Thermostat Settings

[billsnider]

I am a snowbird. When I leave I set the lower temperature at 62 and the upper at 78. What temperatures do you set it at?

[Arctic Fox]

I am a snowbird. When I leave I set the lower temperature at 62 and the upper at 78. What temperatures do you set it at?

50 and 80 - and I recommend installing a humidistat

[rjm1cc]

That is ok. But turn the water to the house off.
Humidity is the problem so a humanist is a good idea. Temp could the be set a little higher.
We use 78 and ceiling fans on low, when we are here and 80 or 82 when we leave. If needed our humanist will lower the temp 3 degrees.

[George Bieniaszek]

I also agree that if you are a snowbird or leave your house empty for a number of months, you really should consider having a humidistat installed.

We had Munn's install it and it cost us approx. $100. I figure that we saved the $100 in the first three summer months that we were not in our villa in AC costs. My brother in law also purchased a newer unit that was an all-in-one unit, humidistat/thermostat and installed by Munn's as well. A little more sophisticated than mine and it cost approx. $300.

[Villager Audio Video]

You guys and gals should have a look at the Nest Thermostat. It's ideal for snowbirds and the integration with the Protect smoke and CO2 alarms is outstanding.

Http://Nest.com

[JoMar]

You guys and gals should have a look at the Nest Thermostat. It's ideal for snowbirds and the integration with the Protect smoke and CO2 alarms is outstanding.

Http://Nest.com

:agree:

[redwitch]

55 and 82. If you have one of the new programmable thermostats, simply put it on vacation mode. It is set for proper temperatures to work with its humidistat. If you are not going to have your house checked by someone, a dehumidistat is a very good investment.

Other good things to do are turn your water to the house off; fill plastic bags with ice and place one over any drainpipe, especially the shower; put some toilet bowl cleaner or bleach in each toilet, cover bowl with plastic wrap; put your garage door on lock; unplug fridge and be sure to leave doors open; open all closet and cabinet doors; get a surge protector from SECO.

[bargee]

Also we pour a half cup of mineral oil in the sump of the dishwasher and into the garbage disposal.This prevents them from rusting and locking up.

[downeaster]

55 and 82. If you have one of the new programmable thermostats, simply put it on vacation mode. It is set for proper temperatures to work with its humidistat. If you are not going to have your house checked by someone, a dehumidistat is a very good investment.

Other good things to do are turn your water to the house off; fill plastic bags with ice and place one over any drainpipe, especially the shower; put some toilet bowl cleaner or bleach in each toilet, cover bowl with plastic wrap; put your garage door on lock; unplug fridge and be sure to leave doors open; open all closet and cabinet doors; get a surge protector from SECO.


And have someone check your house inside and out periodically. Have them flush toilets (replace toilet cleaner)and turn water on at each sink for a moment, this prevents trap drying out and letting sewer gasses in. Definitely turn your water off inside the house. Quarter turn valve usually near garage door on inside of outside wall.

BTW, not a bad idea to turn water off even for short absences. This bit of advise based on a personal and unpleasant experience,

[Packer Fan]

We just bought a new house - the villages suggests 60 and 82. Frankly, don't know why you could not go lower on the low end. The high end is to keep the humidity down, so not sure why you need a humidistat on top of that.

[billsnider]

Oaky, I got a humidistat. What humidity level should I set it at?

Thanks

Bill Snider

[tuccillo]

Are you gone for the summer and want to know what to set it at while you are gone or are you here all year round? If you are gone for the summer, I would ask your AC company for their recommendation for temp and humidity while you are gone and/or google it to see if you can find some recommendations. Hopefully some snowbirds will chime in. If you are here all year round, I have mine set to the minimum relative humidity as I like it dry in the summer. All this really does is keep the AC running a bit longer and the temperature sometimes goes below what I have it set at in an attempt to meet the humidity level I am asking for. Hope this helps some.


Oaky, I got a humidistat. What humidity level should I set it at?

Thanks

Bill Snider

[caseycasebeer]

We had a Honeywell humidistat installed a few days ago by John Carmichael (JC's A/C, 352-728-5338). He was able to install it the same day I called. The installed price was $150.

Munn's had quoted $214 for the same installation.

While JC was here I asked him to check the a/c as well.

Carmichael has been in "heating and a/c" since 1990, and fully "state" certified. He's a very low-pressure, nice guy. We'll use him again.

Best,
Casey

[PaPaLarry]

55 and 82. If you have one of the new programmable thermostats, simply put it on vacation mode. It is set for proper temperatures to work with its humidistat. If you are not going to have your house checked by someone, a dehumidistat is a very good investment.

Other good things to do are turn your water to the house off; fill plastic bags with ice and place one over any drainpipe, especially the shower; put some toilet bowl cleaner or bleach in each toilet, cover bowl with plastic wrap; put your garage door on lock; unplug fridge and be sure to leave doors open; open all closet and cabinet doors; get a surge protector from SECO.
Can I ask? What's the reason for the ice in shower? Thanks

[RickeyD]

Can I ask? What's the reason for the ice in shower? Thanks


To prevent critters and trap evaporation. It's easier to install ice rather than water into a plastic bag.

[Villageswimmer]

We had a thermostat/de humidistat installed by Sun Kool. They set the "away mode" to 85F temperature and 60 humidity. Does this sound right?

[RickeyD]

A true dehumistat will not over cool your space. To be truly functional the dehumidistat must enable & disable both the cooling and heating cycles so as to properly maintain the desired humidity setpoint. If a dehumidistat is only cycling the cooling on and off the resulting humidity level is simply the byproduct of condensation removal and will most definitely over cool the space rather dramatically under certain conditions.

[Villageswimmer]

I also agree that if you are a snowbird or leave your house empty for a number of months, you really should consider having a humidistat installed.

We had Munn's install it and it cost us approx. $100. I figure that we saved the $100 in the first three summer months that we were not in our villa in AC costs. My brother in law also purchased a newer unit that was an all-in-one unit, humidistat/thermostat and installed by Munn's as well. A little more sophisticated than mine and it cost approx. $300.

When you leave in summer, what do you set temp and humidity at?

[tuccillo]

My previous home had a Carrier Infinity System - arguably the most sophisticated (and complex, not always a good thing) system out there. The integrated humidistat could control the variable speed air handler to ramp down the air flow and also put the compressor in half-speed mode for better humidity control. Even with ramping down the air flow for humidity control it would still, on occasion, hit the overcooling limit of 3 degrees.

Our Carrier system in The Villages has a built in humidistat but does not have a variable speed air handler and single speed compressor. I am a bit disappointed that The Villages "cheaped out" on that - for a small incremental cost they could have speced the better air handler. Our system, by default, will overcool by 3 degrees.

A true dehumistat will not over cool your space. To be truly functional the dehumidistat must enable & disable both the cooling and heating cycles so as to properly maintain the desired humidity setpoint. If a dehumidistat is only cycling the cooling on and off the resulting humidity level is simply the byproduct of condensation removal and will most definitely over cool the space rather dramatically under certain conditions.

[Villageswimmer]

My previous home had a Carrier Infinity System - arguably the most sophisticated (and complex, not always a good thing) system out there. The integrated humidistat could control the variable speed air handler to ramp down the air flow and also put the compressor in half-speed mode for better humidity control. Even with ramping down the air flow for humidity control it would still, on occasion, hit the overcooling limit of 3 degrees.

Our Carrier system in The Villages has a built in humidistat but does not have a variable speed air handler and single speed compressor. I am a bit disappointed that The Villages "cheaped out" on that - for a small incremental cost they could have speced the better air handler. Ours system, by default, will overcool by 3 degrees.

I'm not as concerned about over cooling by 3 degrees as I am about setting the humidity too high. What is yours set at in "away mode"? Thanks. Maybe I'm overthinking this.

[tuccillo]

I am probably the last person you should ask as I am here all year round ;-). I would probably go with what your HVAC company is suggesting.

I'm not as concerned about over cooling by 3 degrees as I am about setting the humidity too high. What is yours set at in "away mode"? Thanks. Maybe I'm overthinking this.

[Villageswimmer]

Oaky, I got a humidistat. What humidity level should I set it at?

Thanks

Bill Snider


I have the same question. Got two different answers on both temp and humidity from Sun Kool. Even called Honeywell and got someone in India who couldn't answer the question. Lots of smoke and mirrors in HVAC it seems.

Is there an expert out there? sun Kool set it at 85 temp and 60 humidity. Does that sound good? Just don't want to come home to a moldy house. I regret not just sticking with a regular thermostat.