Life with no AC

[Purron]

My AC went out last night. Luckily, it was a mild day today and the temp in the house never got above 77. Actually, it was kind of nice to have the fresh air in the place.

The repairman came early this afternoon and fixed it at a cost of $180 so no big deal. What I found interesting about this experience is how I was going into panic mode about not having AC. Good grief, I lived without it for years here in Virginia and survived. Of course, I was much younger and more resilient then.

I am reminded of a piece done by a local anchorman by the name of Jim Vance years ago. Any of you who have lived in the DC area are probably familiar with him.

He told the story about growing up in Washington DC in the days before AC. During the summer, folks would stay outside on the stoop and even sleep outside during particularly hot evenings. Everyone in the neighborhood was outside a lot and visited with each other. This provided a sense of connection with your neighbors and community.

Now, since just about everyone has AC, there is very little interaction with neighbors anymore. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to give it up, but AC does have a way of isolating us in our homes.

Anyway, the AC is fixed and the crisis is averted. The experience did cause me to reflect on how dependent I have become on AC and how it does isolate us.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

Reminds me of an old Norther Exposure episode in which the main female character complained endlessly about not having her own washer and dryer. When she finally got them, she realized that she missed the community aspect of doing laundry in the laundromat.

Of course, there is the downside of being the only person without AC and being the only person hanging out on the stoop. That's no fun either.

 

[Lazarus]

I think the Television also drove people inside in the evenings. Now the internet also. When I was a kid in the 60's there were always kids out playing in the evenings. We had AC but only used it if it was really hot. People are not willing to let there kids run around the neighborhood anymore. Afraid of what might happen. Probably nothing, but tell that to a Mom.

 

[Brat]

My husband designed our home for passive cooling, we just open a few lower windows, crack open a couple sky lights and wa-la, the hot air flies right on out. It is sooo nice not to hear the whine of a heat pump, just the birds conversing while sitting on the deck with a glass of wine.

 

[Purron]

When I was a kid in the 60's there were always kids out playing in the evenings.

My DH and I were talking about just this very topic a couple of nights ago. We too were kids in the 60's. We lived in typical middle class neighborhoods. We used to explore with our friends (the local creek was always popular), play wiffle ball, ride our bikes, go sledding, and generally just free flow with our buds. Now everything is planned and controlled by adults. Yup, it's a different world now and the kids are safer. I just wonder how so much this control impacts the creativity of kids these days. Geez, I sound like a geezer talking about the "good old days".

 

[Walt34]

Same experience here, growing up in the 60's. Playing cards held with clothespins to stick them in the spokes of your bicycle. Always outside unless weather prohibited it.

Scheduled activities? We never heard of that.

 

[Dawg52]

I can't imagine not having AC here in Mississippi. But back in the 50's and early 60's, all we had were window fans. You would leave your windows up(screens on your window) and it would help circulate the air through the house. Talk about some good sleeping, the noise from the hum of the fan and the air blowing on you made you sleep like a baby. No going back now though.

 

[W2R]

I can't imagine not having AC here in Mississippi. But back in the 50's and early 60's, all we had were window fans. You would leave your windows up(screens on your window) and it would help circulate the air through the house. Talk about some good sleeping, the noise from the hum of the fan and the air blowing on you made you sleep like a baby. No going back now though.

In 2003 (or was it 2004?) my A/C cratered during the summer. Because of LBYM and working hard on my ER plan, I didn't want to spend the money to have it fixed that year. I spent a New Orleans August and September without A/C.

It wasn't really as miserable as I thought it would be. I used the ceiling fans a lot, plus a table fan. I took a couple of cool showers each day, turned off most lights, drank ice water, and dressed skimpily while at home.

There are a lot of possessions that do not withstand our high humidity very well, but overall I am no worse for the wear. Having no windows (other than French doors out to a covered patio, which I left closed for home security reasons) in my bedroom, and no ceiling fan there either, I can't say that it made for good sleeping in my case.

 

[harley]

Good grief, I lived without it for years here in Virginia and survived. Of course, I was much younger and more resilient then.

I was just talking about this with DW an hour or so ago. We were sitting out on the front porch enjoying the beautiful sunset, until the skeeters zeroed in. I was talking about growing up in VA with no AC. We always slept with the windows open. And somehow one of those little buggers would always get inside the screen and spend about an hour buzzing around my ear before I either killed it or just fell asleep anyway .

I like my AC. Especially now with the new geothermal setup. Clean, quiet, and cheap(er). I guess I'm just spoiled.

Harley

 

[Khan]

I didn't have A/C until I retired.

I don't like A/C, but I don't like it less than I don't like 90F and humid.

Used A/C ~120 hours in '07.

 

[Eagle43]

I grew up in New Orleans with no AC. We had window fans which kept us reasonably cool at night. Of course, during the day I was always outside. I still like (can tolerate) heat and humidity, although since growing older I would hate to do without it at nite. Now, DW and I keep the thermometer at 80 during the day, even with the 95+ degree Texas heat. As an aside, I find the a/c at most public places too cold. If I know I'm gonna be trapped, like at a movie, I take a long-sleeved shirt just in case.

 

[Khan]

I grew up in New Orleans with no AC. We had window fans which kept us reasonably cool at night. Of course, during the day I was always outside. I still like (can tolerate) heat and humidity, although since growing older I would hate to do without it at nite. Now, DW and I keep the thermometer at 80 during the day, even with the 95+ degree Texas heat. As an aside, I find the a/c at most public places too cold. If I know I'm gonna be trapped, like at a movie, I take a long-sleeved shirt just in case.

I am amazed at the folks that run the A/C to anything less than 80F; these same people sometimes run the heat at a higher temp.

I have heard people tell me they have a summer temp at 65F and a winter temp at 75F.

Then there are those who turn the heat up in winter and run the fan; and others (maybe the same) who turn the A/C low and use an electric blanket.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

I run it because I can afford it. Otherwise I would sweat and deal with it. Winter time I dont like much heat. Maybe Im hot blooded

 

[Goonie]

He told the story about growing up in Washington in the days before AC. During the summer, folks would stay outside on the stoop and even sleep outside during particularly hot evenings. Everyone in the neighborhood was outside a lot and visited with each other. This provided a sense of connection with your neighbors and community.

Now, since just about everyone has AC, there is very little interaction with neighbors anymore. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to give it up, but AC does have a way of isolating us in our homes.

Of course, there is the downside of being the only person without AC and being the only person hanging out on the stoop. That's no fun either.

I think the Television also drove people inside in the evenings.

We have a couple of window A/C units that we'll run at night to keep it cool & comfy for sleeping. But even then, most of the time we leave the A/C off at night, and just open the windows and turn on the house fan. We spend almost all of our 'awake' time outside in the yard or on the patio. We just put our chairs under the shade tree, and sip iced tea or lemonade. Many of our neighbors don't leave the house except for work, school, or shopping.....they stay in their self-induced isolation. They're easy to pick out in a crowd....they're the pasty-white folks that look like Casper The Ghost impersonators. We have a few neighbors though who are like us, and like to spend time outdoors relaxing and visiting.

The ones that stay indoors all the time probably think the rest of us are nuts.....but then again, us 'outdoorsy' folks think they're the weirdos!

As for TV driving folks indoors......just the opposite action for us. Due to the lack of anything that is not inane or mind-numbing....not to mention just down right pathetically stupid and/or worthless (including 'reality' TV).....we go for looooong periods without turning on the aptly nicknamed 'boob tube'. Exceptions are some 'cultural' shows (music, the arts, etc), the late evening news from Chicago, a few (VERY few) game shows where you have to use your brain and think, an occasional movie (usually in black & white or on Hallmark Channel), a baseball game, or something along those lines....oh yeah, and a few older sitcoms like All In The Family, Sanford & Son, Frazier, Becker, and M*A*S*H. Other than that, TV is what helps keep us outdoors.

We don't have too many skeeters usually.....but if they're out, we have Deet to spray on, and citronella candle/torches to light.....or we'll just plug in a fan and blow 'em away from us.

 

[nphx]

Well with LBYM and an ER plan I gave up on noisy central air and installed some split units. With no pets they run for a few hours in the morning or nightly. I deal well here in the desert with that model. I have swamp cooler but I havent used it in a few years due to dust it blows in.

 

[Marquette]

I grew up with no A/C. But then, in Marquette, you don't really need it (4th of July fireworks cancelled due to snow one year, true story). It did get hot one August (only month it's never snowed) so all of us brought our sheets down to the living room and set up box fans at each end of the room to pull air through. Family campout, yay.

 

[Goonie]

I grew up with no A/C. ......... It did get hot one August.....so all of us brought our sheets down to the living room and set up box fans at each end of the room to pull air through. Family campout, yay.

Been there...Done that.....many times!

 

[Kathryn48]

I am amazed at the folks that run the A/C to anything less than 80F; these same people sometimes run the heat at a higher temp.

I have heard people tell me they have a summer temp at 65F and a winter temp at 75F.

Then there are those who turn the heat up in winter and run the fan; and others (maybe the same) who turn the A/C low and use an electric blanket.

I have found that living in Scottsdale, AZ has a cumulative effect. I start off well enough and my A/C is at 80 or 81, but as the summer goes on I know I'll be turning it down as my body just reaches a point where I cannot stand it any more. This usually happens in August or September We'll see how I do for the rest of the summer.

 

[ladelfina]

No A/C here.. it's been in the 90s for a week now, but the stone house is relatively OK, especially if we run a couple of fans at night. Would be better off if we closed all the doors and windows during the day, too.. but after a cold rainy spring I just need to open the place up. There's a saying in Italy "non ci sono piu' i mezzi stagioni!" [there are no more half(way) seasons.. i.e., no more spring/fall weather]. Sure seems that way --two weeks ago the highs were in the 60s-- but I wonder if it is backed up by the historic record.

I don't really miss the A/C unless it gets quite humid; the humidity is pretty moderate here in the summer but October-May is much more wet than I am used to.

My house in the NE (built in the 1920s) had a sleeping porch, as did the house I grew up in (built late 19th c.).

 

[chinaco]

I can remember a time before AC was common... when I was very young. I can remember when my father first installed one. The same for cars.

Two things I have noticed lately.

1) The cost of our home energy bill in the summer is higher because of AC
2) The cost of my car fuel bill is lower not using AC in town at lower speeds.


I am not planning on stopping the use of AC. But will higher fuel and energy prices change the the behavior of some Americans at lower income levels?

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

in the days before AC. During the summer, folks would stay outside on the stoop and even sleep outside during particularly hot evenings. Everyone in the neighborhood was outside a lot and visited with each other. This provided a sense of connection with your neighbors and community.

think this is true of the boating community as well, though many larger boats have air conditioning now, there always seems to be a sense of community in marinas where so many people are outside.

but i also lived in a condo a while back where after work and on weekends lots of us would gather at the pool and bring food & drink & floating backgammon boards. and without air conditioning we never would have populated florida to have fun with the neighbors by the pool.

also, without a/c, where would the mall walkers have ever met?

 

[brewer12345]

I think the Television also drove people inside in the evenings. Now the internet also. When I was a kid in the 60's there were always kids out playing in the evenings. We had AC but only used it if it was really hot. People are not willing to let there kids run around the neighborhood anymore. Afraid of what might happen. Probably nothing, but tell that to a Mom.

The TV thing is very noticeable. When we bought our travel trailer it came with a television, external antenna, cable connection, etc. We immediately removed the TV, since the whole point is to get away from all that. We have been quite amazed at the number of people who sit in their RVs and stare at the tube every night.

 

[unclemick]

1979 -1989 since it never gets that hot or humid in Louisiana - once we moved from the duplex in New Orleans out to the fish camp on Lake Ponchartrain where the lake breeze(not) kept one cool - no A/C.

I wore sweaters to work to keep the A/C there from giving my body the wrong idea. In that area once school let out people would move to 'da camp' for summer and commute to work in the city. Portable fan under the camp for breeze if needed in the late afternoon/evening.

We had a 48 inch whole house fan inside.

A/C like sanity is overrated - but then again you don't really need electricity either. Even I never got 'that' frugal.

Old timers considered A/C bad for your health - especially going in and out of it.

heh heh heh - notice the dates - the late SO - she er encouraged me to get some A/C in the bedroom and later the whole house as time went by - there's frugal and then there is the second opinion although she had a different terminology. .

 

[Purron]

Same experience here, growing up in the 60's. Playing cards held with clothespins to stick them in the spokes of your bicycle. Always outside unless weather prohibited it.

Scheduled activities? We never heard of that.

We used to put cards on our bike spokes too. This is one of those shared experiences of the boomer childhood.

 

[unclemick]

We used to put cards on our bike spokes too. This is one of those shared experiences of the boomer childhood.

Ditto here also.

heh heh heh -