When you live where I do, there’s really just no getting around the heat.

For a lot of folks in this region, the air conditioning comes on in March and doesn’t stop until November.

That’s a whole lot of HVAC cooling. And to some degree, HVAC cooling is for sure warranted. Honestly, I’m a native of the region and I don’t think I could manage the summer without the use of air conditioning. That said, I also come to HVAC cooling with a bit of a different mindset from those who have the air conditioning running 8 months out of the year. It’s true that the outside temperatures can start getting in the low to mid 80’s in late March. But I certainly don’t go running for the thermostat. In fact, I just leave it alone and keep the doors and windows open during the day. For one, I love the fresh air. But more importantly, this allows my body to acclimate to the higher temperatures. Going straight for the HVAC cooling just doesn’t allow for that process to happen. And this causes some problems. First, once the heat really gets here, it feels even hotter. Second, the HVAC cooling costs can quickly spiral out of control. I’ve talked to neighbors who essentially fork over the equivalent of a new car payment just in HVAC cooling costs in the summer. Again, I use air conditioning in my house during the summer. But the thermostat stays in the low to mid 80’s during the day and a bit cooler at night. This saves me a ton in HVAC costs as well as allowing me to adjust to the heat and still enjoy being outside during the summer.

Smart thermostat