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I lived in South Florida for 12 years, where it's common to run your A/C from late February/early March to late November. For those of you who are mathematically challenged, that's 9 months, straight.
In fact, I remember of a number of years where I turned off my A/C unit for only a handful of days from January 1 - December 31.
Difference between Florida and states further north and west is, you can't turn off your A/C at night, even during the shoulder seasons (i.e., spring and fall).
Once you turn on your A/C in Florida, you have to run it around the clock--as in 24 hours/day--to keep your home at a comfortable temperature for daily household activities and to prevent the buildup of mold.
Because the air in Florida is so humid, mold can accumulate quickly when the A/C is off, especially in the warmer/wetter half of the year. Eek.
Even in other areas of the country where you have to run your A/C for more than 4-5 months, you can almost always turn off your A/C unit at nighttime before bed and open the windows.
Outside of Florida and the Gulf Coast, air temperatures in other parts of the South and Southwest often cool down enough to allow for that, at least during the shoulder seasons, but during the height of summer in Dallas or Atlanta, you'd still probably catch me sleeping with my A/C on.
I lived in South Florida for 12 years, where it's common to run your A/C from late February/early March to late November. For those of you who are mathematically challenged, that's 9 months, straight.
I don't know many people who run their AC in late February, in fact I know no locals who do that. In Miami Beach at least. I know some people who don't run AC at all, but people begin turning it on in April and begin turning it off in November. By the time June strikes, people will leave their AC on the entire day, most people anyway. By the time October hits, they will run the AC selectively instead of the entire day.
Anyways the AC is one thing, the nights are truly pleasant. Because how houses trap heat, it's much more pleasant to be outside than inside during the night (and opposite during the day). Which is what I won't trade for the world, to be outside on my balcony watching the ocean, in short sleeves.
Yes I have. I've spent time in both Honolulu, and Hilo.
But even if one hasn't been to Hawaii, he or she can still use pure logic and common sense to deduce the fact that Hawaii would have insect activity as great as the South, or even greater, given that it is a tropical isle where temps stay warm year-round. The common man knows that such conditions are conducive to the habitation of all sorts of insects.
Do people claim Hawaii doesn't have typical tropical type bugs? I've never really heard that. Perhaps it really doesn't have as much of a mosquito issue but cockroaches and those nasty centipedes are pretty well known issues there, at least to people that have lived there. Far less people have lived in Hawaii than the southeastern US so maybe that's why you don't hear much about it. But I've never heard anyone claiming Hawaii is bug free or something.
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Well, look around, and you see loads of people proclaiming all sorts of tropical islands as great places to live without A/C. Those same people then turn around, and say that the South is atrocious without A/C. That is the double standard I am trying to combat.
No idea what you're talking about, I don't see many people claiming all these places don't need AC at all. This double standard seems to be in your head more than anything else.
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The nature of heat and humidity on tropical islands are no different than what is seen in a Southern summer. In addition, frequent cooling thunderstorms, and sea-breezes are seen in the South during summer, just like they are in all those tropical islands.
So the places like Birmingham, Atlanta, Memphis, etc...have cooling "sea-breezes"?
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I was not equating the Southern climate to those islands, only stating that the summers of the region are no different than what occurs year-round on those islands. In fact, I've been saying that the South is an even better place to live in without A/C than those islands because at least it has a distinct cooler period during the winter season, where the temps aren't as high, and nights cool down enough.
For Hawaii at least it's windier and not as humid during summer. Other places like Cancun are probably just as humid but either way I don't hear anyone saying you don't need AC is places like that.
I'll tell you what, my AC is out right now and it is doable? Yes. Comfortable? Not really. Pleasant? No, not on your life!.
And I'm in the upper south, and it's only May... looks to be an especially hot summer ahead
'Living' in the deep south is not the same as spending your days hanging out sipping cold drinks, maybe that's where the confusion for the OP lies.
LMAO living anywhere near Houston, TX with no AC? Here, have every single one of my nopes.
I go literally apesh*t when a hurricane or thunderstorm knocks out power for extended amounts of time. You can not be clean at ALL. You sweat constantly.
Do people claim Hawaii doesn't have typical tropical type bugs? I've never really heard that. Perhaps it really doesn't have as much of a mosquito issue but cockroaches and those nasty centipedes are pretty well known issues there, at least to people that have lived there. Far less people have lived in Hawaii than the southeastern US so maybe that's why you don't hear much about it. But I've never heard anyone claiming Hawaii is bug free or something.
It usually appears on threads where Florida/Carribean is compared to Hawaii. On those types of threads, people always go on and on about how muggy, uncomfortable, and full of bugs Florida is, while they turn around, and call Hawaii very comfortable, without such issues. I will link you to the threads when I gather all of them.
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Originally Posted by sav858
No idea what you're talking about, I don't see many people claiming all these places don't need AC at all. This double standard seems to be in your head more than anything else.
The threads are there. Just need to find them.
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Originally Posted by sav858
So the places like Birmingham, Atlanta, Memphis, etc...have cooling "sea-breezes"?
Obviously not. However, those places are far inland enough to have coolish nights during the summer, and lesser humidity. So whether you are on the coast, or inland during summer in the South, comfort is always ensured.
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Originally Posted by sav858
For Hawaii at least it's windier and not as humid during summer. Other places like Cancun are probably just as humid but either way I don't hear anyone saying you don't need AC is places like that.
Well, the coastal South gets strong sea-breezes just like Hawaii, and unlike Hawaii, at least has a distinct cooler period, when temps are cool enough at night to keep down the bugs.
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Originally Posted by DubbleT
I'll tell you what, my AC is out right now and it is doable? Yes. Comfortable? Not really. Pleasant? No, not on your life!.
And I'm in the upper south, and it's only May... looks to be an especially hot summer ahead
'Living' in the deep south is not the same as spending your days hanging out sipping cold drinks, maybe that's where the confusion for the OP lies.
As long as one uses the natural features of the climate to his/her advantage, living without A/C and Heat in the South (much of it, at least) will be a piece of cake.
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Originally Posted by FourFiftyFour
LMAO living anywhere near Houston, TX with no AC? Here, have every single one of my nopes.
I go literally apesh*t when a hurricane or thunderstorm knocks out power for extended amounts of time. You can not be clean at ALL. You sweat constantly.
I'll take your nopes, and I will trade you for every single one of my "yes you cans."
If a house in Houston, and other parts of the South, especially coastal areas, is built to utilize the natural features, then living without A/C will be easy. Again, large trees for shade, airy materials to allow for flow of air, reflective surfaces to prevent accumulation of heat, etc, all can aid in one's life without A/C in the South. In many parts of the South today, homes (especially those McMansions) are not built to utilize such natural features; they are designed with A/C in mind, and will be uncomfortable without A/C.
In many parts of the South today, homes (especially those McMansions) are not built to utilize such natural features; they are designed with A/C in mind, and will be uncomfortable without A/C.
Homes, offices, and stores. So pretty much you're fantasizing about some utopian life in a world that doesn't actually exist, and is not a practical reality for the average Joe working and living in nearly any part of the south.
You can live without electricity too, but that's not very practical either.
(And if you think Memphis has 'coolish' nights and such a lesser degree of humidity to make it comfortable you obviously have never spent a summer night there without AC)
I'll take your nopes, and I will trade you for every single one of my "yes you cans."
If a house in Houston, and other parts of the South, especially coastal areas, is built to utilize the natural features, then living without A/C will be easy. Again, large trees for shade, airy materials to allow for flow of air, reflective surfaces to prevent accumulation of heat, etc, all can aid in one's life without A/C in the South. In many parts of the South today, homes (especially those McMansions) are not built to utilize such natural features; they are designed with A/C in mind, and will be uncomfortable without A/C.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but there is not a breeze constantly over at my place. There are days where it is still, and extremely uncomfortable in the shade. The last thing I want to do after wearing head to toe FRCs and working in a hot plant is to come home to a hot, muggy house.
Why don't you live without AC in a very uncomfortable climate for let's say, about a year or two, write a book about it.. and maybe we will read it then.
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