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Thanks all, looks like I may have to think long and hard about this if offer the job. Living out west, I can't imagine living without A/C. That could be a deal breaker.
You can buy a window unit for $100. Honestly for sleeping at night they are better than central air.
Ohio summers and New England summers are like night and day. Humidity in the midwest is much worse during the summer. I grew up in Missouri and now can't even go back during July or August because I've been spoiled being out of it for so long.
I actually don't mind the window units--our house was built in the 1700's and we'd need to install all the ductwork to get central air. There are many days in the summer we don't use the air conditioners at all, or only turn them on in the afternoon. For the most part I like having the windows open, especially in the evenings/at night. The biggest draw back for me is having to lug them out every spring, then position them in the windows, then having to take them out (and inevitably scratch up the paint), every fall.
Most people around here anyways (central Mass) don't have central air. Really not worth the investment - most people use a window unit form about June to early Sept, of course depending on the year. Actually that is the younger generation/families. I think most older people/couples tend to not even bother with it. Yeah we will get a streak of three or four hot days in a row, but usually evenings cool off enough. You can get one installed if you want, but your bigger issue is going to be one of heating, not air conditioning.
I think central air is one of those things that once you have had it you don't want to go without it
I feel the same way. I don't mind the summer heat in this area, but I still have my A/C cycle a few times per day in the summer just to keep the humidity level down. I set the temp to 78 degrees.
Pretty much any house can be retrofitted with A/C. A small air handler in the attic for the upstairs bedrooms. A mini-split or two downstairs if there is no way to add ducting.
This. Start with mini ducts in the primary bedrooms and, if warranted, address the remaining rooms as money allows.
If you know an electronician (i.e., cheap labor), then cost of a mini-duct install can be reduced greatly.
I lived in WMass my entire life and all we ever had was a window a/c in the one room that we hung out in--and that would cool the nearby rooms sufficiently--and a small window a/c in the upstairs bedroom. We do get heat and humidity but it's not unbearable except for a few days. In our case we lived in the woods and there really wasn't much need for a/c at all. If you choose a house out in the middle of a corn field with no shade trees, yep, you might need central air or at least window a/c in most rooms.
We never retrofitted the entire house for central air. Waste of good money. Now talk to me about HEATING and that's another story--I'd pay anything!
Most homes pre-1980s in MA are hot water heating which, IMO is a superior way to heat over forced hot air. Unfortunately for AC is that these heating systems don't have duct work, so installing central AC is expensive. Lots of people get by with window AC's or a window AC installed into the wall.
This is spot on. Even a lot of new construction homes don't have central air, it usually isn't worth the cost for the use it gets. You could always install window AC units or a ductless air system.
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