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kerrycec03
Mom of 2 beautiful boys!!
Member since 6/06 13519 total posts
Name:
Kerry
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Question about cooling & electric
Ok, last night DH & I were sweating. Which uses less electricity:
Putting on our central air and leaving it on
or
using a regular fan with the windows open
We don't want our electric bill to skyrocket. We have electric everything so our electric bill is already high (although last month it was only $101 since the heat was off all month)
Thanks
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Posted 6/13/07 9:04 AM  |
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Lisa
I'm a PANK!!!
Member since 5/05 22334 total posts
Name:
Professional Aunts No Kids
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
we keep our central air on all the time....we have it set so it does to 80 during the day and when we are home its set for 74. this prevents the up and down of the ac...it stays at a steady temp. I was told that is more efficient.
Personally, I would not be sweating to save a few bucks. If you have the AC and you are hot...put it on. IMO a fan is only going to blow the hot air around....not make you cool.
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| Posted 6/13/07 9:16 AM |
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Kissy331
My two miracles!
Member since 5/06 17826 total posts
Name:
Kristen
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
I have learned one thing, if you put your CAC on, don't shut it off. It uses more electric to turn it on & off. JMHO, but if you have CAC, turn it on & don't suffer with just a fan & windows! For us, the CAC has been on & we still use a fan. We have a 2200sq ft house & everything is electric. Our LIPA bills vary from $100-$200 in the summer (not budget billing)
Edited to say, when we leave the house, it is set at 77 & when we come home 73! It keeps the house at a constant temperature & doesn't have the unit running constantly
Message edited 6/13/2007 9:18:00 AM.
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| Posted 6/13/07 9:16 AM |
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SweetTooth
I'm a tired mommy!
Member since 12/05 20105 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
well, to answer you question, the fan with the windows open is definitely cheaper than running the air conditioner.. its also better for the environment.
IMO, central air is not worth it around here. There aren't enough days it is truly hot enough... but maybe thats because I am almost always cold, LOL.
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| Posted 6/13/07 9:24 AM |
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PotofLuck06
Our Baby Boy Is Here!!!
Member since 11/06 13241 total posts
Name:
Betsy
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
Posted by Kissy331
I have learned one thing, if you put your CAC on, don't shut it off. It uses more electric to turn it on & off. JMHO, but if you have CAC, turn it on & don't suffer with just a fan & windows! For us, the CAC has been on & we still use a fan. We have a 2200sq ft house & everything is electric. Our LIPA bills vary from $100-$200 in the summer (not budget billing)
Edited to say, when we leave the house, it is set at 77 & when we come home 73! It keeps the house at a constant temperature & doesn't have the unit running constantly
ITA! If I had it, I would def. be using it - if anything to get the humidity out of the air.
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| Posted 6/13/07 9:28 AM |
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kerrycec03
Mom of 2 beautiful boys!!
Member since 6/06 13519 total posts
Name:
Kerry
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
Posted by Lisa
Personally, I would not be sweating to save a few bucks. If you have the AC and you are hot...put it on. IMO a fan is only going to blow the hot air around....not make you cool.
Yea, but we live very budget concious. We don't have a ton of money to play with and being its only hot this one week, maybe next week it may be cold. I know you're not suppose to turn CAC on & off again. It does waste electricity. And with an electric only condo, it won't be a few bucks, it may result in over $100.
Maybe we'll do the fan tonight and see how it goes. We really want to wait on putting our CAC on until its really hot for a while, you know.
Still confused....
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| Posted 6/13/07 9:29 AM |
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Kissy331
My two miracles!
Member since 5/06 17826 total posts
Name:
Kristen
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
It is going to be cooler until Saturday...They already said that starting Sunday (89 high), it is going to be the start of a heat wave...
For us, we are money conscious also, but the humidity in the house is enough for us to turn the CAC on.
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| Posted 6/13/07 9:35 AM |
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PotofLuck06
Our Baby Boy Is Here!!!
Member since 11/06 13241 total posts
Name:
Betsy
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
Posted by kerrycec03
Posted by Lisa
Personally, I would not be sweating to save a few bucks. If you have the AC and you are hot...put it on. IMO a fan is only going to blow the hot air around....not make you cool.
Yea, but we live very budget concious. We don't have a ton of money to play with and being its only hot this one week, maybe next week it may be cold. I know you're not suppose to turn CAC on & off again. It does waste electricity. And with an electric only condo, it won't be a few bucks, it may result in over $100.
Maybe we'll do the fan tonight and see how it goes. We really want to wait on putting our CAC on until its really hot for a while, you know.
Still confused....
Kerry, we don't have CAC, but our upstairs is SO warm. The heat is off, but the temp guage has been reading 85 or so. We open the windows when we get home and we place a fan on low by one of the open windows and it creates a draft in the room to keep the bedroom cool during the night.
Also, make sure all your closet doors are closed as this is less space you''ll have to worry about cooling.
Currently, we have an A/C unit in our MB and a fan. We only had to run the A/C for one night and since then we've been using the fan.
We'll prob need the A/C come July/Aug when it gets into the 90s, whereas this week with the rain, it's been rather cool.
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| Posted 6/13/07 9:36 AM |
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kerrycec03
Mom of 2 beautiful boys!!
Member since 6/06 13519 total posts
Name:
Kerry
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
See, if its going to get cooler, we may just do the fan. Its not only a couple of bucks though. To give you an example:
Our electric bill for March was $278 (we moved in 3/7) so it wasn't a full month
For April it was $367 (first month in, heat on for 3/4 of the month)
For May it was $101 (no heat on at all). Big difference
My fear with CAC is the electric bill will skyrocket to where the heat bill was at.
Luckily its a one story condo. Its ground level with nobody above us. I know 2nd stories always get hotter.
Thanks for all your advice.
Message edited 6/13/2007 9:41:42 AM.
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| Posted 6/13/07 9:41 AM |
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PotofLuck06
Our Baby Boy Is Here!!!
Member since 11/06 13241 total posts
Name:
Betsy
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
Posted by kerrycec03
See, if its going to get cooler, we may just do the fan. Its not only a couple of bucks though. To give you an example:
Our electric bill for March was $278 (we moved in 3/7) so it wasn't a full month
For April it was $367 (first month in, heat on for 3/4 of the month)
For May it was $101 (no heat on at all). Big difference
My fear with CAC is the electric bill will skyrocket to where the heat bill was at.
Luckily its a one story condo. Its ground level with nobody above us. I know 2nd stories always get hotter.
Thanks for all your advice.
Kerry, have you thought of contacting LIPA and getting a balanced budget bill every month, so you don't have to deal with fluctuations?
We did that for our heat.
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| Posted 6/13/07 9:48 AM |
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Lisa
I'm a PANK!!!
Member since 5/05 22334 total posts
Name:
Professional Aunts No Kids
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
You might want to look into balanced billing....since everything you have is electric. We do that and yes our bills are higher than others....monthly, I would rather have a set amount that I pay each month than get a big bill one month then a small on the next.
I think you have to be there 6 months before you can balance bill, but its worth a shot to look into it.
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| Posted 6/13/07 9:49 AM |
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Lisa
I'm a PANK!!!
Member since 5/05 22334 total posts
Name:
Professional Aunts No Kids
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
we posted the same thing at almost the same time!!
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| Posted 6/13/07 9:50 AM |
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LuckySV
LIF Adult
Member since 10/05 4675 total posts
Name:
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
Since it's only June and just a few sporadic days of heat I'd just deal with a fan. In fact, we haven't even put our ACs in yet! We have window air conditioners. We've been fine with just fans and it gets pretty cool at night, especially with the windows open and fans going. This weekend and next week I heard it wasn't supposed to be too warm, 70s during the day and high 50s to low 60s at night.
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| Posted 6/13/07 9:59 AM |
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kerrycec03
Mom of 2 beautiful boys!!
Member since 6/06 13519 total posts
Name:
Kerry
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
I called about a balanced bill, but we're unsure if we're going to do it based on DH's work. (His employment fluctuates as well, he's a union carpenter).
We're going to rock the fan. Hopefully it will work out, we'll see.
Thanks
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| Posted 6/13/07 10:02 AM |
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Lisa
I'm a PANK!!!
Member since 5/05 22334 total posts
Name:
Professional Aunts No Kids
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
well I wish cool nights for you! 
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| Posted 6/13/07 10:03 AM |
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MrsPowers
So blessed!
Member since 11/06 10348 total posts
Name:
Ivelysse
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
Posted by PotofLuck06
Posted by kerrycec03
See, if its going to get cooler, we may just do the fan. Its not only a couple of bucks though. To give you an example:
Our electric bill for March was $278 (we moved in 3/7) so it wasn't a full month
For April it was $367 (first month in, heat on for 3/4 of the month)
For May it was $101 (no heat on at all). Big difference
My fear with CAC is the electric bill will skyrocket to where the heat bill was at.
Luckily its a one story condo. Its ground level with nobody above us. I know 2nd stories always get hotter.
Thanks for all your advice.
Kerry, have you thought of contacting LIPA and getting a balanced budget bill every month, so you don't have to deal with fluctuations?
We did that for our heat.
We don't have CAC. We have window units in the master bedroom and a ceiling fan in the great room. We have been getting nice breezes at night so we haven't used the ACs.
But I agree, with the balanced billing thing. We did that and it helps.
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| Posted 6/13/07 4:28 PM |
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MrsSchwags
Soccer Baseball Lax Mom
Member since 10/05 11240 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
we haven't put our A/C in yet and I am 9 mths pregnant. I have been very comfortable at night with the windows and fan.
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| Posted 6/13/07 5:01 PM |
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CouponKT
Our family is complete
Member since 6/06 16494 total posts
Name:
K
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Re: Question about cooling & electric
Welcome to LIPA hell!! 
Our electric bills go from $400+ in the winter to @$120 in the summer. we leave the CAC on all day but have a temperature control. The AC programmed to be cooler while we are home.
I WISH we would just leave the windows open, but since Ray works outside all day long, he wants nothing but AC when he gets home 
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| Posted 6/13/07 7:19 PM |
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