What are the recommended settings for an air conditioning unit that is dual-zone? Meaning, if I have a house that is two stories I know that in Florida they recommend you keep it at 78 F in the summer and 69 in the winter, but the top half of the house will always get hotter (and colder in the winter). So what are the recommended settings for a house in a configuration like this that achieve the best of comfort and energy savings? A simple solution is just to set the thermostats up with an allowance between them to compensate for the thermal convection. This allowance is usually around two degrees, depending on ceiling heights on each floor. For example, if your preferred temperature in the Summer is 74°F, set the downstairs thermostat to 73°F, and the upstairs to 75°F, in effect bracketing your desired set point. The same two degree difference will usually be sufficient in the Winter as well. Just remember to always have the higher temperature on the higher floor. For three story homes, a one degree difference between each floor may be sufficient, depending on how high the ceilings of each floor are.

Just as with the two story home, the highest temperature always goes on the highest floor, no matter what the season. There are many factors to take into consideration when talking energy efficiency and comfort. Your comfort level may like a house at 69F in the winter, but other members of the household may feel "chilled to the bone". Also, the quality and efficiency of the insulation in each region (outer walls, door seals, attic/roof insulation, etc) will have a direct bearing on any energy efficiency values. Another factor to consider, which recommendations usually take for granted, is what is the usage of each floor, and are both floors above ground or is it a 1st/main floor and a basement? For example, if the upstairs contains only rooms which are used primarely in the evenings and at night, they can typically stay a little warmer during the day in the summer, since the majority of the time isn't spent there, just as keeping a living/media room warm overnight in the winter typically isn't necessary... unless there is a reason to (plants

, temperature sensitive equipment, etc). Ideally you need a 2 zone HVAC system for your house if you're trying to maintain an upstairs/downstairs sort of temperature control scheme. This is definitely a good idea in terms of energy savings; you don't want to fully heat or cool those areas which aren't occupied. Several questions come up: Is there a fixed occupancy schedule for both areas? What is your primary concern - energy savings or comfort? Without a sophisticated HVAC controls system in place you're basically going to be tied to a time based control scheme, so you need to figure out when you're going to be upstairs vs downstairs and home/not home so you can modify your thermostat settings accordingly. Just as a rough guide - when setting up an office building we would tend to run the daytime temperature between 70-74 degrees and set back to 60-62 in heating season or 80-82 in the cooling season when the space was not occupied (night). Letting the building get any colder (or hotter) only made for excessively long AC or heating runs to get the space(s) up to temp.

Even an unoccupied/unimproved tenant space is kept between 60-80 degrees to minimize the impact on overall building heating/cooling. I found this graph: The image is a link to a PDF. I believe the Energy Department has calculated the mean temperature in a conditioned space that feels comfortable is: 78 degrees in summer And 69 degrees winter. electric ac units for carsThis is also the ideal setting so as to use the least amount of fuel.how to finance a new ac unitI moved into a new apartment back in November. cost to repair car acIt’s a beautiful place from the 1920’s with a riverfront view; but with all its charm, it still has no air conditioning. It was cold when I moved in, so not having air wasn’t really an immediate concern.

Earlier this month, however, it started getting a little toasty and soon a little muggy. Two things that do not mix well are over one hundred-year-old buildings and humidity. It was hot and stuffy – not exactly what you want to come home to after a long day of work. So, I began the search for an air conditioning unit that would suit my needs. I thought it was going to be a simple process, until I learned that there are actually several different types of AC units. What’s the difference between a portable air conditioner and an evaporative cooler? What does ductless mini-split mean? How does a through-the-wall air conditioner even work? From window units to swamp coolers, I’ve laid out the ins and outs of the most popular AC units. Check out the pros and cons to see which ones works best for your cooling needs. Window Air Conditioning Unit Aside from central air, the window unit is the most common AC system. It’s specially designed to be installed in your window.

It works by pulling in the air from your space, dehumidifying and cooling it, then pushing back out the now cold air. The remaining hot air is pushed out the window from the hot air exhaust system. They take up less space. Having the unit in your window keeps it off the ground and out of your way.A window unit will still run you $200 and up, but they are cheaper than the $500+ wall units. They can be hard to install. These things are very back heavy, and since you have to stick the back out the window, they can be dangerous. Some don’t quite fit your window just right either, so even with folding panels, you’ll still need to screw them into the window. They can be seen as a liability. Since these things are heavy, if it were to somehow fall out of your window, it could really hurt someone. Many apartment complexes are moving away from these models, to avoid the risk. If you’re renting, check with your management to see if they allow window units. Through-the-Wall Air Conditioning Unit

These through-the-wall AC units are similar to the window units, except they’re made to be installed into your wall in a chassis sleeve. They still work the same, but they need the chassis to support the weight of the unit. Most sleeves can simply slide in and out to help with installation. They don’t take up space. These units can be installed inline with your wall, so they don’t stick out at all. They can be very discrete. Through-the-wall AC units tend to come with a higher cooling capacity. While they’re typically used to cool one room, they can cool a larger room. They have a higher price point. Through-the-wall air conditioning units will run you $450 and up. Unlike the window units, these don’t have venting, which lowers their cooling efficiency. The through-the-wall units tend to be heavier. Unless you already have a hole in your wall, these units aren’t a quick installation. Ductless Mini-Split System Air Conditioners The ductless mini-split system is unique to the air conditioning units, because it is not a self-contained unit.

The system is generally made up of two parts; the larger condenser unit, which sits outside, and the blower system that is mounted on the wall indoors. There is no ducting on the system; instead, it uses refrigeration lines from outside, which travel though an insulated tube into the blower system. The blower then pushes the cold air out into the room. These systems are quiet. Many air conditioning units are noisy, but since the condenser actually sits outside, you don’t get as much noise inside the house. The wall mount makes the mini-split system unobtrusive. You can have wall mounts in different rooms, and control them each individually. While they can be used in the home, this also makes them popular choices in offices. They are harder to install. Being that there are two pieces, not one self-contained unit, it’s harder to set everything up, especially if you have multiple wall units. They have the highest price point, running you anywhere between $600 on the lower end, into the $2,000 range.

Portable Air Conditioning Units Much like the window unit, a portable AC unit has ducting that sucks in the air in your space, pushing out the hot air while dehumidifying and returning cold air. Uniquely, these air conditioners are free standing pieces. Although they stand alone, they still need to be set up to blow hot air out through a window. To do this, they come with a window kit and a hose that will allow the hot air to travel out of your apartment.You just connect the hose, set up the window piece and you’re ready to cool down in no time!With the window units, a lot of apartments see them as a risk that could hurt someone if they fall. The freestanding unit eliminates that risk, but still dehumidifies and cools your place down.While portable air conditioning units aren’t as cheap as window units, they’re only $50 or so more, so they’re still pretty affordable.Since the whole unit is inside your space, the noise is louder than other models.Since they are freestanding units that sit on the floor, they are definitely a little more in the way.

Not surprisingly, you’ll need to clean the air filter, but what you might not think about is the water tray underneath. Since the unit is dehumidifying the air as well, it needs somewhere to store that water. It collects in a tray that you’ll need to empty from time to time. Evaporative Coolers (Swamp Coolers) If you live in a drier climate, you’ve probably heard of these before. An evaporative cooler (or swamp cooler as they’re more commonly known) can be a freestanding or window unit that cools and humidifies the air. It uses evaporation technology to cool water and fan it out into the room. Essentially, it pulls in hot dry air and sucks it through damp pads to cool the air, then it fans it back out into the room. It cools like the other AC units but in a completely different and unique way, perfect for people in dry areas.These are the least expensive AC units on the market. They’ll cost you between $100 and $200. Ideal if the air in your house is dry. It humidifies while keeping you cool and comfortable.