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Re: [Phys-l] cooling hints

Of all the silly things I have read on any science discussion group, this takes the prize... Anyone in most northern climes who turns off their heat for extended periods of time should turn in their license to teach science (or anything else for that matter). Insulation or no insulation doesn't matter because pipes can run in crawl spaces or basements where they are exposed to the cold no matter what. Outside faucets should be turned off from the inside valves in winter, too, after being drained.
Programmable thermostats are so inexpensive and easy to use now that most people have installed them, and every new HVAC installation in this area comes with one as part of the deal.

To prolong this thread for further explanation is just as bad as some of the political rubbish that persists here at times.

Marty


On Aug 25, 2011, at 3:01 PM, John Clement wrote:

Anyone who does that is an idiot. But turing it off totally would probaby
be OK in S. Florida, Brownsville TX, parts of Arizona, or San Diego. The
big problem in the E. Coast Southern cities would be the humidity in summer
which can be very damaging to some furnishings, and it is not nice to come
back to find that a fine leather suitcase, shoe, or purse has turned green.
But even in Houston with the heat on, pipes have been known to burst in new
homes where they did not take care to insulate over the pipes as they run
through the attic. The old homes had no insulation so the heat kept the
pipes toasty warm. So turning heat way down or AC way up is probably the
best strategy, and if you want to do this while away at work, have a
programmable thermostat which puts the house back to a reasonable
temperature before coming home.

Actually in Houston it is safe to keep the heat off while away Thanksgiving
for a few days, because even if the temperature drops it takes a couple of
days before the inside temperature is at the pipe bursting stage. But don't
do that for a week long trip in the dead of winter.

In Durham NC I had a leather camera case in a clost on the floor where the
AC didn't penetrate well, and it turned a bright green, so I know about this
firsthand.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX


I would add that we certainly don't want to foster a message
that could
easily be misinterpreted and produce those unintended
consequences similar
to those Michael has documented. For example, how many
people might take
the 'turn it off' too litterally and upon leaving for their
three month stay
in Florida over the winter, simply shut off their furnace.
That certainly
saves energy, but when they return to a flooded house with
multiple busted
pipes and pay for the clean up, repair, AND the enormous
water bills (had
our cleaning person leave a toilet running one Xmas vacation
and ran up a
$100 water bill--normally $25!). Down to 50 Fahrenheit is
OK, off doesn't
work in my neck of the woods!


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