What is the most efficient way to run an air conditioner in hot dry climates where it gets cool at night?

Question

Can you save money by turning the AC off and opening the windows at night?

Answer 1

Yes you can!  I alternate AC with using a portable swamp cooler which I can move from room to room rather than have the AC on to cool empty rooms.  I live in the high desert of Northern Nevada which this summer has been getting more humidity than usual and we've had a real struggle with fires from California as well as Nevada and if one uses AC one is sucking in smoke.  You can also make what is known as an Arizona Swamp cooler by placing a box fan on a kitchin chair seat, draping a towel on the back which drops into a litter box or fridge vegetable crisper tray filled with ice water and the towel acts as a cooling wick.  Even in day time when we don't have an "inversion bowl" which lets in smoke pollution, I cut down on AC hours by opening door and locking screen door.  If heat wakes you at night, have a cup of hot milk or a beer and run AC for half an hour, shut off and return to sleep.

Answer 2

Open the house up late at night when it's cooler outside than in to allow the cool air to come in.  I have several window fans that I use to help things along.  I then leave the house opened until sometime the next morning, depending on my schedule.  If I have to be out and about early and won't be back until the heating of the day is in full force, I close the house up when I leave.  Otherwise, I leave the house open for awhile in the early morning.  

I figure that a couple of small window fans will use a lot less electricity than the a/c units.  And apparently it works because when we have weather where it's cool at night and I do turn off the a/c and open things up, the bill goes down quite a bit.  

We've been fortunate this summer and have had a lot of nights it's gotten back down into the 60's.  Besides, fresh air always smells better than old a/c treated air!

Another hint, keep your filters clean!  I take a swipe at mine everytime I vacuum which is usually every couple of days.  I have a house full of critters so that's a necessity to keep pet hair at bay.....  

Answer 3

I keep my thermostat set at 68.I like to be nice and cool when I sleep .I like to be comfy.

Answer 4

The most efficient way is to use a programable theomostat.  This type of theromastat always a user to set different temps at different times.

Answer 5

If you are in the habit of waking up in early AM hours, like between two and four AM, the easiest thing to do is open a door and see if it feels cooler outside than inside. If so, open up for a through breeze, and up the temp on your A/C to keep it off. I only use a manual setting. When I leave the house, the A/C temp is adjusted upward. At night, I check outside.