There seems to be this idea that if the temperature gets above 80, you need to crank the HVAC cooling down to about 67.
Seriously, I know people who do just this.
It’s mystifying to me really. I just don’t understand that mind set. Granted, we live in a region where the heat is a big deal from mid May to almost the end of September. And I’ll be the first one to say how thankful I am for my heat pump and the HVAC cooling it delivers. Not only that but the HVAC cooling process also balances the humidity in my house so I’m not dealing with a bunch of mold & mildew all the time. But I also don’t fork over what amounts to a serious car payment each month simply to over cool my house. Living in this region during the summer is more about mental and physical preparations than it is about HVAC cooling. You see, when the temperatures around here start rising about mid March, I don’t turn on the air conditioning. Instead, I begin acclimating to the heat and just living with higher temperatures. This way, when the temperatures soar and stay near a hundred degrees for four months, I need a whole lot less air conditioning. Of course, I make sure that the air conditioner tune-up happens and I keep the house nice and tight. This maximizes the HVAC equipment efficiency. But I keep my thermostat in the mid 80’s during the high heat and then bring it down to a comfortable level for sleeping at night. And it doesn’t cost me the equivalent of a new car.