Does anybody have old house with a functional cupola?
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Its a very old farmhouse in southern Arkansas. No furnace let alone central air. There are couple existing old window air conditioners.
For me air conditioning just has a cold clammy feeling. Hot and humid is more comfortable if there is some shade and a fan. Also big shock on my system everytime I go outside.
If you can persuade yourself that you are comfortable with no AC then go for it.
Expect difficulty in selling if you ever have to sell however. There aren't very many places in the US where you can easily sell a house without AC.
If you can persuade yourself that you are comfortable with no AC then go for it.
Expect difficulty in selling if you ever have to sell however. There aren't very many places in the US where you can easily sell a house without AC.
LOL, the two old houses on this property are long past having serious value in of themselves, the value is in the 60A land. Old friend and I neither had children, this place has house for each of us plus couple good wells. She and I are going to be each others support system long as we can. We figure living close like this, give best chance of us remaining independent for longest time possible. Right now we live far enough apart that best we can do is moral support.
Somebody in future wants air conditioning I suspect either house, just get two or three cheapie window units.
You might want to check into mini split systems for both heating and cooling. Good for old houses that don't have ductwork. And remember, air conditioners don't have to be set to near freezing levels. They have thermostats you know.
I can't imagine living in S Arkansas without a/c. Good luck to you.
I have lived in northern Arkansas last 20 years with no air conditioning. Not huge difference. High ceiling and fan makes lot difference. In part of my current house with high ceiling can be comfortable with just a little desk fan. In area with low ceiling, takes three large fans going full blast for same comfort. My current house is pretty well shaded. What amazes me is people lived in this kind climate before electric without fans. Even worse, people lived in real tropics before electric. In tropics, altitude is only way to escape heat and humidity. Or an underground cave I suppose.
No answer for cupola but im from Coastal North Carolina and the humidity is disgusting. 98 degrees and 90% humidity makes you want to vomit.
Those conditions don't happen at the same time. It may be 98 degrees at some point in the day and 90% RH at another, but not at the same time. That would give you a dew point of 95 degrees which would match the world record RH observed somewhere in Saudi Arabia.
My brother lives in central part California, gets hot but not humid. They out in a whole house can about 8 years ago and they love it. It saves on electric they feel. They keep air temp on during day but in evening they open some windows and turn on the whole house can to suck in cooler night air. They don't run it all the time. It's very quiet. Even when turned on high (it makes curtains billow in a lot) it's still quiet.
Regarding houses with cupola. When I lived in Texas I went on a house tour of very old homes in a old town. A few of the really big ones (most of them were really big) Some had functional cupolas, along with a central open stair case below the cupolas that were for the air to pass up and out the cupolas. Also a feature were transoms (windows that could tilt open) above bedroom doors that would open for air to circulate. Another feature on some were the very large overhung porches that are on at least two sides of house, makes house cooler and helps the convection (movement of air) of air being drawn into lower level windows through house and up cupola....I became interested in it after seeing those beautiful houses so got a few books on it from library.
Those conditions don't happen at the same time. It may be 98 degrees at some point in the day and 90% RH at another, but not at the same time. That would give you a dew point of 95 degrees which would match the world record RH observed somewhere in Saudi Arabia.
point well made, but my point was that extreme heat coupled with extremely high humidity feels so hot that you feel like youre suffocating and a fan blowing hot air at you doesnt make you feel any cooler. Ive been in climates where 95 degrees didnt feel super awful because there was such low humidity. But with humidity, the heat is oppressive
I once lived in a house with a small 3rd floor loft accessed by a spiral staircase. Really.
It was hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It was pretty useless unless you wanted to sweat or freeze.
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