Do I need air conditioning in Fremont? (San Jose, Concord: apartment complex, to rent)

[gonomad8183]

I am looking to rent in Fremont and saw this condo yesterday which looked decent and was in our price range but was slightly old and did not have air conditioning. It is a top floor apartment pretty close to Fremont BART and has windows on either side of the house.

I am relocating from mid west and not sure if one needs air conditioning in Fremont. I know it gets cool in the evenings and morning but what about during the day? My wife is a stay at home mom and I am worried if she will find it too hot during the day. Any thoughts?

[ashlandbus]

It routinely gets into the upper 80's and low 90's in Fremont. But, the closer the bay you are, the cooler it will stay. Of course, at night, it gets into the 50's so you can try and keep the house cool that way. I have lived places w/out AC that get much hotter than Fremont (Iowa, Denver, Ashland, OR)... any place where it cools off at night like it does in Fremont can be done without A/C, even if your wife works at home during the day... just close the windows in the morning and draw the shades.

[mstnghu2]

Average summer temps in Fremont range from about the high 70's to low 80's. The further east you go, the warmer it is. The areas closest to the bay stay cooler. Unlike what was previously stated, temps in the 80's-90's are not all that routine in Fremont. They are the exception. I live in Newark and in the three years I've lived at this house, I've only wished I had AC a handful of times.

If you're looking at a top floor apartment, you'd probably want AC however. My wife used to live in a condo near Stevenson Blvd. and Fremont Blvd. on the second floor. Even if it was only 75 degrees outside, it would warm up to the low 80's inside her place. A lot of it depends on the building (which way the unit is facing, insulation, trees nearby for shade, etc.)

[eureka1]

If your HOA allows it just get a window unit for the hottest room.

[fashionguy]

The mentality of most Bay area people are like this: In those days when it gets really hot, they would really wish they had AC. However, after summer is gone they would look back and say well that was just a few days it doesn't justify the cost. So it all depends on your level of tolerance. Personally I would find an AC equipped place whenever possible unless I am around SF/Daly City. Also if you like to sleep with your windows closed or you are in a noisier area where you have to close the windows, AC is definitely needed. I am in Daly City where it is really windy and cold outside but with my windows closed at night, the temperature is around 75 and sometimes I wish I had AC (Now is not the hottest time in Bay area). Now I am moving to close to South Bay again and I simply ignore any apartment that don't have one.

Originally Posted by gonomad8183

I am looking to rent in Fremont and saw this condo yesterday which looked decent and was in our price range but was slightly old and did not have air conditioning. It is a top floor apartment pretty close to Fremont BART and has windows on either side of the house.

I am relocating from mid west and not sure if one needs air conditioning in Fremont. I know it gets cool in the evenings and morning but what about during the day? My wife is a stay at home mom and I am worried if she will find it too hot during the day. Any thoughts?

[gonomad8183]

This particular condo is pretty decent in other aspects and the rent is almost 250 bucks less than the next door apartment complex (which is my fall back option).

Given your responses, I am hoping a portable evaporative cooling unit or a portable air conditioning will work for the days when temperature is high. Does it get humid as well?

[North Land Market]

It does not get humid out west. Portable AC is all you need for an apartment unless you're moving to somewhere like Concord or San Jose where it does gets hot.

[Ultrarunner]

It is kind of like cars... once you've owned a car with A/C... seldom will you accept less.

Even in areas of the Bay where A/C is standard now... many lived without it.

My Uncle lived in Moraga for a time and had a nice older home... no A/C...

It stayed nice inside because it was well built... lots of insulation before any laws required it, over hanging eves and lots of seasonal trees that provide shade and shake roofs that didn't trap the heat...

They opened everything at night and kept things closed during the day... it was always nice inside... even on the hottest days...

Apartments tend to be warmer on the upper floors... more exposure, less shade and heat rises.

Some never heat if they live on upper floors... especially if the apartment below heats a lot.

Window A/C is cheap... as cheap as $99 at Home Depot a couple of weeks ago and adequate for a modest size bedroom...

[tstieber]

Good responses. I would agree that a window unit or portable unit would suffice as long as you don't need to keep windows closed for noise.

[ragnarkar]

You could get a portable swamp cooler.. although the humidity and dewpoints in the Bay Area are near the high end of what would be acceptable for that type of cooling.