The Ongoing Super Mega Weather Thread v3

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Thermal management system calibrated properly.

I think he's suggesting that you calibrate your enthusiasm.

(iykyk)

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

grossly obese

Nobody tells you about the drastic internal temperature swings you'll experience when losing weight. When I was fat (250), always hot. After dropping 70 pounds, complete polarity switch and I'm always cold now. Used to hate hot weather outside, now I can't get enough. Plan is to retire in southern Vietnam where the weather is always 30-35 degrees year round, that sounds like heaven to me now

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

It does, but even with that system running it'll always be a couple degrees cooler with each floor you go down. One thing I have to look into is whether I can stop flow in my basement in the summer so that any cool air doesn't make it to those vents, that will probably make a difference in efficiency once the system is running. But no matter what, it isn't going to turn on until that main floor gets above 22, and that's not going to happen until it's been a fair bit warmer than that outside for a few hours.

This isn't even necessarily a bad thing; I was worried my enmax bill was going to go up significantly and actually I don't think it'll end up making that huge a difference, because it's sitting idle most of the time. I guess we'll see.

I wouldn't get too hung up on the minimum temperature setting rule of thumb. That's primarily to avoid overworking the system in really hot weather, leading to it potentially freezing up. But if it barely comes on as it is now, that's very unlikely to happen at reasonable temperature settings. So you could try lowering it to 20º on the main floor when you want upstairs to be cooler, though obviously you have to weigh that against the other floors potentially being cooler than you want.

You can do it more or less automatically like how Looch City mentioned. You use a thermostat with remote sensors that you can place all around the house and then have it reference off different sensors at different times of day.

And you can also try closing some registers in the basement during cooling season, though you do want to be a bit careful with that, as removing too much airflow from the system can have negative effects as well.

But yeah, stratification is tough to overcome with a single system covering 3 floors. I ended up getting separate heat pumps for upstairs and downstairs because of that. Because of the layout of the trees around my house and my windows, in summer the main floor is mostly shaded and can be 21º while upstairs is getting the sun beating down on it all day and is 25-26º even with very good attic insulation. But with its own system, I can keep upstairs at whatever temperature I want without really impacting downstairs.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

It does, but even with that system running it'll always be a couple degrees cooler with each floor you go down. One thing I have to look into is whether I can stop flow in my basement in the summer so that any cool air doesn't make it to those vents, that will probably make a difference in efficiency once the system is running. But no matter what, it isn't going to turn on until that main floor gets above 22, and that's not going to happen until it's been a fair bit warmer than that outside for a few hours.

This isn't even necessarily a bad thing; I was worried my enmax bill was going to go up significantly and actually I don't think it'll end up making that huge a difference, because it's sitting idle most of the time. I guess we'll see.

This time of year is a PITA with the wild temperature fluctuations versus summer when it's fairly consistently warm. I've alternated between furnace and AC a couple times so far this spring.

When I run the AC, I go downstairs and close all the vents. Literally all of them. That keeps AC pumping upstairs only. If I don't, then I just freeze the basement, which is uncomfortable and costly.

If I have to switch the furnace back on, then I have to open all the vents again.

My house is a bungalow, so only two floors to worry about.

In my last house I had three floors, so I'd close the basement vents and then partially close all the main floor vents. Like half for each one, which directs the cold air upstairs.

At some point in June you'll do that with the vents and then just leave it until September, really.

This will straighten out the temp in the house over a couple of days. You may have to play with the main floor ones a bit by closing them more. You will be able to get the house comfortable throughout like you were envisioning.

Some people advise against doing this because they say the air restriction hurts the AC. They're dumb. Who cares. If my AC lasts 18 years instead of 20, but I'm comfortable the entire time versus having three uncomfortable temperature zones in my house, then WGAF if you replace the unit two years early?

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Nobody tells you about the drastic internal temperature swings you'll experience when losing weight. When I was fat (250), always hot. After dropping 70 pounds, complete polarity switch and I'm always cold now. Used to hate hot weather outside, now I can't get enough. Plan is to retire in southern Vietnam where the weather is always 30-35 degrees year round, that sounds like heaven to me now

Retire in Vietnam? Aren't you worried about missing your friends and family? I know we all have different circles, but location of where I live is so unimportant to me compared with being close to the people I enjoy spending time with. I'd never move away from my friends and cousins. Along with my immediate family, they're completely responsible for the enjoyment I get out of life.

[Sliver]

The other thing on AC is I'll leave it at 22 during the day when it's fighting the sun, but once the sun goes down I drop it to 20 for sleep.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Retire in Vietnam? Aren't you worried about missing your friends and family? I know we all have different circles, but location of where I live is so unimportant to me compared with being close to the people I enjoy spending time with. I'd never move away from my friends and cousins. Along with my immediate family, they're completely responsible for the enjoyment I get out of life.

This was something that was mentioned to me a few times before I moved, but for me, meh. I only saw most family once every year or two anyway, same with most friends. My sister had just moved across the country as well

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Some people advise against doing this because they say the air restriction hurts the AC. They're dumb. Who cares. If my AC lasts 18 years instead of 20, but I'm comfortable the entire time versus having three uncomfortable temperature zones in my house, then WGAF if you replace the unit two years early?

It's not just a matter of equipment damage, but also a condensation/mold risk. If you restrict the airflow too much with the AC running, the coils can get colder than they should be and the air flowing out gets too cold and can condense, putting moisture in places you don't want it (particularly if your ducts leak in random places).

That's not as much of an issue in a climate like Calgary compared to more humid areas, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. But that is one of the reasons the recommendation is to not close too many registers.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Anyways, bit of a doozie storm going on.

[photon]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Nobody tells you about the drastic internal temperature swings you'll experience when losing weight. When I was fat (250), always hot. After dropping 70 pounds, complete polarity switch and I'm always cold now. Used to hate hot weather outside, now I can't get enough. Plan is to retire in southern Vietnam where the weather is always 30-35 degrees year round, that sounds like heaven to me now

Yeah I figured I'd get something like this.. I mean I guess I'm still considered fat at 225 but compared to what I was I was almost never cold.. much more prone to temperature swings and having to make sure I've got a jacket with me now. Or use a blanket in bed.

Or having to wear slippers at my desk as the wood floor now makes my feet cold.

(My feet went from like size 11 to size 9.5 now, had to buy all new footware, who knew feet got so fat?!)

[puffnstuff]

I am now considering moving to Vietnam to get away from my family. May not be far enough though

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Nobody tells you about the drastic internal temperature swings you'll experience when losing weight. When I was fat (250), always hot. After dropping 70 pounds, complete polarity switch and I'm always cold now. Used to hate hot weather outside, now I can't get enough. Plan is to retire in southern Vietnam where the weather is always 30-35 degrees year round, that sounds like heaven to me now

You would hate living in Vietnam in about 30 seconds (yes i know your wife is from there and visiting there is fabulous)

Western social normsthat you're used to don't exist there. And weather-wise, always hot all the time is a different animal.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by btimbit

This was something that was mentioned to me a few times before I moved, but for me, meh. I only saw most family once every year or two anyway, same with most friends. My sister had just moved across the country as well

How's it going?

[fotze2]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Nobody tells you about the drastic internal temperature swings you'll experience when losing weight. When I was fat (250), always hot. After dropping 70 pounds, complete polarity switch and I'm always cold now. Used to hate hot weather outside, now I can't get enough. Plan is to retire in southern Vietnam where the weather is always 30-35 degrees year round, that sounds like heaven to me now

My wife is menopausing and kid is one the ice two times a day and runs hot complete with portable window air conditioner blasting ice air into his room 24 hrs a day every single day. I cannot get warm in this house or anywhere. Probably losing half my blood and white cells set me back a few months but I cannot stand it will not just get a little hotter. How many sweaters can I wear.

[Bigtime]

LOL, the Cloud seeding aircraft are currently arriving into YYC right now. Good timing with this storm rolling through.

[fotze2]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

LOL, the Cloud seeding aircraft are currently arriving into YYC right now. Good timing with this storm rolling through.

What are they called on flight aware?

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Moving away from the A/C discussion for a bit, this storm makes no sense. It's moving almost directly south to north... since ####ing when does that happen?! Ruined a perfectly good round of golf and I can't even get a rain check.

Bloody weather.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by photon

Yeah I figured I'd get something like this.. I mean I guess I'm still considered fat at 225

I just want to say that you should always look at the positive. It's been a number of years since we've seen each other in person; but getting down to that weight is a great achievement that you should always be proud of!

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

You would hate living in Vietnam in about 30 seconds (yes i know your wife is from there and visiting there is fabulous)

Western social normsthat you're used to don't exist there. And weather-wise, always hot all the time is a different animal.

Wow, stereotype much? Some white guys actually enjoy immersing in other cultures. I've done 4 trips to SE Asia in the last 12 years, the last was 6 weeks in Vietnam. Why would I be dead set on retiring there if I hadn't thoroughly travelled through it and loved it? And we'd probably come back to Canada for a few months in the summer to visit family and friends, but I have no qualms about spending the rest of the year in a beach town like Nha Trang

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Moving away from the A/C discussion for a bit, this storm makes no sense. It's moving almost directly south to north... since ####ing when does that happen?! Ruined a perfectly good round of golf and I can't even get a rain check.

Bloody weather.

You were going to triple the last hole anyway.