Living in the region where I live, there’s just no getting around the heat.
For folks in this region, the air conditioning comes on in March and goes through November.
That’s just a big chunk of HVAC cooling. And to some degree, HVAC cooling is for sure necessary. Honestly, I’m from here and I know I couldn’t manage the summer heat without the use of HVAC cooling. That said, I also come to HVAC cooling from a bit different perspective than many in this area. It’s a fact that the outside temperatures can start getting in the low to mid 80’s in March. But I certainly don’t go right for the thermostat. Instead, I tend to opt for fresh air. This allows my body the chance to acclimate to the higher temperatures. Going straight to flipping the thermostat over to cooling doesn’t allow for that to happen. And that’s the problem. First, once that summer heat really settles in, it makes the summer heat feel even more oppressive. But mostly, if you start with air conditioning in early spring, it’s going to cost you. By the time the summer gets here, there have already been some HVAC costs. But because one isn’t ready for the heat, body wise, the summer gets even more expensive. If you get accustomed to the heat a bit during the spring, it’s much easier to have a thermostat setting in the low 80’s during summer. And that’s how you save money on air conditioning around here. Plus, that 82 degree thermostat setting feels super cool when you acclimate to the heat.