Question for CT DISers

[Syrreal]

I have a question about housing up in Connecticut as DH is considering applying there for next fall. We were looking at houses online and noticed that most did not have any cooling and the ones that did only had window units. Is this the norm up there? If so, how do you stay cool inside during the summers? DH and I spent a week in Montreal this summer and it was very hot and got uncomfortable even with the a/c. Do you use it a/c so rarely that the energy costs of window units isn't that much?

I was just curious.

 

[magicmato]

Most new houses and renovated houses have central air. Most of us in the older houses just use window unit air conditioners in the worst heat and open windows when it is cooler out. It costs too much to add central air unless you were renovating anyway and we only get 3 really bad months where you need air or you really suffer, and even then it generally is only on the bad days, especially during heat waves. The rest of the time it is fine just with open windows.

Of course, this is just where I live and I have a lake behind us and LOTS of trees, so we get full shade all summer.

 

[AnnetteF]

We have an older home with central air and try to use it as little as possible because of the cost. I'm a stay at home mom right now so the thought of keeping the electric bill down sounded great until the really hot weather hit. Yes, it's only for about 3 months at most but when it's hot, it's hot. We'd have been miserable without it and so would our DD. There are many homes that don't have it but many do - otherwise you would need a window unit, at least in the room where you sleep. By all means, if you can find something with central air, go for it. You will appreciate it.

 

[Syrreal]

I know that it's too early to really think about this stuff since DH hasn't even applied yet but I am a planner...and we would most likely rather buy than rent since we would have to be there for atleast 5 years (it's for PhD).

If we do go to CT and we can find a house with a/c at a reasonable price it would be best. Neither DH nor I do very well when we get hot and we can't sleep at all if we're sweating. And, honestly, I would be more concerned with the heating bills the 1st year since we have never lived anywhere that cold

 

[CJMZ]

Most of the older homes do not have central air, and those that do should keep you cool. I have 4 window units - 2 upstairs and 2 downstairs(built in) and even with running the pool in the summer, my electric bill is never over $200.00. Would depend on the size of the house and the units.

 

[Cyndiu]

It also depends (somewhat) on where the house is. The shoreline tends to stay just a bit cooler than upstate. However, as some have said, when its hot, it's hot. We live in West Haven, right near the shore. I didn't turn on my air till July this year and it was off from late August. That's not always the case, but I only had 2 high electric bills this summer.

 

[EthansMom]

As PPs have mentioned, most older homes here use window units to cool. We had central air installed after we bought our house two years ago... it wasn't cheap, but it actually costs less to use then when we were cooling with window units.

As someone who has lived lots of different places in the U.S., I feel I should warn you about the extremely high cost of living in CT. Taxes in CT are some of the highest in the nation, garbage pick-up costs more than I've ever paid anywhere else, and electricity/heating oil prices aren't cheap.

Honestly, for someone looking at CT for school, I would recommend that you seriously consider whether there is a comparable program in a state that is more affordable. (I'm not saying that your DH shouldn't apply here. But you may be better off financially if he can get accepted to a similar program somewhere with a better cost of living.)

Good Luck!

 

[castleview]

A ceiling fan over the bed is very helpful. We had the air on for about two weeks during the summer. I just hate not being able to hear the outdoors. What area of CT are you looking at?

 

[Syrreal]

Ethan'smom- yeah I was poking around and agree with you that it is really expensive. We used to live in Miami, Fl though so that part wasn't really freaking us out at all. (we've only been in KY for 3 years) Property taxes down there were crazy. I was paying about $2500 a year on a tiny condo and that was with the homestead exemption! Houses up there seem to be on par with the prices you'd pay for them in Miami too. His emphasis is on medieval studies and Uconn has an excellent program which is why he is applying there.

castleview- we would be looking in the storrs area.

 

[Crankyshank]

I'm not in CT but I'm 15min from the CT border and about 90min from Storrs. My sister is actually a student at UCONN now. I agree that it can get quite warm here, but in all honesty central air really isn't necessary for just 2 months of hot weather. And in all likelihood what you would consider hot up here isn't necessarily unbearable in the South.

I have window units and those do me just fine. I'm not someone that tolerates heat very well either. You can also get window fans which work pretty well along with ceiling fans to cool the rooms.

As far as prices go, depending on how close your DH needs to be to campus, the closer you get to the RI border the better the prices seem to be. Not much better, but a little better. I have a few co-workers that work here in Providence and have a spouse that work at UCONN (not Storrs though) and they live just on the other side of the RI border

 

[CJMZ]

I don't live in that part of Connecticut, but I did graduate from UCONN.
The house prices are not that bad in that area, I could get alot more house there for the price I would have to pay in Fairfield County. I am just thinking it would be tricky to get work unless it is on campus or Hartford, not much else in between. I never stayed in the area during the summers, but the winters can get very cold.

 

[Syrreal]

Work isn't really an issue. DH will be going to school and hopefully having an assistantship of some kind. I'm planning on atleast for a little while being a SAHM and seeing if I cant start my MFA in '08. We have some savings and have been living on stipend only for a couple of years now.

 

[DawnCt1]

As PPs have mentioned, most older homes here use window units to cool. We had central air installed after we bought our house two years ago... it wasn't cheap, but it actually costs less to use then when we were cooling with window units.

As someone who has lived lots of different places in the U.S., I feel I should warn you about the extremely high cost of living in CT. Taxes in CT are some of the highest in the nation, garbage pick-up costs more than I've ever paid anywhere else, and electricity/heating oil prices aren't cheap.

Honestly, for someone looking at CT for school, I would recommend that you seriously consider whether there is a comparable program in a state that is more affordable. (I'm not saying that your DH shouldn't apply here. But you may be better off financially if he can get accepted to a similar program somewhere with a better cost of living.)

Good Luck!

It's amazing what you get used to. Maybe that's why I don't die of sticker shock when we go to Hawaii. (except for milk, )