5 ms·

If you controlled the AC temperature remotely it's a great red flag to never rent that Airbnb. Some people like it cold when they sleep.

llsf 4d ago
I understand, and I could make it clear in the description that AC is capped at 18 degres C minimum (65F), so people who like it very cold could skip my airbnb. Some AC can go ridiculously low (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/3144803.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/3144803.stm). I do not want to change the temperature remotely, I just want to not have the AC used to extremely cold temperature. I am fine to advertise it to weed of people who like it very cold.
- sippingabonedry 4d ago
  I should have bothered to do the conversion... when I read your post I was immediately reminded of the recent laws in Italy that capped AC in public spaces to a minimum of 25C... 18C is awfully cold for a residence! Most programmable thermostats in the US do have built-in limits for device protection. I've never met anyone who sets AC in a home to lower than 68F and that is an absolute extreme. Most central AC systems are designed for ~20 degree temperature differential so on really hot days you'd have trouble getting it that low anyway unless the system is oversized.
  - nottorp 3d ago
    > 18C is awfully cold for a residence Yeah, why set the upper limit to 22 and not like 24-25? It will save you even more power for those that don't sit in your airbnb in a 3 piece business suit...
- DrammBA 3d ago
  > Some AC can go ridiculously low (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/3144803.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/3144803.stm). Did you just post a link to a 23 year old news article with no sources on an http-only site as supporting evidence that your airbnb unit's AC unit can go dangerously low? You really think your guests will get frostbite if you don't do them the favor of limiting the AC temperature (with the unintended side-effect of saving you some money)?
jonathanlydall 4d ago
I don’t think they’re proposing remotely controlling it, just so that the guest would experience being unable to change the temperature to outside the allowed range. Of course any guest is free to write in their review “can’t make temperature lower than 18°!” but the number of people choosing not to book for that reason in any given year is likely 0 or very close to it. There are a lot of people who don’t “get” thermostats and their intuitive model of ACs is like that of getting a bath to a particular temperature by turning a faucet to full hot or cold to get what they want. And if these people are out of the room when it reaches the actual temperature they want (and would change it), then the AC is left possibly for hours working full time, burning maximum energy and related wear and tear by trying to hopelessly achieve an unattainable temperature.

llsf 4d ago

I understand, and I could make it clear in the description that AC is capped at 18 degres C minimum (65F), so people who like it very cold could skip my airbnb. Some AC can go ridiculously low (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/3144803.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/3144803.stm). I do not want to change the temperature remotely, I just want to not have the AC used to extremely cold temperature. I am fine to advertise it to weed of people who like it very cold.

sippingabonedry 4d ago
I should have bothered to do the conversion... when I read your post I was immediately reminded of the recent laws in Italy that capped AC in public spaces to a minimum of 25C... 18C is awfully cold for a residence! Most programmable thermostats in the US do have built-in limits for device protection. I've never met anyone who sets AC in a home to lower than 68F and that is an absolute extreme. Most central AC systems are designed for ~20 degree temperature differential so on really hot days you'd have trouble getting it that low anyway unless the system is oversized.
- nottorp 3d ago
  > 18C is awfully cold for a residence Yeah, why set the upper limit to 22 and not like 24-25? It will save you even more power for those that don't sit in your airbnb in a 3 piece business suit...
DrammBA 3d ago
> Some AC can go ridiculously low (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/3144803.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/3144803.stm). Did you just post a link to a 23 year old news article with no sources on an http-only site as supporting evidence that your airbnb unit's AC unit can go dangerously low? You really think your guests will get frostbite if you don't do them the favor of limiting the AC temperature (with the unintended side-effect of saving you some money)?

jonathanlydall 4d ago

I don’t think they’re proposing remotely controlling it, just so that the guest would experience being unable to change the temperature to outside the allowed range. Of course any guest is free to write in their review “can’t make temperature lower than 18°!” but the number of people choosing not to book for that reason in any given year is likely 0 or very close to it. There are a lot of people who don’t “get” thermostats and their intuitive model of ACs is like that of getting a bath to a particular temperature by turning a faucet to full hot or cold to get what they want. And if these people are out of the room when it reaches the actual temperature they want (and would change it), then the AC is left possibly for hours working full time, burning maximum energy and related wear and tear by trying to hopelessly achieve an unattainable temperature.