67
I keep it on 72 when home not sleeping
The setback for when im gone is set for 76

lizzzi

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #13 on: June 03, 2016, 05:17:34 AM »
Thanks for the advice on dogs, puppies, and home temperatures. He is not delicate, and goes outside with me no matter what the weather or temperature--no pee pads for him!--and we walk in the park twice a day every day unless weather is really inclement. So I'll see how he does as he grows up. He's getting bigger--four pounds! About the size of a squirrel.

Frugal Lizard

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #14 on: June 03, 2016, 06:02:03 AM »
We don't have AC.  We close all the windows and shut the blinds every morning and open up overnight.  Most of the rooms have ceiling fans which kids use for sleeping.  Our bedroom is in the basement so it is cold all the time.  I have trees planted to eventually shade the house and on the roof is a 10 kilowatt solar panel system.  We installed it six months ago so I don't know how it is shading the roof.  We also super insulated the attic seven months ago but the winter was warmer than usual so I don't know how much that helped.  We cook outside when it is stinking hot.  And if it is really getting stuffy I turn on the furnace fan on high to move the air around.  If the kids are really uncomfortable they bunk downstairs in the basement.

belgiandude

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #15 on: June 03, 2016, 06:57:54 AM »
My comfortable temperature range is between 50 and 88. Outside of it, I switch on heating/AC. We switched on heating maybe a couple of days in our current apartment (been here since jan). For AC, we shall see. Probably never.

onlykelsey

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #16 on: June 03, 2016, 07:00:56 AM »
My comfortable temperature range is between 50 and 88. Outside of it, I switch on heating/AC. We switched on heating maybe a couple of days in our current apartment (been here since jan). For AC, we shall see. Probably never.

Nice.  Mine is 54-84, and I thought I was badass.

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #17 on: June 03, 2016, 09:48:56 AM »
Feel free to share any tricks you use to raise your tolerance. I used to wear long sleeves or even hoodies a little longer than necessary in spring in MS to push me toward summer acclimation. Now I just try to spend more time outside so 75 or 80 indoors feels cold by comparison.

85 would be a good goal for me too. My comfort level is 80 during waking hours, at 81 I start feeling too warm. I like it at 78 when I sleep.

I've already run my AC twice this year (both times were this week). When I got home from work the house was 82. I got a cold glass of water and turned on a pedestal fan. Later I turned the AC on about two hours before I went to bed, cooled the house to 78, then turned it off, not to be ran again until bed time the next night.

One trick that helps me is to run my car air conditioner on max for my 15 to 20 minute drive home from work. A few minutes from home, it gets uncomfortably cold. I intentionally keep it blasting, then when I walk into the warm house it actually feels good!

BudgetSlasher

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #18 on: June 05, 2016, 09:05:08 PM »
The heat probably went off here in late April (it is hard to tell since the exterior temperature rises above the set point and it just never comes back on). Whether the A/C gets run will depend on if we get a series of warm and humid nights all in a row.

Rezdent

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #19 on: June 05, 2016, 10:09:37 PM »
No HVAC here.
Propane space heaters as needed during the winter, but I think the last time they were on was early April.

We do have a couple of ancient A/C window units but they are so ineffective that we only turn them on if the inside temps go over 100F and stay up there well into the evening hours.  Which can happen in July/August here.  One year, a candle melted and dripped down the side of the fridge, so I do pay attention now.

Acclimatization is definitely a thing.  It's all relative.  Right now, 85F feels comfortable, we're seeing some lower 90s, but it's going to get much warmer.  By October, 85F will feel freaking chilly and I'll probably wear long sleeves the first few days until I get used to it.  I've also found the first two weeks of heat are the worst.

The big downside right now is having to sit in an office all day at 72F.  This keeps me from acclimatizing to the heat well.  You would think that AC would be a relief, and it feels great, but in reality it just makes it harder.

I practice thermal sailing - opening/shutting windows, using fans to direct air flow, etc.  I also plan activity for early or late, and lay low between 2 and 4pm.  Summer is the time for low-heat foods; stir fries, salads, cold soups.

Nights usually drop into cooler temps, so sleeping with windows open is very pleasant and I usually use a blanket year-round.

zephyr911

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #20 on: June 06, 2016, 06:10:28 AM »
Also south carolina here.    The following is facepunch worthy.   

I sleep with the AC on 67
I keep it on 72 when home not sleeping
The setback for when im gone is set for 76
Haha! Facepunch indeed.

Have you ever tried just bumping it up a degree at a time over a period of days? Unless you have some kind of bizarre and little-known medical condition, your human body is capable of adjusting to far warmer temps.

My natural preference is somewhere around 60, so I totally know where you're coming from, but I manage to ease into 75+ every spring and summer without much effort - just a little thought and application. I could actually do a whole lot better.

Drifterrider

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #21 on: June 06, 2016, 06:21:19 AM »
I like to sleep in a room cold enough to hang meat.

I once made so little money that I couldn't afford to run the window A/C while I lived in a trailer, in a field, in NC.  It got so hot in there one day a can of solid Crisco melted.

I don't have to live that way any more: and I don't.

In the winter I usually keep my heat at 60-62.  I keep my central air at 80.  I use window units for bedroom and TV room.


zephyr911

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #22 on: June 06, 2016, 02:24:38 PM »
DW actually ran the AC for a while last night while I was gone (monthly drill out of town), but I don't think it counts... ironically, it only got to about 80 here, but she got on a baking tear and our tiny kitchen got hot as balls. By the time I got back it was cooler outside than inside anyway.

Right now a crew is vacuuming out our attic fiberglass, but it's still only 77 in here and I'm doing fine. Tomorrow morning when we leave for work they'll be returning to apply spray foam, which should make this whole endeavor even easier to prolong. Later this week we'll be seeing upper 90s highs, with low 70s at night, and we'll see how that affects the inside. Humidity is becoming an issue too, so we may be near the end of our stretch, but at 2.5mos+ I'm feeling good. Half the year with no HVAC is at least slightly badass. Slightly. ;)

mizzourah2006

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #23 on: June 09, 2016, 11:14:06 AM »
I made  no HVAC from early April to yesterday. It got up to 92 here yesterday and finally had to turn on the AC. June 8th is the latest we've made it so far.

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #24 on: June 09, 2016, 05:10:31 PM »
I had the AC on one night a month ago, night-time temp was 21 and the house was 30 (not to mention high humidity) and my dog was so unhappy.  Right now I am resisting putting the furnace back on, the house was 16 this morning, up to a balmy 19 now, and the night-time low will be 7.  This is June!  (but the dog is loving it)

human

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #25 on: June 09, 2016, 06:27:31 PM »
I've seen a lot of threads like this and often wondered what outside temps drop to for those that say they can handle 50-55 Fahrenheit (10 Celsius!). How cold is it outside when it's 50 inside?

Winters here are -15f (that's about as low as it goes) to 14f and at those temps I keep the heat at 60-64. Are you guys living in places where it's this cold for months or does it just drop to the 20s?

I guess I'm a wimp, with the thermostat indoors set to 60 and -15f outside I'm in long johns, sweaters and using an electric blanket, but I do live in a big loft with an 18 foot high ceiling and no fan moving the air around. It's a condo building and the gas heat costs maybe $50 a month (25$ of that is delivery charges we pay no matter how much we use) in the winter and hardly comes on set to 60.

alsoknownasDean

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #26 on: June 10, 2016, 06:12:43 AM »
I don't have air conditioning, so it kinda doesn't count.

I switched off my heater in October (and put it back in the cupboard), and switched it back on a couple of weeks ago.

I was trying to challenge myself to get to June before switching it on, but after one night where it went down to 3C (about 38F) outside, I decided that it was probably a good idea to turn it on.

The living room is currently a balmy 18C, according to the thermometer on the nearby fridge.

The bedroom tends to go unheated throughout the winter. I tend to manage fine, just add a blanket or two.

I've seen a lot of threads like this and often wondered what outside temps drop to for those that say they can handle 50-55 Fahrenheit (10 Celsius!). How cold is it outside when it's 50 inside?

Winters here are -15f (that's about as low as it goes) to 14f and at those temps I keep the heat at 60-64. Are you guys living in places where it's this cold for months or does it just drop to the 20s?

I guess I'm a wimp, with the thermostat indoors set to 60 and -15f outside I'm in long johns, sweaters and using an electric blanket, but I do live in a big loft with an 18 foot high ceiling and no fan moving the air around. It's a condo building and the gas heat costs maybe $50 a month (25$ of that is delivery charges we pay no matter how much we use) in the winter and hardly comes on set to 60.

Yeah where I am the lowest it gets to in winter is around 0C/32F, maybe -1C. Lots of houses here don't have central heating. In fact I grew up in a house without central heating or air conditioning. Hence I'm used to the living room being warm (heater) and the other rooms being cold :)
« Last Edit: June 10, 2016, 06:18:13 AM by alsoknownasDean »

KarefulKactus15

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #27 on: June 10, 2016, 07:47:11 AM »
Also south carolina here.    The following is facepunch worthy.   

I sleep with the AC on 67
I keep it on 72 when home not sleeping
The setback for when im gone is set for 76
Haha! Facepunch indeed.

Have you ever tried just bumping it up a degree at a time over a period of days? Unless you have some kind of bizarre and little-known medical condition, your human body is capable of adjusting to far warmer temps.

My natural preference is somewhere around 60, so I totally know where you're coming from, but I manage to ease into 75+ every spring and summer without much effort - just a little thought and application. I could actually do a whole lot better.

Honestly,  I think once I fire I would enjoy bumping it up and really pushing that power bill lower.   RIght now long hot showers and very tight hvac preferences drive my bill up to 140$.  I feel confident I could hit 70$ a month with some lifestyle changes.  But Im too stubborn to give up my creature comforts while still working the 40 hour grind.

zephyr911

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #28 on: June 10, 2016, 11:11:17 AM »
Also south carolina here.    The following is facepunch worthy.   

I sleep with the AC on 67
I keep it on 72 when home not sleeping
The setback for when im gone is set for 76
Haha! Facepunch indeed.

Have you ever tried just bumping it up a degree at a time over a period of days? Unless you have some kind of bizarre and little-known medical condition, your human body is capable of adjusting to far warmer temps.

My natural preference is somewhere around 60, so I totally know where you're coming from, but I manage to ease into 75+ every spring and summer without much effort - just a little thought and application. I could actually do a whole lot better.

Honestly,  I think once I fire I would enjoy bumping it up and really pushing that power bill lower.   RIght now long hot showers and very tight hvac preferences drive my bill up to 140$.  I feel confident I could hit 70$ a month with some lifestyle changes.  But Im too stubborn to give up my creature comforts while still working the 40 hour grind.
Eh, I know how that goes, and believe me, even as a budding Must-"ish"-ian, I indulge in various things to mitigate the stress of the grind. I have 3 jobs, and I'm about to start a second real estate investing company, so I occasionally pay people to cook for me, and even to pour me beer at a 500% markup! *facepunch*

But my point is, even if we posit that those kinds of trades can fit within an overall sensible plan for low consumption, high savings, and early retirement, I still question your assumption that this is a binary decision point. Realizing that comfort levels are flexible and can be adjusted without real discomfort might let you grab half the savings now - in this case, that's $6K after a decade of indexing.

Dancin'Dog

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #29 on: June 21, 2016, 08:11:42 PM »
We don't have an A/C here in the NC mountains.  It rarely gets hot enough to need one. 

Heckler

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #30 on: June 21, 2016, 09:25:18 PM »
no AC for us in British Columbia.  And my furnace is set to 62F to keep the frost off the wife's nose in June.  ;)

zephyr911

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Re: No-HVAC record
« Reply #31 on: June 24, 2016, 08:47:18 AM »
no AC for us in British Columbia.  And my furnace is set to 62F to keep the frost off the wife's nose in June.  ;)
I'm still toying with a post-FIRE move to the the San Juans. Will be visiting family later this summer and am planning some real estate scouting.