My older sister, Susan, lives on the opposite side of the country.
I try to visit Susan twice per year.
The first time I stayed with her, it was the middle of July, and the weather was extremely hot and humid. Since her home is not outfitted with a central cooling system, I was a bit worried about comfort. Susan installed a window air conditioner into the guest bedroom which worked perfectly. I loved that I could customize the temperature setting to my preference. The wireless remote was super convenient to use. I didn’t even need to get out of bed to raise or lower the temperature, regulate humidity or change the fan speed. I also appreciated the noise of the little cooling system. It was just loud enough to drown out the barking of Susan’s dog, the neighbor’s lawn mower and chirping birds. I slept wonderfully every night. The second time I stayed with my older sister, I planned my visit for the Christmas holidays. Although her house features a very modern forced air furnace, I was not as comfortable. There is a single thermostat, located in the living room, which determines the temperature for the entire house. Because of huge windows and exposure to wind, the living room tends to be slightly chilly. The thermostat reacts accordingly, and the guest bedroom was way too hot. I was so overheated, I had trouble falling asleep at night and typically woke up drenched with sweat. Plus, the furnace is whisper quiet and fails to disguise the sounds of the dog, birds, neighbors, and snowplows driving by. I even heard the furnace start up and shut off during the middle of the night. I’m now encouraging Susan to invest in zone control for her house. I’d like to have my own thermostat to regulate, and she’d save quite a bit of money. Her guest bedroom is most often unoccupied, and yet she’s paying to heat it.