|
Walter Cohen wrote:
> Hello.
> I live in NY.
>
> I'm wondering if it is better to leave a central a/c unit running
> during the day when no one is home, either at the normal temperature
> or at a few degrees warmer -or- use a set-back thermometer when
> leaving for work in the morning and have the A/C unit start up again
> an hour or 2 before coming home later in the afternoon?
>
> I use a set-back thermometer and it takes my unit 3 hours of
> continuous operation to bring the temperature down 8 degrees.
>
> Some people have told me that it makes more sense, energy wise and
> cost wise, to not set the thermostat warmer in the morning and have
> the unit struggle for hours on end in the afternoon trying to get
> back to the original comfortable temperature. Instead they say to
> leave the A/C on as it would probably cost the same if not less to
> periodically cool an already cool house instead of cooling a house
> that isn't cool at all. Con Edison says to turn off the A/C when no one
> is home but I think
> they refer to window units (as they also say to turn the AC back on
> again via auto-timer a half hour before returning - a half hour would
> do nothing for me)
>
> Thoughts?
>
> Thanks,
> Walter
I fear your installation is one that isn't easy to say. I'd guess
that there will not be a great deal of difference in the results either way,
some days you may win and some days you may loose. If it were me, I'd
(and do) use a setback thermostat. Even setting it back a few degrees will
help Turning it off or allowing too much of a setback could cause it to run
for a long time during the hottest part of the day when it is less efficient
wiping out all or some of the savings of setting it back.
--
Joseph Meehan
Dia duit
|
|
Re: Central A/C - leave running or use set-back thermometer?
