a/c (Eastport: condos, new home, live in)

[budgey]

Would air conditioners be needed in Maine summers or is it a waste of money?

[zoe456]

As the title states, I turn on my upper window AC unit once the dew point reaches 60 degrees or above, in the summer. Dew point is a much better measurement of how one perceives how humid the air feels. Air Conditioners do a great job of extracting the "heavy, wet feeling" out of my home, even when the temperature isn't destined to be above 80 degrees fahrenheit. I have to admit - I hate the feeling of damp cotton sheets! If the temperature is going to shoot above 80 degrees fahrenheit, I kick on my lower AC unit as well for just a few hours during the heat of the day. If you haven't guessed by now, I do not have central air, but rely on window units. They're just fine for the climate I live in (southern coastal Maine).

[399083453]

YES, get AC

The hard core mainers like to brag how long they can go without AC, even in cars. They are nuts. I use my car ac and home ac regularly in Maine. Its more of a macho thing to not use the ac. Its the weirdest thing I've ever seen.

[Unhappycamper]

Yes. Makes it easier to sleep at night with all the humidity.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by 399083453

YES, get AC

The hard core mainers like to brag how long they can go without AC, even in cars. They are nuts. I use my car ac and home ac regularly in Maine. Its more of a macho thing to not use the ac. Its the weirdest thing I've ever seen.

Cannot say it any better than this! You did forget the whole "It only gets hot a few days, we don't need it." Then they are the ones who complain all summer of how it is the hottest Summer they can remember; just like they did last summer, and the one before that, and the one...

[CapeCodder]

Originally Posted by Bydand

Cannot say it any better than this! You did forget the whole "It only gets hot a few days, we don't need it." Then they are the ones who complain all summer of how it is the hottest Summer they can remember; just like they did last summer, and the one before that, and the one...

LOL! I was pretty surprised by just how hot it got here.

High 80's, low 90's with a dewpoint in the high 60's is pretty miserable...and we had that a few times.

The biggest thing I noticed here is the flucuation in one day (last spring), we would start off in the high 30's and rocket up to 70 or above! Now I know...LAYERS! Winter coat to tank top in one day!

[skytrekker]

Central Air is now almost standard on 80% of new homes built in Maine- its nearly 100% in Connecticut

On older homes the percentage varies- homes and condos built after 1990- the number with CA rises.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by CapeCodder

LOL! I was pretty surprised by just how hot it got here.

High 80's, low 90's with a dewpoint in the high 60's is pretty miserable...and we had that a few times.

A few times? That is nothing. Try this scenario 5-6 days a week. I think that I'll be fine without the A/C.

[corgis]

I'm not sure anybody in Eastport has air conditioning except for the Coast Guard building. I used a small table fan twice all last summer. It got up to 84 degrees twice.

[Bydand]

Coastal areas are much nicer in climate. The entire time I spent working down along the coast I never felt the need for A/C, but I do inland this far.