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meaniam
07-23-2005, 09:05 AM
my electric bill should be high. i have the a/c set on 74. and it hardly ever turns off. it is hot as hell out there. and im sure my bill will be sky high.anyone have suggestions on how to improve a/c proformance .it dont seem like alot of air (force) comes out my vents

uvindex
07-23-2005, 09:07 AM
The obvious one would be to set your thermostat to 78. :)
Use ceiling fans, as they can make a 78 degree room feel cool.
Change your filters.
Make sure your ducts aren't leaking anywhere.
Make sure your condenser unit isn't obstructed by weeds, grass, shrubs, etc.
Make sure your system isn't low on refrigerant.
I'm sure there are others. Good luck.

Keithb87
07-23-2005, 09:08 AM
Change your filter(s) regularly.. every 20 to 30 days.

CandyA$$
07-23-2005, 09:10 AM
I do not if you have central air or one of those others.
But I was told something about but it on the north side of the house, it does not get much sun on the north side. And it keeps cooler.
But with central air follow RatherBeInLHC advice

JetBoatRich
07-23-2005, 09:12 AM
We installed a swamp cooler and cut our power down to half of 2004 and 1/3 of 2003. :D
You might think about installing one :idea:
The last couple days have been a little HUMID and had to turn on the A/C, but still should not hurt as bad compared to past years this time of year

Sleek-Jet
07-23-2005, 09:15 AM
Move the thermostat up is the quickest and easiest way, and bump the T-stat up if your going to be gone for a while.
Install an attic fan if you don't have one.
Look at getting more insulation into your roof if possible.

HocusPocus
07-23-2005, 10:11 AM
adding a swamp cooler is a good way to go.. they are not very expensive and will save you money in the long run.. i can keep my house at 70 degrees and it doesn't kill you on energy costs.

CandyA$$
07-23-2005, 10:16 AM
adding a swamp cooler is a good way to go.. they are not very expensive and will save you money in the long run.. i can keep my house at 70 degrees and it doesn't kill you on energy costs.
That must be the new energy effecient ones.
Cause I had one and it changed my bill

HCS
07-23-2005, 10:20 AM
You set your ac at 74. That's an ice box for me.

CandyA$$
07-23-2005, 10:22 AM
You set your ac at 74. That's an ice box for me.
78 is an ice box, tooo

desertbird
07-23-2005, 10:24 AM
Double Pane windows.

Sleek-Jet
07-23-2005, 10:27 AM
78 is an ice box, tooo
Makes my nipples hard just thinking about it... :D

Havasu Hangin'
07-23-2005, 10:35 AM
Like already mentioned...
- Attic fan.
- Turn your thermostat up so that is not colder than your fridge. :supp:
Also, I tinted my windows a couple years ago, and it really helped.

meaniam
07-23-2005, 05:41 PM
tinted my windoe already.
id like it to be at 69, im a mountain man, im doing my part on energy saving by setting thermostat to 74
have ceiling fans in every room, plus several other fans
i do need to look for a leak and invest in attic fans and whole house fan.
thinking about the swamp cooler. run that with the a/c see if i get ice
no i was actually thinking of maybe a bigger pulley blower pulley. so it blows harder, by spinning faster
i cant check freon level
and it is central air

meaniam
07-23-2005, 05:42 PM
Makes my nipples hard just thinking about it... :D
if your a female do you have pics of this

Kindsvater Flat
07-23-2005, 05:43 PM
I leave mine on 75 and it cycles about every half hour. Just got the pg&e bill and it was 200 and change :D

meaniam
07-23-2005, 05:48 PM
my highest was 3 yrs ago, about 380 dollars ouch

uvindex
07-23-2005, 05:52 PM
i cant check freon level
and it is central airYep, you'll need an AC guy to do that. I'd check around, 'cause they often will do a preventive maintenance visit for $99 or so (which often includes up to one lb. of refrigerant), where they'll check the refrigerant level, plus a bunch of other PM stuff.
One more thing: Yahoo weather says it was 105 in Devore today (and your profile says that's where you are) -- keep in mind that any air conditioner is only good for a certain delta (change) in temperature when you compare the outside air temp to the temp coming out of your ducts. So, once it gets to be 105 outside your AC has really got a big job to maintain a 31 degree temperature differential with the outside (especially with heat gain through walls, windows, roof, etc.) If your AC is older and less efficient then the story is only worse. (I'm not an AC guy, and I know there are some on here, so if I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended. :))
Good luck!

Kindsvater Flat
07-23-2005, 05:55 PM
Be greatful. My parents elec bill runs in the high 5's low 6's each month. 5ton and 3 ton units. Mine is a 5 ton 13 seer Bryant. This is my first year with central air. Before I just had 220 wall units and those ran 450 to 500 in the summer.

meaniam
07-23-2005, 06:03 PM
Yep, you'll need an AC guy to do that. I'd check around, 'cause they often will do a preventive maintenance visit for $99 or so (which often includes up to one lb. of refrigerant), where they'll check the refrigerant level, plus a bunch of other PM stuff.
One more thing: Yahoo weather says it was 105 in Devore today (and your profile says that's where you are) -- keep in mind that any air conditioner is only good for a certain delta (change) in temperature when you compare the outside air temp to the temp coming out of your ducts. So, once it gets to be 105 outside your AC has really got a big job to maintain a 31 degree temperature differential with the outside (especially with heat gain through walls, windows, roof, etc.) If your AC is older and less efficient then the story is only worse. (I'm not an AC guy, and I know there are some on here, so if I'm wrong please correct me, I won't be offended. :))
Good luck!
my truck mirror read 112 between 3-4pm

meaniam
07-23-2005, 06:07 PM
my window suck i feel the heat coming right through them. but im a cheap ass. and dont like the idea of 14k to replace slider and all windows. i do think i get alot of heat from garage. need to figure a way to cool that. thinking about attic fans and making gable (at least i think what that is called) functional. and not decoration

BigBlockBaja
07-23-2005, 06:11 PM
I just had to share this.... I keep my t stat at 70 and my electric bill is 125 a month with outside being so humid you can see it and in the mid 90's..

meaniam
07-23-2005, 06:16 PM
i doought my a/c has made it below 76 in the past 4 days or so. but not for a lack of me trying

JetBoatRich
07-23-2005, 06:22 PM
my highest was 3 yrs ago, about 380 dollars ouch
I had a couple of those :boxingguy when my wife was pregnant in the summer and my daughter enjoying the pool :sqeyes: stayed near $400 for three months :sqeyes:

ahhell
07-23-2005, 06:36 PM
I signed up for the edison cycling program, they attach a box to the side of my a/c and turn it off if necessary to help save power. we usually dont run it too much, but this summer we had little ones running around so we kept it at 78 and it cycled off twice so far this month...2400' house, spa at 102 24/7.....95 bucks :D

meaniam
07-23-2005, 06:45 PM
damn hard core in hesperia. i cant sign up and give edison control of my a/c. if im hot i cant sleep. cant sleep i become a big ass baby

ahhell
07-23-2005, 06:46 PM
edison program (http://www.sce.com/RebatesandSavings/Residential/SummerDiscountPlan/Details/)
they only turn it off between 9a-5p....do you work nights?

NorCal Gameshow
07-23-2005, 07:14 PM
set it at 81 and when you feel hot go outside for a few minutes :hammerhea
clean your coils. even if they look clean, hose them off...
if you can, take the fan off and hose it from the inside out. it's amazing to see the high side pressure drop when you have the correct airflow

Waist Deep
07-23-2005, 07:15 PM
It must be 75 here in Hunt. Bch and I got the effin air on full blast.

Kilrtoy
07-23-2005, 07:19 PM
Its still 94 in the valley and Im not at the river

LASERRAY
07-23-2005, 09:34 PM
Move. ;)

bigq
07-23-2005, 10:05 PM
set it at 81 and when you feel hot go outside for a few minutes :hammerhea
clean your coils. even if they look clean, hose them off...
if you can, take the fan off and hose it from the inside out. it's amazing to see the high side pressure drop when you have the correct airflow
Are you talking about the blower fan unit inside or the echanger outside?

NorCal Gameshow
07-23-2005, 11:29 PM
Are you talking about the blower fan unit inside or the echanger outside?
the condenser unit outside.

Sleek-Jet
07-24-2005, 07:00 AM
If hanging meat in your house is what you're after, you'll need to drop the coin go with more tonage and a higher seer rating. We tell people that ask how to lower their bills to invest in a unit with a seer rating of 12 or higher. There is a big jump in efficiancy between a 10 seer and 12 seer unit.

2Driver
07-24-2005, 07:10 AM
As you can guess by now it is all that stuff above. If everything checks out within reason you need to do at least the following exercise:
Find out the 'seer' rating on your unit. IF it is not on the unit get the model and make and call a dealer/manufacture to get that number. A 13 or 14 seer unit is super efficient, a unit in the 8-11 is not so great and can double your bill and never turn off. Just because you may have a new unit does nto mean you have a high seer unit.
I have an older 3700 sq foot house that is all electric and a pool. We changed to 13 seer units and I have not have a bill over $180 and we keep it at 76 at night and 78 in the day. DAy temps have been around 112. It turns our existing units were old and the timing worked out to buy new. The unit runs less than a 1/4 the time.