Window Air Conditioning Unit Energy Consumption

There is nothing more luxurious to a desert dweller than entering their cool home on a sultry afternoon. Cool as in temperature cool. It is so easy to get spoiled living in a centrally cooled home with a central air unit. Each room is as cool as the next. I have known people who wore a sweater in their air conditioned home rather than attempting to find a setting that is cooler than the outdoor temperature yet not freezing cold. These people have a lot of expendable cash and don’t mind their huge energy bills. I have separate air conditioners in my windows, and I even have a portable air conditioner to deal with my cooling requirements.
On the other hand, I have to watch my energy consumption, and that includes my air conditioning bill during the summer months. I wait until the temperature inside is too high to be made tolerable with a fan. That is when my window air conditioning units pay for themselves. On the other hand, some people say that re-cooling the house every day expends more energy than always leaving it at one temperature. In my case, my method works best for me, according to my electric bill!
The only areas I cool are the rooms in which I live. This eliminates the bathrooms, laundry room, pantry and porch areas. In the cool of the evening, I open my windows and let the cool air enter. I close the curtains and windows in the morning before the sun comes up. If I am out of the house during the day, the units are shut off. When I return in the evening, the units are turned on the lowest setting it will take to make the rooms I am using comfortable. I don’t cool my bedroom until an hour before bedtime.
If I am home during the day, the windows and curtains stay shut. The units are turned on the lowest setting possible. I confine myself to the immediate living areas; kitchen, living room or den. The unit in my bedroom is shut off. A cool shower during the day helps me to acclimate to the temperature. I don’t want to have to cool the house because I have worked up a sweat cleaning or exercising.
These few, simple tips keep my energy bill down and help me to stay comfortable in the heat of summer.
More air conditioning tips can be found at the following sites...