[Greenbuilding] Need some ideas for AC in an old house

[Bobbi Chukran]

Hi Nick,

I like your relatively low cost ideas!  No, my mother doesn't move 
very fast :--) but I'm not sure she has interior doors on the rooms 
that need the AC.  My sister and I talked about window units, but she 
thought that the thermostats on them would cause them to run 
constantly.  Putting them on timers, though, would probably solve the 
problem.

Her house actually has the original (ugly) awnings over some of the 
windows, so that helps with the shade.

The house really is too large for her now, but it's paid for, and 
that counts for a lot.  She really only uses a few rooms in it, so 
that's why I thought about the window units.

I realize it's not a highly-efficient, long term plan, but for now, 
it sounds great!

Thanks.....

bobbi c.


>Exterior window shading, airsealing, and a bunch of $80 EER10 window ACs
>from WalMart, with motion sensors and 30-minute timers, eg X-10. Not a
>great EER, but with zoning, this can easily use less energy than a
>central AC (assuming the house has interior doors and your mother
>doesn't move too fast :-), with less non-recurring cost. And if one AC
>breaks, you can throw it away and avoid expensive HVAC repairpersons and
>still have some working units.
>
>With lots of airsealing and a house full of warm dehumidified air, she
>could also zone her local surroundings with a garden sprayer :-).