Anyone Else Doing Without AC This Summer?

[jrwilheim]

I can't afford the $150 to put an AC in my bedroom this summer, so I'm doing without and taking about two million cold showers and drinking (almost literally) a gallon of iced tea per day. Anyone else making do without AC this summer?

[wordsmith]

I got a small window unit two summers ago for about 90 bucks to put in my bedroom, so that's what I've got. It doesn't keep up well, and won't cool the rest of the apt. So I have air to sleep in, but that's about it. I cope by going through the iced tea as well, and by not being home, but instead staying places that are air conditioned.

[lilyflower]

I can't afford the $150 to put an AC in my bedroom this summer, so I'm doing without and taking about two million cold showers and drinking (almost literally) a gallon of iced tea per day. Anyone else making do without AC this summer?

Lord, it's been 90+ for the last month. I think I'd die without A/C at home this summer, if my place hadn't been air-conditioned, I would've installed a unit myself by now out of sheer disgust for the heat.

[midtwenty]

We didn't have AC for about 3 weeks last year. I can't even begin to tell you how glad I am that it works this summer. Being hugely pregnant when it's 105 degrees outside is NOT a good time. A few years back, I did spend about three summers driving around an '89 Mustang with no AC and only one working window, if that offers up any sympathy for you. My commute at that time was about 35 minutes and I worked 2nd shift, so I'd leave for work at about 1:30 in the afternoon. Needless to say I was practically a puddle by the time I got there. I hate the idea of being dependent on AC, but DAMN it's hot without it!

[Kitty]

No one has air conditioning in the Bay Area. I've NEVER lived anywhere that had AC.

However, what is killing me is that I don't have AC in my car. Motherfuckers, it is total hell!!

[samender]

Mine broke...and there isnt really much I can do. The landlord doesnt want it repaired. I hope I have heat in the winter. That I know they would fix. I grew up with out it and so I am used to it. I used to like having it on at night to sleep but oh well.

[Winter Storm]

Nope.

I'm actually in more AC than I get to feel the sun. I'm actually sitting in the office right now with a sweater on.

[labrat2111]

I have a/c in my bedroom but that is it. My kitchen gets like a blast furnace when cooking. My car is without a/c too and to add insult to injury my driver's side window is broken and needs to be shut (you can roll it down but getting it back up is the problem). The actual a/c system works but I need a recharge on freon except seeing as my car is an 89 it has the old ozone eating R12 in it and to convert to R134a I would need to have a shop bleed and capture the R12 and change some fittings and I guess I'm just a cheap bastard so I haven't done that.

[coll214]

I made a valiant effort to live without A/c this summer briefly and it didn't pan out too well. My condo started heating up in about May and when it's 90 degrees in the living room and 75 outside, it was time to do something... I don't know how i would survive with this crappy ass humid weather we have now without it. Even with the AC, it's in the 80s in the house.

[kitalyn414]

omg - we have an old-ass window unit in the main room that BARELY works, but nothing in the bedroom. for a while the nights were really warm and we had to go sleep on the couch cause it was so unbearable. the nights have cooled off a bit, so we pushed the bed up under the window and sleep with the windows and blinds full open and the fan on high... no covers.

i've had to find a different way of cooking every meal that calls for use of the oven because the whole place would bake in addition to the food.

luckily, i think we're moving next weekend (cross your fingers!), and the new place has ac.

[lynseymay]

I too, have never lived in a place with air conditioning. Like Kitty said, no one in the bay area has AC. I'm in Boston now and everyone does..well except me I guess. I can't afford it and honestly I'm not a big fan of it except my car....

[Kristyn]

I've always lived in places that had AC, but since moving to Boston I have discovered that not every place believes in AC units. My apartment included. I would have never thought I'd be leaving windows open in 90 degree weather, but when that breeze comes through...god it's glorious!

The heat is good for one reason though: It keeps me outside doing things and meeting people instead of relaxing at home watching pointless TV movies all day long. No more wasting weekends being lazy!

[shimmer728]

I actually don't have it. But I live on the first floor of a 1700s house. It stays cool and drafty all the time--even in 90 degree-plus heat. It's lovely. :)

[kimmer23]

me and alan are "hot people" so our air goes on starting about april! i know we are nuts, but i definitely take advantage of the ac! my parents never wanted to put the ac on until it was like 85 degrees. now i use it whenever i feel like it!

it did suck though 3 yrs ago during hurricane isabel when the power went off for 3 days. of course everyday was like 90 degrees outside.

[pisces2473]

One unit in the bedroom and a fan in the bedroom. It doesn't make it super cold, but it helps somewhat...

I have 14 windows in a very small apartment, which means it's full of light, but I have to keep the shades drawn all day so that my cats and plants don't bake.

[MollyMe]

I have never not had A/C. I don't like the heat.

[winneythepooh7]

My apartment is not equiped for A/C being a basement apartment and all. This summer though I just couldn't take it though. I bought a portable A/C and my boyfriend came over all ghetto-style after work at night. He double parked in front of my apartment with his truck, ran a power cord down the stairs into my apartment, and used a power saw to cut a piece of wood to put into the one window I have so I could run the exaust outside. It really made me realize how awful we must live in the NYC. It cools down my apartment enough to make it bearable, but it isn't supercool in here by any means either. It is probably like 75-80 now. I do use a big fan though which helps to blow the air around and keep it cooler. I swear, my neighbors must have thought we were out of our minds that night. The best was my neighbor came out of her apartment really fast and said a cheery hello, wasn't paying attention to where she was going, even while I was reminding her to be careful of the cord running down my stairwell. She could have literally broke her leg and some other bones............The best is that people that come to my apartment continue to think it is great. After living here though for almost 4 years I think it is time to move on to bigger and better.

[kimmer23]

One unit in the bedroom and a fan in the bedroom. It doesn't make it super cold, but it helps somewhat...

I have 14 windows in a very small apartment, which means it's full of light, but I have to keep the shades drawn all day so that my cats and plants don't bake.

holy shit! i dont have 14 windows in my entire house! damn! that is a lot of windows to wash during spring cleaning!

[pisces2473]

holy shit! i dont have 14 windows in my entire house! damn! that is a lot of windows to wash during spring cleaning!
Yup...2 in the bathroom, 4 in the bedroom, 4 in the living room, 2 in the dining room and 3 in the kitchen. And I live in an OLD house! I thought windows were a luxury item back then...

Um, I don't wash them...well, just the insides...and they are six over six...with the wood brackets that stick out, so I have to wash each pane separately. 12 panes per window...ugh...

[SunDevil]

I am! Everyone thinks I am crazy, but it isn't that bad in Ohio. It is humid and 90 outside, but I just keep my blinds shut and it doesn't get above 84 in my apartment.

When I lived in Phoenix, I did without AC also, and that was much harder. I would leave my apartment at noon, and not come back until midnight on some days, I would go places that had AC. I could barely afford the $20/month electric bill then, now I just like paying $15/month for electricity even though I could afford it.

[kimmer23]

Yup...2 in the bathroom, 4 in the bedroom, 4 in the living room, 2 in the dining room and 3 in the kitchen. And I live in an OLD house! I thought windows were a luxury item back then...

Um, I don't wash them...well, just the insides...and they are six over six...with the wood brackets that stick out, so I have to wash each pane separately. 12 panes per window...ugh...


damn 4 in the bedroom! yeah i do think older houses have more windows. my house doesnt have any windows on the sides! but i hear ya with the window panes. i dont have many windows, but mine have the 12 panes as well. they are a bitch to clean!

[SmilesSoSweet]

When I lived in California, I didn't mind not having an A/C . . . but here in Arizona, yeah right! One of my requirements when I was finding a place to live was to make sure there was an A/C in the apartment. This one is central A/C. I thought my electric bill would be really high, but considering that I run my A/C everyday, it's just under $60/month. It might sound expensive, but I now live in a much cheaper city and I'm making a lot more in salary, so I can actually afford it. I even have a jacket I leave at work because it's so cold in the office. The airport, movie theaters, malls, elevators, almost every where is A/C. If not there are at least misters all over the place.

[jwsthe3rd]

I'm confused as to why certain areas don't have AC? I mean I know that it's hotter in certain parts of the country, but still, it gets warm everywhere during the summer doesn't it? Man oh Man, South Carolina is the hottest place on earth! I don't know why it gets so hot here, I mean I know we're in the South, but still, this state is utterly humid. Just a week or so ago, it was 105 degree out, with an index of 115 degrees! We have two window units in our house, and no trees near, so the sun bakes this bread box. And when I get in my car, my skin literally feels like it is burning off of my body and I can't breathe well, like when you are in a sauna!!! My nostrils flare up and burn. I can't imagine not having it in my car. I think I would really die from heat exhaustion. Why don't some areas have AC? I do know that some people believe AC is evil or bad and that it spoils people. They want to be pure and live naturally. I'm sorry though, I like technology and I appreciate the luxuries of it.

[SunDevil]

http://image.weather.com/images/maps/current/acttemp_600x405.jpg

There are plenty of places in the US and Canada that rarely get above 90 during the summer. And when they do, you can just go to the mall or the movies. And AC units themselves are expensive, so why would you spend $4000 on something you only need to use for 4 weeks.

If you keep you shades drawn, it can really reduce the temperature inside as well.

Or you could live in San Diego and have perfect weather year round.

http://www.weather.com/activities/other/other/weather/tenday.html?locid=USCA0982&from=36hr_topnav_undeclared

[pisces2473]

There are plenty of places in the US and Canada that rarely get above 90 during the summer. And when they do, you can just go to the mall or the movies. And AC units themselves are expensive, so why would you spend $4000 on something you only need to use for 4 weeks.
Exactly. It's only been the past few decades where the Northeast has experienced high heat...and most people don't have AC because until now, it wasn't that bad. It wasn't because of being natural or whatever (which is a really weird argument)...it was because it wasn't a necessity, the way it is in Arizona, for instance.

Also, most people in the Northeast are a few hours drive from the mountains or the ocean, where it's cooler...

[Ikickazz220]

I moved to Colorado from Texas not too long ago thinking that I could get away from the heat....Hell no...this place gets hot too...And to make matters worse, in our apartment it only has one air conditioner....not central air...just central heat...And this air conditioner is like a window unit, only it's in the wall...We have window fans blowin all the time trying to circulate the air at night because it's cooler...But the sun sets in the west and our apartment faces the west....Oh man, it seriously sucks sometimes! I feel for anyone who doesn't have some kinda air