Air Conditioning: Because men can't change

[47of74]

We had a family gathering today and my uncle was there.  He was saying that my aunt who passed two months ago Thursday was in charge of the HVAC at their house, and she usually had the thermostat set to 60 degrees.  He said he learned how to live with that and wears thicker clothes in the winter.  He's trying to decide whether he wants to leave it that low this winter or turn it up a little bit. 

[Amanda7980]

Considering it's just now cool enough to not use a/c here, I keep mine, thanks.  I keep my air set at around 75 in the summer.  Air conditioner season runs from about April- October here.  I live in NW Florida where 100% humidity and heat indices above 100 are typical in the summer.  I will spend the money to not be miserable in my own home and setting the a/c to 80 would be miserable to me.  On the other hand, I only set the heat to between 68-70 at the most in the winter.

[apandaaries]

More proof that I must really be a man and my husband must really be a woman.

 

He never thinks it's too hot. Meanwhile, I wilt the moment the temperate goes up. I'm quite happy in the cold, and wear my boots all day at the office.

 

I never noticed this as a man/woman thing. I dress fairly conservatively at work (and even more so for court - we still have to wear barrister's robes here), and find it hot in the summer. I also remember that I was always hot when I was pregnant, and my menopausal friends are constantly hot.

I worked in a lab where the male supervisor would hang out for a few hours, then head to another office.  He would always mention to the other workers (all women, except for one semester) that it was a bit warm, wasn't it, before turning the air down to 65* or so. When I'd look around the lab, all the female students and workers would have sweaters or jackets on, while the male students would be in short sleeves.  Once the supervisor would leave, I was next in the hierarchy and would turn that AC up to the mid-70*'s.  After I felt a bit more secure there, I would joke about it with him, saying he needed to go drink some cold water to cool down internally.  Anecdotal, but it was always fascinating to see it occur with regularity -- bundled up women and stripped down men.

Even though I'm in CA, I don't like the AC except in humid climates.  I can't handle heat AND humidity, so my sympathies to those out there... Well, except those in Thailand using the AC and piling on blankets.  That seems wasteful.  

Totally remember the pregnancy heat -- my pregnant winter was the one winter in my life where I wasn't freezing the whole time and could actually wander around in the cold feeling fine.  

It always strikes me how much energy we use to cool things and spaces down, and how that energy usage is fueling climate change and global warming.  

[2xx1xy1JD]

As the technology improves, I'd like to see solar-powered AC units (maybe window units for 2nd floor bedrooms?) become standard.

My current central AC can't be that efficient.  The unit is on ground level, it get blown through the house through the vents, and since heat rises, the basement is freezing while the bedrooms on the second floor are hotter and stuffy.  Solar power in general doesn't make that much sense as far north as Toronto, since we get far less sun in winter, but AC use makes electricity usage shoot up in the summer.

[xlurker]

 

I am not a fan of A/C...especially at work where they keep it on 68.  Isn't any better in the fall/winter either, windows are thrown open even if it is in the lower 40's, and when the heat is turned on the vents are by the ceiling doing me no good  I've just learned to keep heavy sweaters or jackets within easy reach.

 

Don't know how to get rid of the quote box--sorry

[WhyNotJulie]

You people are crazy. The way I see it, the colder the better. My ideal indoor temperature is like 15 degrees (60 F for you Americans). But I'm also used to the cold...so.

[47of74]

As the technology improves, I'd like to see solar-powered AC units (maybe window units for 2nd floor bedrooms?) become standard.

My current central AC can't be that efficient.  The unit is on ground level, it get blown through the house through the vents, and since heat rises, the basement is freezing while the bedrooms on the second floor are hotter and stuffy.  Solar power in general doesn't make that much sense as far north as Toronto, since we get far less sun in winter, but AC use makes electricity usage shoot up in the summer.

Something I noticed this year is that since we've had ductwork/vents run through the house up to the second floor that's actually about five degrees warmer many days than the first floor.  Before it was the opposite - the basement and first floor would be nice and warm while the second floor was freezing cold.  The house had been built in the 1880s when the standard way of heating the house was to have stoves in the upstairs rooms so it never had ductwork that reached the second floor, and earlier remodels it was just done on  the first floor.  The house has seen it all, from a bunch of woodstoves to now being heated/cooled by geothermal. 

[feministxtian]

When I lived in PHX, the a/c went on in late April-early May...as soon as it went above 90. It stayed on until maybe late October-early November. We never used the heat there though...it just never really got cold enough. Here in Vegas, a/c season isn't quite as long, mid-May to mid-October. However, we DID use the heat for about a month or so, January/February...because it got COLD!

Right now, in our current apartment, we still have the a/c going...but this apartment is REALLY tiny and just cooking raises the temp in here bigtime.

[Mercer]

I have mixed feelings on this one. Gender bias in the workplace is definitely a real problem, and unnecessarily cranking the AC is not a good environmental practice.

On the other hand, in a setting where professional dress is required it's a lot easier to add clothing because you're too cold than to subtract clothing because you're too hot. I can put on a sweater without much hassle, but it's not like my coworker can strip down to his undies in the middle of the workday. So for that reason, I can see erring on the cooler side.

[MatthewDuggar]

I worked in an office in S Florida, owned and operated by women, the minority of us were men.  The owner and her partner were late fifties and mandated that the AC was to remain as low as possible due to hot flashes....no joke.   I didn't mind, I just kept a hoodie on the back of my chair in case I needed it.

[Cactus]

As I sit in my non-air-conditioned, non-insulated, poorly-ventilated flat, the current ambient temperature outside is 31°C, or 88°F. It's definitely hotter inside, yet all I have is a fan and some wet towels. We can't install air-con here, and besides, fans are cheap and iced water costs virtually nothing. It helps that our heat is a very dry heat (current humidity ~25%).

Interestingly, Mr. Cactus copes much better with the heat than I do. I'm always the one with the fan on!

[Pixiedust1960]

Being menopausal I can be hot when everyone else is cold. I always wear a tank top and find myself stripping down several times a day. Hot one minute freezing the next. Good thing I don't have to dress modestly  

As for t he heated mattress pads.  I love ours. We keep our bedroom pretty cool. So I turn my side on just before going to bed and usually turn it off when I get in. Hubby keeps his on all night most nights in the winter