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Ken Vonfeldt
Ken Vonfeldt is the HVAC Sales Manager for Ferguson Wholesale Plumbing-Industrial-PVC-HVAC in Wichita. Ken has been in the heating and air conditioning industry for 27 years. Following the footsteps of his father as a "2nd generation HVAC guy, Ken started his career as a contractor and then moved to the distribution area. In addition to working with the RUUD Heating and Air Conditioning Dealers in the Greater Wichita Area, Hutchinson, Newton, Salina and Ellsworth, Ken also enjoys woodworking, golf and the ongoing project of remodeling his home. You can reach Ken at Ferguson Wholesale, (316) 262-0681, toll free at (800) 657-2559 or visit their web site at www.ferguson.com
Heating & Air Conditioning
2005-04-01 10:50:00
What’s better-A/C on all day or off?
: Please settle a re-occurring argument in our home! I say that turning the air-conditioner off all day and then back on when we get home in the afternoon makes the system work harder, therefore using more energy. My husband disagrees, insisting that the system works no harder after being off all day. Who's right?
ANSWER: I sure don't want to get in the middle of a family dispute, but since you asked I would say you are both right and you are both wrong.  Consider the following points:• The cooling capacity of your air conditioning unit actually decreases as the outdoor (or ambient) temperature increases. • Your air conditioner's efficiency also decreases as the ambient temperature increases.• In addition to cooling your home, your air conditioner also removes moisture (humidity).• The hottest time of the day usually occurs from 3 to 5 pm.Based on these facts, your air conditioner will actually provide more cooling in a more efficient manner in the morning and after the sun goes down than it will in mid- to late afternoon. So, if your unit is turned completely off all day, your home will stay relatively comfortable until late in the day, when the ambient temperature rises to it's highest point and as a result the indoor temperature will rise to an uncomfortable level. In addition to the uncomfortable temperature, the humidity level will also increase. Turning your unit on when you get home will cause your unit to run continuously for several hours as it works to bring the indoor temperature down to your comfort level. On the hottest of days, it may run well into the night to overcome the heat buildup. The drawback to operating your unit in this manner is the indoor temperature and humidity level will not be comfortable for several hours. What you saved in electrical costs by not running the unit all day will be spent running it all night.If you choose to leave your unit on and the temperature set at your comfort level, the unit will maintain that temperature all day. In the morning, it will not have to run much because the unit's capacity is at its highest. In the afternoon, it will run as much as is necessary to maintain that temperature. It will be comfortable when you arrive home after a hard days work, but it will have maintained that level unnecessarily because no one was home to enjoy it. The drawback to this scenario is you are paying higher electrical bills to maintain comfortable temperature and humidity levels when you are not home.So what is the answer? Purchase a good programmable set back thermostat. A good programmable thermostat will have four time periods for various temperature settings that will meet your needs on a daily basis. Programmable thermostats can be set up to maintain a comfortable temperature when you are at home, say in the morning before you go to work and while you are home in the evening. During the day when no one is home, you can set the thermostat up to maintain a higher temperature so that when you get home it doesn't have to run as long nor work as hard to achieve a comfortable temperature level. Also, during the night time hours while you are sleeping, the temperature doesn't necessarily have to be what it is when you are awake, so you can give your unit a break during the night. The better programmable thermostats will even take indoor conditions into account and calculate how long it will need to operate your air conditioner to get the temperature of your home to the right level at the time you plan on arriving. As a bonus, these programmable thermostats will help you save energy costs in the winter months.
 
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