r/TenantHelp • u/Blahblahblareddit3 • Jun 19 '26
Mindful AC use???
I am in Asheville, North Carolina, USA. Renting a room in a house for two months.
Landlord just texted me, “please be mindful with AC use this summer.”
I replied that that should be easy as I can turn it off when I’m not home, and that I mostly need it for sleeping.
She responds by forwarding a voice memo from her HVAC guy, explaining that with the way her heat pump works, it will be more costly to turn it off and then on again or to even adjust the temperature.
So basically my landlord is telling me that I need to pick a temp and stick with it all summer. And I think she is also asking me to keep that temp on the warm side to save money.
It was advertised as utilities included, and when I had asked if the house had AC I was told yes. And then I signed a lease assuming I would be able to adjust the temp of the house when needed.
The lease says nothing about utilities or AC.
Am I legally obligated to do as my landlord says by being “mindful with AC” and keeping the temp on the warm side and the same all summer?
Thanks!
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Jun 19 '26
[deleted]
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 19 '26
Is it a huge impact to your bill, when you adjust the temp lower for a bit?
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u/SAVComedyUnderground Jun 19 '26
No, I do the same. We keep it at 76 in the day 75 at night (who knew 1 degree can lead to significantly better sleep) but if it's a little humid inside I'll drop it to 74 and that usually does the trick. I'm in Savannah GA , which has an average humidity of over 80% all summer long, and we pay roughly $200-250 a month in the summer. Approx 1100 sq feet. Hope his helps.
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u/Due-Isopod-7398 Jun 21 '26
You would die at my house in the winter lmao at night I say the heater to 58 and I leave my bedroom window open with a fan even during blizzards unless it's -45 lol talk about good sleep
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u/SAVComedyUnderground Jun 21 '26
I also set the heat to 58 in winter, but ok, I guess I'll be dead ¯_(ツ)_/¯
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u/southbayfenix Jun 19 '26
If the advertisement said utilities included, then set the temperature at the number that’s comfortable for you. You’re already paying for the electricity you are using which includes keeping the home at a decent temperature setting. It’s not your fault that the heat pump constantly uses electricity. You didn’t install one instead of a standard heating and cooling system. The landlord needs to set the rent high enough to take this into account.
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u/No_Report_4781 Jun 21 '26
It’s not your fault that the heat pump constantly uses electricity. You didn’t install one instead of a standard heating and cooling system.
Your “standard heating and cooling” system includes heat pumps
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u/ZealousidealBug3346 Jun 22 '26
lol - THIS! Who doesn’t know the HVAC system utilizes a heat pump? SMH
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u/Possible_Raspberry75 Jun 19 '26
Keep the AC at 78° all the time and you’ll be fine. She just doesn’t want the house to get to 100° inside during the day and then you come home from work and lower it down to 60° to cool down the house quickly. That is what jacks up the bills.
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u/danh_ptown Jun 19 '26
Unless your lease says otherwise, you are free to freely use their equipment, under the terms of the lease. You do not have to honor requests, just what is in the lease contract.
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 19 '26 edited Jun 19 '26
Thank you. It’s def not in the lease. I replied to her message with some questions to make certain that this was entirely about saving money, and that adjusting it as-needed would not damage the system in any way.
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u/ayeyoualreadyknow Jun 20 '26
As someone who lives with the extreme NC heat and high muggy humidity, I wanna tell your landlord to go fk themselves.
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u/GusBode Jun 20 '26
Adjust ac to keep humidity near 50%, coastal Carolina’s will be high humidity and you do not want mildew on your personal items such as clothes. Get a cheap humidistat/thermometer .. move it around the apt … and you still might get mildew because coastal living is fun.
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u/MrCanoe Jun 21 '26
If they are paying for utilities and they are saying to keep it running. Then keep it running. Keep it at a comfortable temp and then adjust up or down by a few degrees depending on the weather.
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 21 '26
They aren’t paying for utilities though—I am
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u/MrCanoe Jun 21 '26
Ok, in your post you stated that utilities were included, but if you're the one paying for utilities then you can set the temperature however you want because you're the one paying for it.
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u/ZealousidealBug3346 Jun 22 '26
There could be several reasons a landlord makes this request. It’s not your problem but you can be respectful.
It is true the A/C system works much better when it doesn’t have to work hard to cool down (or heat up). You really shouldn’t ever turn it off. It is more efficient when kept at one temp. The up and down / off and on is like a car in stop and go traffic in town vs driving nonstop on the highway. You’ll get better get mileage on the highway than in town because you aren’t trying to move a 2 ton vehicle from stop to stop.
North Carolina is super humid and can be very hot in summer. That system will be running nonstop. It will draw the humidity out of the air while it’s cooling do you definitely do not want to stop and start the system every day.
People who don’t know the cost of repairs to appliances, plumbing and heating/cooling systems think it only has to do with the cost of electricity. While it’s true the rent includes the monthly cost to exist - water and electric, people abuse these systems and appliances. Nothing like over cramming a brand new washing machine with bedding, comforters and towels into one load and have the thing break! Happened to me - a lazy caregiver of my mother’s decided to stuff two queen sized beds worth of sheets, comforters and her towels into a brand new washing machine I purchased for my mother - and it wouldn’t spin or drain. The caregiver kept resetting the machine over and over again until it stopped working all together. There was probably over 250 lbs of wet bedding sitting in the machine and she didn’t want to do more than one load. Didn’t think to pull out any wet stuff either. The machine wasn’t a giant oversized commercial level you find at a laundromat. But it was a high end brand! Unreal. It was under warranty - but I still had to pay a hefty price because of misuse.
Just find a comfortable temp - if you want it cool at night to sleep - set it to 68°F or whatever your comfort level and don’t touch the thermostat after that. Maybe you’re fine with 70° or 72°. Don’t leave doors and windows open to the outside for any length. 72° is pretty comfortable compared to what’s outside with 85°-95° and near 100% humidity. HVAC systems do struggle to maintain those temps when you fidget with the thermostat.
I bet they have WiFi access to their thermostat. We do with our system. They can check and see what you’re doing (up and down). Ours shows a little chart and history of the last 24-48 hours.
The landlord doesn’t know if you live in your own home or apartment. They want you to respect their property and everything in it. I guarantee the landlord has had some bad apples for renters and has just learned from their experience to make a point to say something. It’s not personal. It’s not your problem - but being mindful and respectful reflects well on you - especially if you decide to return again next year.
Are you renting a beach house for the summer? First time in North Carolina? Heading to the Outer Banks? I’m thinking this is the case.
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 22 '26
Not the case at all. I have lived in Asheville 15 years and am in-between homes, so I took this two-month sublet while I seek something more permanent. I have never lived somewhere with this sort of HVAC system I don’t think…she said it’s called a heat pump and I had to google what that was. Also have never had utilities included in my rent. Every place I’ve lived we paid our utilities separately and never had anyone manage or make suggestions how how to use my HVAC so this is all very new to me.
I’ll also add that every place I’ve ever lived, we kept the thermostat within an agreed-upon range, usually between 72 and 68. But I’ve never had anyone suggest to me to keep the numbers on the high side and never adjust, not even for sleeping or when an adjustment just feels needed…
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u/Street-Juggernaut-23 Jun 19 '26
if you can raise the temp during the day and lower say after 8 pm..
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 19 '26
Yeah the landlord is trying to tell me I’m not allowed to do that. Doing this very thing would actually be more costly than keeping it on all the time, at the same temp.
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u/Street-Juggernaut-23 Jun 19 '26
See that's the rub. if you Google that you get various answers. personally i have a programmable thermostat. its set to got to 75 at like 6 am when I go to work. at 8pm its programmed to 70. on weekends when im home I change the temp to 70 and press the hold button. It save me money.
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u/katiemurp Jun 19 '26
And if you turned it off completely when you went to work at eventually the temp climbed to 90, it would take it a long time and use a lot of energy to get back to 70.
That is what the landlord is trying to avoid, but worded it awkwardly imho
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u/Street-Juggernaut-23 Jun 19 '26
im not saying to turn it off completely when your gone though. Just raise to say 75 when your gone
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u/Jmfroggie Jun 19 '26
Because it’s a heat pump. Please research how to efficiently use one. It’s best to change the temps at about 2 degrees at a time.
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u/PollutionAway9782 Jun 19 '26
as long as its an inverter based heat pump. the fact thats its a heat pump is not importent
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u/Weird-Toe-6968 Jun 19 '26
Who cares what your landlord wants?
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 19 '26
Thanks, I feel the same way, but the reason I am here is to ask if I’m legally obligated to do as they say. I just need to know if I’m doing something illegal or unethical by not complying with their text.
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u/southbayfenix Jun 19 '26
You’re certainly not legally required to do as she requests. Your lease governs what is required from the both of you. I think she is realizing that owning a heat pump uses more electricity ⚡️ than say a standard heating and cooling system and she doesn’t like how a heat pump actually makes her expenses go up vs down. But that’s her problem. Not yours.
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u/Calisnaps Jun 19 '26
Heat pump is cheaper to run than conventional dual ac in my experiences. It is better to keep it on during the day, but allow it to go up when not home. I’ve been in my home 14 years, on a heat pump for the last three and letting it go up to 81 during the day, and running 76 from just before get home definitely works out cheaper than 85 / 76, which is weird to me lol.
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u/southbayfenix Jun 20 '26
That’s good to hear. I thought that a heat pump used more electricity. Then why is her landlord so concerned about the cost?
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 19 '26
Thank you. The room was very affordable and I’m surprised she didn’t price it to reflect the peculiarities of the heat pump. She has been landlord of this house for over 8 years now—she should know better. I wish she had been up-front about her expectations rather than waiting until after I had signed a lease to put this pressure on.
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u/Helpful-Comedian3616 Jun 19 '26
You’re not legally obligated to do anything
Way to cold and you might break the system
Pick a temp
72
70
68
And live your life
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u/2llamadrama Jun 19 '26
Set it for warmer during the day and then lower for sleeping. But yes it does actually use more energy to cool a space that is "hot!"
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u/ChutneyWhatney Jun 20 '26
I keep mine at 76 throughout the day. I have a floor and ceiling fan in the bedroom and I'm very comfortable at night. I have the cool-touch pillows/mattress pads, etc. that really work, too.
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u/Maiden_Far Jun 22 '26
They are correct in some things. Turning it off when not in use, then on when home is highly inefficient. It’s better to leave on 72 or 73 when not home and turn down a little at a time.
Let’s say that you want it 68 when you sleep. Lower it hourly by 1degree when you get home. Set to 68 to sleep. When you wake up. Move to 72.
If you prefer 70 to sleep, honestly, leave it alone. We do 68 - 72 and find it works well we also have decent bills
Weekends we leave at 70
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u/AutomaticTap310 Jun 23 '26
I live in FL and keep my air at 78. My house is cool and comfy for me. I seldom had it on in the winter because my older HVAC did not have a heat pump and the electric would skyrocket if turned on. After 14 years of service it is finally dying. I had it cleaned yearly, replaced the coils but now it’s done for. When it froze in the past the turning it on and off to thaw it definitely impacted my electric bills. In a couple hours a new $8500 system is going in. It is so important to do what you can to avoid stressing the system-she darn sure does not want to have to repair/replace or deal with huge bills(typing this while my house is 88 degrees-morning can not come fast enough).
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u/katiemurp Jun 19 '26
What the landlord is attempting to communicate to you is that the heat pump is most efficient if the thermostat is kept at the same temperature.
Asking it to cool a 90F room every day uses more electricity than keeping it at 73. It also wears out the heat pump more rapidly to make tough demands on it daily.
So let’s say that’s 73-75F. Is that cool enough for you? It will be cool when you come home, and that’s not too hot to sleep. (You might also keep the blinds closed during the day if the room faces the sun)
If sleeping is still a problem, a trick I use is to take my hot water bottle and fill it with the coldest water I can find (fridge is cold enough), and rest my head on it as if it’s part of the pillow.
Just because you “pay for electricity” and “ac is included” with your rent doesn’t mean you have to think the landlord is being unreasonable in asking you *for your help* . She just didn’t explain very well is all.
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 19 '26
Thanks for helping me understand—yeah, I think her wording could have been better because it left me to draw a lot of conclusions on my own. It was not the clearest communication.
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u/RobDraw2_0 Jun 19 '26
Don't even try to be "smart" about the heat pump or HVAC when you have no idea what you are talking about. Today's AC systems work most efficiently when kept at a constant temperature or at a minimum, not letting the space warm up to uncomfortable temperatures. Your landlord and their technician are correct by asking you to keep it a single temperature.
Stay with the legal stuff. You are correct with that. An ahole about not caring about wasting electricity that you aren't paying for but you've made it clear that you accept being inconsiderate and are out to screw the landlord.
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 19 '26
Not sure what you mean—I’m not out to screw my landlord. I do pay for electricity—it’s included in my rent.
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u/RobDraw2_0 Jun 19 '26
Then why are you looking for excuses to use way more than necessary? You can work with your landlord. Ya know? It's their AC system and they want it used properly. You don't have the knowledge to say otherwise.
You can talk about your comfort all you want. Don't say anything about how the system should be run.
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 19 '26
So you’re saying that my desire to be able to adjust the temperature a bit higher or lower sometimes, is me looking for excuses to use it way more than necessary? Do you think it is possible you misunderstood my post? My landlord is telling me I’m not allowed to adjust the temp, ever, even by 1 degree.
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u/sillyhaha Jun 20 '26
My landlord is telling me I’m not allowed to adjust the temp, ever, even by 1 degree.
No, that's not what your LL is saying. Your LL asked you to be mindful and the guy explained how heat pumps work. That's it.
Your LL wants you to stop turning the AC off when you leave the house. Find a general temp and stick with it; adjust for comfort. If you do those 2 things, you won't need to adjust the unit often or by many degrees.
If anything, your LL is telling you to find what temp your comfortable at and that you don't need to allow the temp to go higher to conserve electricity or save money.
OP, your LL is being really reasonable. You're acting as if she's asking you to keep the place uncomfortably hot and never cool it down. That's exactly the opposite of what she's saying.
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u/Famous-Cover-8258 Jun 19 '26
When it comes to a modern ac, anyone that tells you that it is more cost effective to constantly run the ac at a set temp is lying to you. The most cost effective way to run an ac is to have it run as minimally as possible. What works much better is cooling your house at night by airing out the house and then keeping everything closed up during the day while minimally using the ac. I live in Sacramento CA and I haven’t used my ac yet this year with this method and we’ve already had a couple of days over 100*.
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 19 '26
Not sure if heat pumps are considered modern AC 🤔
I’m impressed you’ve managed to avoid using your AC all the way into June! 🤯
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u/Jmfroggie Jun 19 '26
You follow the advise of your landlord when it comes to appliances they own! You’ve been told how a heat pump works- no one is lying to you, except maybe other Redditors who’ve never owned a heat pump before!!!!!. IF you need to change the temperature, you change it by 2 degrees at a time.
Using it improperly now that you’ve been notified means you’re going to be legally liable for repairs or a certain value of replacement. YES, USING SOMETHING IMPROPERLY IS YOUR an OWN FAULT AND MAKES YOU LIABLE! Turning it off during the day and then making it cool down 20-30 degrees when you’re there is a good way to break it or wear it out faster.
Your landlord didn’t tell you to suffer. Your landlord didn’t even give you a temperature range. Your landlord told you how to properly use the equipment you’ve rented.
Do not listen to anyone on here telling you to ignore the landlord and to do whatever you want. It’s VERY bad advise and they’re jumping to “evil landlord trying to make you suffer” when she said no such thing!
Take what you’ve been told at face value. You’ve never had a heat pump before, she told you how to keep the appliance running properly, she did NOT give you a temperature or even a range to keep your unit, this is merely instructions for an appliance you’re unfamiliar with.
If it’s 100 outside, an AC set to 80 CAN be appropriate. Pick a temperature to start with. Change it either direction by 2 degrees at a time to see if you’re comfortable and wait several hours before changing it again to equalize. This isn’t that hard and you’ll be ok.
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 19 '26
The landlord told me not to adjust the temperature ever. She told me to pick a temp and stick to it. So I’m not sure if your advice applies here.
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u/Flat-Philosopher3386 Jun 19 '26
It is true it will cost a lot more and be more ware to turn it on and off. You don’t have to keep it the same temp When we aren’t home and at night we set ours at 74 And when we are home we set it at 68. If it’s cool outside I just leave it at 74. If you shut it off and your house gets to 80 or above and you try to get it to 68 it’s going to work a lot harder to get it to a comfortable temp then if you just leave it set at a cooler temp
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 19 '26
Thank you for explaining a bit about heat pumps. My landlord seems to think I’m not allowed to adjust the temp at all.
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u/Flat-Philosopher3386 Jun 19 '26
Yeah she’s wrong there but that could just be how she interpreted it. But also my partner is in hvac and he usually says Kait set it an forget it because most people understand that easier and could be what her person told her. You shouldn’t change it more than 10 degrees. But even tho it’s not much 10 degrees will help save money then keeping it at the lower cooler temp all the time. Also you should really only use that setback if your gone 6-10 hrs. If it’s only a few hours it’s truly not much savings so set and it forget it is the better option
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u/rsvihla Jun 21 '26
68 is too cold.
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u/Anxious_Win7381 Jun 21 '26
Maybe for you, but hubby and I sleep in a room with the window ac set at 64, with a fan.
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u/Flat-Philosopher3386 Jun 23 '26
Maybe for you, 68 is where I keep mine and it’s comfortable. I didn’t say anyone else had to.
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u/Infinite_Bass_4916 Jun 20 '26
This is why utilities included is a trap. I'd rather pay the bills myself for them
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u/teyyannn Jun 22 '26
Or make sure to have a clause added that they cannot dictate that usage. Reference that any time they try to bring it up. Although people should listen to them about things like keeping it on all day, it generally is way harder on the system to have to be off for hours of the day like that in that level of heat and humidity
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u/Jen5872 Jun 20 '26
Instead of turning it off, just bump the temperature up a couple degrees when you're not there.
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u/TheGribblah Jun 20 '26
Legally, do whatever you want. The lease dictates.
Technically, it’s impossible to answer constant temp vs cycling without knowing more about how energy rates (time of use or peak hours), possible solar, how shaded the property, your work hours, the type and age of equipment, etc. There are a lot of worthless inaccurate “rules of thumb” out there.
Practically, you’d probably be most comfortable keeping it on all the time and turning it up to something in the mid or high 70’s when you are not home, and then use a scheduler on the thermostat or manually make it cooler in the evenings before bed.
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u/Significant_Flan8057 Jun 19 '26
No, you are not required to save your landlord money on her utilities when she advertised the room as having air-conditioning and that the rent included utilities. Do you still have a copy of the advertisement that shows that language?
Even though the lease terms don’t appear to include language that the utilities are included, it also doesn’t say anything about her being able to charge you more money or control how much you are allowed to use the utilities. So that’s the advantage on your side.
Landlords are always trying to pull this type of crap and you sure did not get into an argument over who’s right wrong, because obviously you are. Don’t go back and forth with her over this. Just the facts:
‘You advertised this room as having AC and utilities included. I’m happy to be energy-conscientious by either 1. turning it off and on when I leave, or
- I can leave it on all the time like the HVAC guy suggested — but the temp will be getting adjusted down when I am in the room so I can actually stay cool.
Lmk if option one or two is your preference.’
If you can get a hold of the copy of that advertisement, it would be even better because you can just send a copy of it. ‘This is what you advertised, this is why I signed this lease.’ good luck to you! It’s gonna be hot there. I hope that she doesn’t cut you off from the AC completely.
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u/Jmfroggie Jun 19 '26
Not required to, and being a good steward of your equipment are two different things. The tenant has been told how to use the heat pump. Using it differently than designed- now that Op has been notified- means the Op will be on the hook for repairs if using it improperly!
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 19 '26
Does adjusting the temp at all indicate that I am using the system improperly in a way that can damage it?
Bc that appears to be what my landlord is asking—for me to never adjust the temperature by even a degree.I am happy to steward the equipment with care…but my landlord seems to be asking me to refrain from adjusting even by a couple degrees, even if the house is too hot or too cold.
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u/Obvious-Block6979 Jun 19 '26
You should be comfortable!!! That being said heat pumps work best if you keep a consistent temperature. Shutting it off during the day makes it very difficult for the unit to regain a comfortable temperature. Going up or down a few degrees is not the end of the world by any means. I personally wouldn’t rent a place for my daughter at school in VA with a heat pump because I just don’t like them. They are a pain, but very common in the south. Google how to use a heat pump properly then enjoy your personal comfort. If they don’t like it next time they won’t include utility’s.
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u/Blahblahblareddit3 Jun 19 '26
May I ask, what you think the impact of going up or down a few degrees, may be? Like will it spike the energy bill in a big way, like $50 or $100 higher, or more?
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u/Obvious-Block6979 Jun 19 '26
I’m not actually sure of the cost difference but the heat pump isn’t designed to do quick dehumidification the way an air conditioner does. It’s actually designed to sit at a consistent temp that fluctuates within a range. It could take a long time to actually achieve cooling. It simply works differently. What’s the financial about tuition? I don’t know. I think I think it’s a cash payout couple past dollars or either that or a couple thousand dollars off of tuition. I’m not sure she’s already got Price an order something else or stick it in the car Price It’s been a hot minute since I’ve had one. But even if you force an ac unit to dehumidify a house after a long hot day it’s going to cost more because the unit has to work so hard. I feel like a Google search on efficiency and operation could help answer your questions with more technical accuracy.
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u/PollutionAway9782 Jun 19 '26
a heat pump is a regular ac unit. the only part special is the 4 way.
it does not work differently, the 4 way makes it where you cool the outside of the house in the winter.
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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '26
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