How long could you last without A/C?

[golfgal]

You could also do the reverse and look on Craig's list for a used unit-so what if it only lasts a couple weeks. I couldn't go very long without AC, especially in that kind of heat and humidity. Those that think they can are fooling themselves-that kind of heat can kill you.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a cheep unit though.

Also, with the federal energy rebates your new central AC probably qualifies for rebate money-look up the specifics for your state.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I could last long enough to get to my car (that has a/c) so I could call a hotel and make a reservation.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

I could last long enough to get to my car (that has a/c) so I could call a hotel and make a reservation.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I live in Oregon. The average high throughout summer doesn't even reach 80 so most people don't have air conditioning, except in their cars. We do usually spells of hotness of 95 degrees and up... I think last year we had a week of 100 degree plus weather.

I don't have AC and neither does any close to me. None of us died. We just went outside, played in the water, went to the movies, etc...

So to answer your question of how long; I'm almost 23 and I have never lived in a house with AC. So almost 23 years.

 

[monarchsfan16]

For that short a timespan, I would go to Target and buy a fan. I don't know if they still stock them, but a couple years ago they were selling Honeywell Turbo fans. It's small, and I think I paid $10 or $20 for it. Don't underestimate its power. Is it an A/C? No, but it works pretty well. I survived a couple years in 3rd floor (non air conditioned) dorm rooms through 100 degree heat indexes with it.

 

[Pookasaurus]

My neighbor's AC just went out so we've recently had this conversation! We have a basement that stays pretty cool so if our AC went out I might be able to last a day down there waiting for it to be repaired (would be on the phone begging I'm sure). But between the baby, the animals, and myself who loves my ac... I'd probably be buying the window unit! Like another poster said you can sell it on craigs list and make up at least some of the cost!!

 

[MerMom60_94]

I am not an AC lover. Once upon a time DH wanted to get central air and I protested. I love having the windows and doors open with the air flowing through. We have window AC in the bedrooms for when it is really humid or hot but it has to be pretty bad to use them. Actually, we have used them the past couple of nights and I have been waking up with a headache in the morning and I am wondering if it is because the cold air is irritating my sinuses. I rarely use the AC in my car either, unless I am dressed up. I prefer to open the windows and sunroof to cool off. All that being said, I have a pool and couldn't go a day without that in the summer! My pool is where I get my relief from the heat.

 

[Tinkerbell58]

We had a bad storm come through here Thursday night, and it wiped out the electricity. We were without power for 24 hours. It was the longest 24 hours of my life! It was hot and humid with the windows open. None of us could sleep at night.

Get the AC; you'll be more comfortable and sleep better.

 

[J Le]

I could last long enough to get to my car (that has a/c) so I could call a hotel and make a reservation.

Exactly what I did when I came home to no electricity a couple weeks ago. I called Hotel Brother and SIL to make sure their A/C was running strong and drove on over.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

I'm also in NJ...and in a 2nd floor apartment! We have window units but we didn't put them in AT ALL last summer! It's hot and there were some nights that got pretty unbearable but I like the heat and I hate a high electric bill so we survive!

The other day we decided to put in the bedroom window unit and least so we have been sleeping comfortably for a few nights now but we do just fine with our little fan when we are in the living room!

If I were you, I'd just deal with it until it gets fixed...but I know I'm odd!

edit to add: As I'm typing this my thermostat says 85 degrees and I have a blanket on!

 

[Kath2003]

I don't know of anyone with air conditioning in the UK. It's fine since the summers are usually in the low 70s but we're currently in a couple of weeks of high-70s and low-80s. No problems whatsoever, we just open the windows

The electricity bill would be worth more than my mortgage to cool down my house in this weather (not particularly hot either!) - power is EXPENSIVE here.

 

[Rozzie]

We could survive forever. It's all what you get used to.

We don't turn on our AC until June 1 every year. We live on the Gulf Coast in Alabama. The temps are always are in 90s when we turn it on. Yeah it's hot, but I do it for energy costs and environmental reasons. Think about it, our folks did it a 100 years ago-we can do it too. Open windows, turn on fans. Sit on porch a lot.

It's going to be 102 heat index today and my thermostat will stay where it stays all summer. 80 degrees. Very comfortable.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

My central air went down Thursday. Repair guy came out yesterday and said we need to replace the unit. Not a total surprise, the unit is 18 years old and the outside compressor had damaged to it. for them to repair it would run ~800 bucks and it doesn't make sense to sink that much money into an old unit that's pretty much at end of life.

Anyway, I've got guys coming over through the week for a new unit sales pitch. I thinking about blowing 200 on a room ac unit to tide us over. The forecast for the next 4 days is 95 degrees with a heat index of 100. My dh wisely said thats a waste of 200 bucks.

Of course the only thing that's floating around in my noggin is 4 days of sweltering heat. Besides I figure if I don't get the unit I would probably spend $200 bucks on eating out because no way, no how am I going near my stove.

How did I get so spoiled. I grew up in a nyc apartment back in the 60's without central air. LOL

So could you guys last?

About as long as it would take me to get to a store to buy a portable AC unit.

I could suffer the days, but to not sleep at night because of the heat...no way..I would be a zombie.

I grew up in a city too. No one had AC back then. We had large window fans. Can't tell you how many nights we got out of bed because someone opened the fire hydrant!

 

[Mrs.Reese]

It's currently 94 outside with nearly 100% humdity and a heat index of 104. I would last about 15 minutes.

 

[MIGrandma]

I could live just fine, uncomfortably, but just fine without A/C.

We just put an air conditioner in our house 2 summers ago. I do love it, but it wouldn't kill me to live without it again either.

If I lived in an apartment in the city, that might be different. But we are out in the country so have lots of wide open space for breezes to blow.

 

[PatsGirl]

I've never had AC in my house and I know very few people who do. There is the occasional family that put a window unit in the master bedroom for the adults and a friend of mine lets her kids nap in there when it gets really uncomfortable.

I've been tossing the idea around but I don't really like a/c. I prefer the windows and doors to be open and let a breeze in but I think with age the humidity is starting to bother me more. I found a few days last week, temp of 85 with high humidity pretty uncomfortable in the last afternoon. Of course, if I wasn't so lazy I would have carried my fan down from the bedroom

Another reason I am considering at least a window unit is the mildew that formed last summer. My leather furniture was covered in it and boxes of clothes that I stored in the basement were virtually ruined.

 

[Disney Doll]

I'd either be blwoing $200 on a window AC unit or staying in a hotel. The kind of heat you desrcibe is not heat that I could tolerate for any signiificant period of time.

 

[Kimberly]

I'd do ok actually, but I'd be more concerned about bugs being drawn to my house as a result, as well as potential mold. On this island? Porbably no more than a few days before things start to get ruined. I don't mind the hot temperatures though, as I spend a lot of my time out doors.

The wet season here is a true killer, you absolutely need to run air con in most "modern" homes on the island. They simply aren't breezy enough.

 

[minkydog]

Well,I suppose i *could* live without A/C if I had to . We never had A/C when I was growing up down in South Alabama and it was very hot & sticky. But it didn't kill us. Last summer our A/C went out in July. At first we thought we'd just tough it out, but DH started getting sick from the intense heat (we live in Georgia.) So we had to shell out big bucks to replace the A/C and the furnace. OTOH, my DSis lives in western Washington and they turn on their A/C about twice in 10 years. Maybe we just need to shut off the utilities and move out there in the summer!

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

About 5 minutes.

Here in GA it's currently 93 degrees. I have no idea what the heat index is. I've got the air conditioning set at 78 and I'm sitting here sweating away. It's still too hot in the house for me.

Last summer we had one of our air conditioning units fail. We went out and bought 4 fans to tide us over until we could get a new unit installed (2 days after ours went out).

We spent very little time at home because I couldn't stand it. Sleeping was a nightmare, I kept waking up all hot and sweaty and couldn't get back to sleep. Blech.