Dang I think I'd freeze at 71! I'm getting used to the 80 setting and the wife hasn't bitched in about a week now, so I guess she is too. I was setting it to 73 after 10:00PM but I've bumped that up to 75.
Definitely agree that pre-cooling before the programmed temp rise helps. My unit doesn't kick on at all for about 3 hours at temps like the last few days.
Yes basically any AC unit can benefit. . . your basically creating a swamp cooler around the unit. If the temperature around it is cooler then it will work a little better. The downside is that you have a bit more moisture around the unit if the water collects and does not drain it can cause steel parts to rust and the ground nearby may stay wet as well so adjusting it to just be a light mist only during the hotter parts of the day is best.
I prefer it around 72 but most of the time we run 74. At night I bump it down some and try to pre cool the house then so it cost a bit less. Below 72 is almost counter productive as the unit runs for quite a while to keep it down. The thermostat kicks off a little before two and it gets up to about 84 or 85 by 7pm. But it's easier to suffer and know that the rest of the time you pay a lot less than the people who aren't on the program. If I remember right they pay around 10c per KWH up until 700 KWH and then the cost goes up to like 16 or 18 all the time for the rest of the month.
And looks like tomorrow it's supposed to step up to .48 per KWH from the usage chart. Will step to .23 at two and around 4 will step up again for a couple hours, then back down to .23 and finally down to .6 at 7.
Oh and the newly updated version now shows my saving almost 50 next month.
Last edited:
Looks like I am doing pretty good so far too.
I wouldn't spray water on the condenser coils. It would get caked up with calcium & etc in short order.
I'm never under the efficient mark either. I get close though. But that takes all homes in your zip into consideration. There are newer more energy efficient homes around me. Some are Energy Star homes. Mine isn't.
It kinda sucks to be sitting at 80 but as soon as it comes on at 7 with the fans in the house going the cool air feels nice even though it takes a couple hours for it to get back down to 75. Humidity is gone in under 30 minutes for the most part and that's what's uncomfortable. I can suffer a little during the evening for keeping it icy cold in the late evening for 1/2 price.
I'm a huge fan of the program, just not of the thermostat.
Exactly. There are no restrictions about using their thermostat? If not, I'll change it...POS.
I don't think you have to use it. They called me last summer saying they hadn't seen a connection to my t-stat in a while and I told the guy it sucked and was stuck in the kitchen drawer.
