Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This house has forced hot water heating. It will require installation of ductwork and probably two air handlers to handle the two floors. Ductless may be an option but multiple units would be needed.
A lot of nice houses in MA do not have central air conditioning. Exclude them if you want, but that will certainly reduce your pool of prospective homes.
In 45 years in eastern MA, I noted increasing stickiness and heat. My house in Littleton, built in 2001, had a/c because I had to have it.
In a smaller house, mini-splits are fine and easy to install. It's old fashioned in New England to have a screened porch or sleep porch but no a/c. All new houses have a/c. Along the North Shore, I'd guess that more houses don't have a/c because of the perceived breezes off the water. But oh that humidity. A mini-split in at least one room (bedroom, great room) gets you through heat waves.
Never had it growing up, nor did most of my friends. In fact, my current place is the first I ever actually had proper "central AC". It is becoming more standard though, even in a lot of older houses that never would have had them back in the day (60s ranches, etc.).
"Am I crazy for excluding MA homes in my home search because they don't have air conditioning?'
Yes. In such a tough market, that's a pretty minor concern to rule out candidate homes for, in my opinion.
You need AC in MA. Many "cheap" New Englanders will say you do not need it. Let them live in a house with it and they sing a different tune.
I live in a house without AC. I am not a fan of AC outside of commercial spaces, I do not even turn on the AC much in my personal vehicle, and I would never have desire to have AC in my house. AC is a luxury, not a necessity, it uses a lot of energy, it is costly, and it is not environmentally friendly. Yes I do think the O.P. is wrong to cut out homes without AC because Massachusetts is not Virginia, our summers are shorter and with the exception of a few days, generally less humid. On most summer days, plenty of water and a large fan in each room is good enough for me. The O.P. instead ought to list heating as a requirement for a house up here.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,936 posts, read 36,995,252 times
Reputation: 40635
Quote:
Originally Posted by Urban Peasant
I live in a house without AC. I am not a fan of AC outside of commercial spaces, I do not even turn on the AC much in my personal vehicle, and I would never have desire to have AC in my house. AC is a luxury, not a necessity, it uses a lot of energy, it is costly, and it is not environmentally friendly. Yes I do think the O.P. is wrong to cut out homes without AC because Massachusetts is not Virginia, our summers are shorter and with the exception of a few days, generally less humid. On most summer days, plenty of water and a large fan in each room is good enough for me. The O.P. instead ought to list heating as a requirement for a house up here.
I'm thinking of my condo. The living room has a built in wall AC. I dunno, the building is 1920s but it seems like a 50s or 60s thing. Maybe later. There is an overhead fan. The overhead fan effect is plenty.
I have a pretty powerful occilating fan (not ceiling, just one of those round ones) in the bedroom. It's incredibly rare that's not plenty. Less than a handful of days a year.
If I was older with a heart condition, I might answer differently. If I ever lived in a place with central air, I might as well.
What we get here compared to when I lived in Evansville IN or Henderson KY, where there was no central air in the summer, is NOTHING.
Since you asked, my opinion is that yes, it is unwise to filter out non-AC homes. You can pretty easily add AC to most homes. 90's+ homes especially are likely to support central air. And ductless mini-splits can be added even to super old homes these days.
What do people pay to have a ductless mini-split system added to 3 bedrooms?
What do people pay to have a ductless mini-split system added to 3 bedrooms?
It’s going to be very variable but assume at least $10k for 4 air handlers. You want a Japanese name brand like Mitsubishi, Daikin, and Fujitsu. US A/C brands are usually Chinese junk with a US label. You want a heat pump for redundancy with your heating system and the option to add solar panels later to cut your heat bill.
I’m right on the coast. I run mine all summer. It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity here. I have a Fujitsu. When it dies eventually, I’ll replace it with a Mitsubishi.
In a pinch, you can also now buy efficient DC inverter window units. I’m thinking about buying one for power failures to run off my small generator. Again, my problem is dehumidification, not temperature.
It’s going to be very variable but assume at least $10k for 4 air handlers. You want a Japanese name brand like Mitsubishi, Daikin, and Fujitsu. US A/C brands are usually Chinese junk with a US label. You want a heat pump for redundancy with your heating system and the option to add solar panels later to cut your heat bill.
I’m right on the coast. I run mine all summer. It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity here. I have a Fujitsu. When it dies eventually, I’ll replace it with a Mitsubishi.
In a pinch, you can also now buy efficient DC inverter window units. I’m thinking about buying one for power failures to run off my small generator. Again, my problem is dehumidification, not temperature.
Why do you think you'll like the Mitsubishi more than your Fujitsu? Just curious... I'll need to purchase myself in a few years...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
