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First, I rather dislike the premise of the thread because it assumes everyone has central A/C. I don't have A/C at all, and while more have A/C than don't here in Western Massachusetts, ownership of central A/C is the minority.
Since, I can't say what I keep my central A/C to, I'll say what my indoor temperatures have been recently. Roughly 74°F-82°F, probably briefly reaching above that in certain sun exposed spots in mid afternoon.
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Originally Posted by Patricius Maximus
I find it curious that there is so much more disdain for air conditioning than there is for heating, with heating being considered a necessity and cooling not. I can understand one or the other not being necessary in some climates, but for almost everywhere in the lower 48 both are needed if you don't want to suffer.
I would disagree strongly to the A/C being needed for no suffering. Sure, there's a bit discomfort but many don't find it a huge issue.
In my perspective, (being in the northeast), heat is a necessity. A/C is optional. I've never met anyone who has foregone heat, while I know of many who live without A/C. Some might leave their room to 60°F or a bit below, but that still requires lots of heating in the winter.
I've kept it somewhere around 25C. I only bought the A/C because it was getting into the 80s F inside during the heat waves this summer. I've acclimated quite a bit; I would never have the it above 70F when I lived down South.
Which is part of my reason for disdain for A/C, it prevents acclimatization to temperatures that many (though not the more extreme heat haters) would find pleasant with a little adjustment. This makes people stay inside because "it's too hot" while those spend any time outside find indoors "too cold".
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I keep heating at 55-60F during the winter. I would have it at 50, but the apartment management doesn't recommend having it below 62 (such a specific number) so I'm not going to push it any more than I currently do.
Keep heat low and you run the risk of freezing poorly insulated or partially exposed pipes. Shouldn't really be an issue at heating at 50°F, though you don't want to find out the hard way.
Which is part of my reason for disdain for A/C, it prevents acclimatization to temperatures that many (though not the more extreme heat haters) would find pleasant with a little adjustment. This makes people stay inside because "it's too hot" while those spend any time outside find indoors "too cold".
I agree. When I was a kid in southeast PA (before the era of central AC), 80 degrees inside (27-28 C) would have seemed very pleasant to the vast majority of people (who had adapted to much higher heat indexes during the summer).
I don't have A/C at all, can get a bit uncomfortable when trying to sleep on a hot summer night but I just turn the fan on full blast, open up all the windows once the seabreeze comes in and it's usually OK. As it's quite dry and clear in summer it usually allows the house to call down a fair bit overnight.
We keep our central air temp at 73F....but most days it runs 8 hours straight due to few trees around our house blocking the sun in the warmth of July.
I'm surprised that many people enjoy the heat in the summer. Particularly those who have an AC but set it to a high temp. I suppose people like different temps. But I certainly want to get the most out of my AC and have it keep me as comfortable as possible.
First, I rather dislike the premise of the thread because it assumes everyone has central A/C. I don't have A/C at all, and while more have A/C than don't here in Western Massachusetts, ownership of central A/C is the minority.
If you don't have central air conditioning the question doesn't apply to you.
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I would disagree strongly to the A/C being needed for no suffering. Sure, there's a bit discomfort but many don't find it a huge issue.
That works just fine in Massachusetts, but if you try living that way in Texas you'll get a lot more than a bit of discomfort. Also, if you live in a heat-trapping house like mine you'll find getting to a comfortable temperature (<74F) difficult in even moderate heat.
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Originally Posted by xeric
I agree. When I was a kid in southeast PA (before the era of central AC), 80 degrees inside (27-28 C) would have seemed very pleasant to the vast majority of people (who had adapted to much higher heat indexes during the summer).
80F inside is far from pleasant, and acclimation, though advisable to pursue for many, is hardly unlimited, especially for some people such as myself. Some such as yourself have no problem, and I also find it interesting that the two people who have ridiculed air conditioning happen to love warmth as well . Try to understand that different body types don't take too kindly to 80F rooms or "adapting" to high heat indices, which is more than a small minority. There wasn't much whining back then because there was no relief available, but to someone who wasn't of a heat-loving physiology they just bit their lip and suffered without any cooling. At least in the South but probably across the country as well, sleep was in general much poorer and people were overall sicker. That's why air conditioning was so popular when people could first get their hands on it.
I myself am sick and nauseated and sometimes lightheaded when I spend any amount of time in an 80F house, and it doesn't cool off my body at all after I've been outside. A room temperature of 80F will do nothing for a heat stroke victim, either. That's just as stupid as taking a victim of hypothermia into a 40F room. Among the people I know who do spend time outside in hot weather, most of them not being your typical extreme heat-hater, they appreciate very much being able to come into a 70F house to cool off after working up a hot sweat outside.
This is what I mean when I speak of bias. If we were having this exact same conversation, only replacing air conditioning with central heating, it would seem completely ridiculous. This unusual disdain comes from its recent invention. Very few ever speak about how central heating prevents people from adapting to cold, and how a 40F room is very pleasant after being outside, because they know for a fact that for many if not most people that's impractical. The same logic should be applied to cooling.
All that said, I do support any person's efforts to acclimate to heat or cold if it's practical for their physiology. As for myself I like to lower my heat settings from time to time once I'm acclimated to colder weather, and there is no reason another man can't do the same with his air conditioning. If you're able to acclimate in a way that hotter temperatures are no problem, then that's a good thing. You should pursue that, but don't use it to proclaim how you're so superior and how spoiled everyone else is.
As for myself I've suffered in hot rooms for years, and summer after summer the only acclimation I ever got to was going from 72F to 74F inside. No matter how long or how intense the heat was, I could never go beyond that, so I think for me the adaptation question was settled a long time ago. I'm more interested in what is more friendly for my physiology, which is cold-hardiness. I seem to be able to make leaps and bounds on a weekly basis with cold-adaptation, usually getting down to 20F and short sleeves by a month into winter, which is the opposite of the "hard-limit" I have of heat-adaptation.
When I'm working on site I'll usually set it to around 20-22C (68-72F) in the afternoon, and 30C (86F) first thing in the morning. In my flat in Brisbane I don't really need to use it, but if so it would be around 23C (74F).
Homes are not built in the SE US anymore to handle the temps and humidity without AC. Older homes had screened porches and windows were positioned to allow airflow. Summer the air is thick and dank in the south with humidity, I'd say modern construction makes living without A/C dangerous in the south.
That works just fine in Massachusetts, but if you try living that way in Texas you'll get a lot more than a bit of discomfort. Also, if you live in a heat-trapping house like mine you'll find getting to a comfortable temperature (<74F) difficult in even moderate heat.
Well yes, but I don't have Texas in mind. I was thinking New England or Upstate NY. You did say all 48 states.
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80F inside is far from pleasant, and acclimation, though advisable to pursue for many, is hardly unlimited, especially for some people such as myself. Some such as yourself have no problem, and I also find it interesting that the two people who have ridiculed air conditioning happen to love warmth as well . Try to understand that different body types don't take too kindly to 80F rooms or "adapting" to high heat indices, which is more than a small minority.
Ok, not everyone can adapt to an 80°F rooms. I never said everyone can. What was I referring to people automatically eliminating any temperature above 70°F, makes people who can acclimatize unused to the heat and prevents them from being outside when they could otherwise. Again, I'm not talking about Texas heat but Michigan-type heat.
I could write it the other way and say those that think A/C is wonderful are heat haters.
I myself am sick and nauseated and sometimes lightheaded when I spend any amount of time in an 80F house, and it doesn't cool off my body at all after I've been outside. A room temperature of 80F will do nothing for a heat stroke victim, either. That's just as stupid as taking a victim of hypothermia into a 40F room. Among the people I know who do spend time outside in hot weather, most of them not being your typical extreme heat-hater, they appreciate very much being able to come into a 70F house to cool off after working up a hot sweat outside.
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This is what I mean when I speak of bias. If we were having this exact same conversation, only replacing air conditioning with central heating, it would seem completely ridiculous. This unusual disdain comes from its recent invention. Very few ever speak about how central heating prevents people from adapting to cold, and how a 40F room is very pleasant after being outside, because they know for a fact that for many if not most people that's impractical. The same logic should be applied to cooling.
No, the disdain is because many people (including myself) live without A/C. It's not all that hard. Living without heat is unheard of. An 80°F room is not impractical for many people, especially with air moving, though maybe not ideal. A 40°F room is. Typical room temperature is around 70°F. Winter temperatures are much further from normal indoor temperatures than typical summer temperatures. Again, using the Northeast.
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. Try to understand that different body types don't take too kindly to 80F rooms or "adapting" to high heat indices, which is more than a small minority. There wasn't much whining back then because there was no relief available, but to someone who wasn't of a heat-loving physiology they just bit their lip and suffered without any cooling. At least in the South but probably across the country as well, sleep was in general much poorer and people were overall sicker. That's why air conditioning was so popular when people could first get their hands on it.
