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How I stopped my aunt from wrecking my AC with a lockbox
I've got a family member who thinks 68 degrees in summer is reasonable. My AC was short cycling like crazy every time they visited. So, I picked up one of those thermostat lockboxes from the supply house. It's just a plastic cover with a little key. Now I pop it on when they're coming over. No more arguments, and my compressor thanks me. It's a small fix for a big headache.
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jesse_lopez147mo ago
Think some situations call for a simple lock.
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sam_cooper7mo ago
Been there with my dad, he'd crank it down to 65 the second he walked in. We had the talk, I explained the electric bill and the strain on the unit, he'd nod and do it again next week. The lockbox wasn't my first move, it was my last. It stopped the constant back and forth and saved my system from freezing up. Sometimes you just need a physical barrier to protect your stuff.
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the_elliot7mo ago
You said it's "treating a person like a problem," but that's missing the point. It's treating the thermostat like a problem, because to some people it's a big inviting button they just have to push. My compressor lasting five years instead of three before it breaks down is worth a little plastic box.
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the_eric7mo ago
Honestly, that seems pretty harsh to just lock the thermostat away. She's your family, and when people visit they should be able to feel comfortable in your house. Yeah, short cycling is bad, but you could explain that to her and find a compromise, like setting it at 72 instead. Putting a box on it is just going to create more awkwardness and make her think you don't care about her comfort. It feels like you're treating a person like a problem to be locked up. A real conversation would fix this for good without all the secret hardware.
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