Is central A/C a must? (Milwaukee, Brown Deer: apartments, lease, homes)

[andrea3821]

We are going to be moving into an apartment more suitable for raising a baby since we are now expecting our first child (due in August). Some units that we are looking at have central air, while some have just wall units. I'm concerned that one little wall or window unit won't be enough in the middle of summer (and I do not know if ceiling fans are installed in any of the units). Being from Florida, central A/C is a must with 8 months of extreme heat and humidity. But it is really a necessity up here? I don't like being hot and I definitely don't like sweating inside my house. Any advice? I would just hate to choose a place without central air just to feel disgusting all summer (and it's worse while pregnant, from what I hear).

And if it matters at all, the apartments in question are in Brown Deer and Thiensville. I assume this is not close enough to the lake to catch any kind of cooler lake air?

Another question while we're on the subject: When places pay for the heat in the winter, I understand that they only turn the boilers on for certain months. When do they usually go on, in your experience? Is it certain months or when the temp drops below a certain degree?

Thanks!

[43north87west]

I'd never live without A/C in the summer, at minimum in your bedroom or bedrooms. Although it doesn't get hot in Wisconsin very often, the humidity in summer is uncomfortable. Non air conditioned homes get kind of sticky in the summer.

I run A/C in Wisconsin as long as April through November, but that greatly depends on the temperature. In Spring, it can be A/C one night, then heat the next.

In terms of boilers in centrally heated buildings, the landlord has to furnish heat to the unit sufficient to maintain 67 degrees in all living areas for every season during which the unit is occupied. There is some discretion.

ATCP 134.04(2)(b)2
" Heating facilities serving the dwelling unit are not in safe operating condition, or are not capable of maintaining a temperature , in all living areas of the dwelling unit, of at least 67º F (19º C) during all seasons of the year in which the dwelling unit may be occupied. Temperatures in living areas shall be measured at the approximate center of the room, midway between floor and ceiling."

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/rsb/code/atcp/atcp134.pdf

[Jesse276]

Originally Posted by 43north87west

In terms of boilers in centrally heated buildings, the landlord has to furnish heat to the unit sufficient to maintain 67 degrees in all living areas for every season during which the unit is occupied. There is some discretion.

ATCP 134.04(2)(b)2
" Heating facilities serving the dwelling unit are not in safe operating condition, or are not capable of maintaining a temperature , in all living areas of the dwelling unit, of at least 67º F (19º C) during all seasons of the year in which the dwelling unit may be occupied. Temperatures in living areas shall be measured at the approximate center of the room, midway between floor and ceiling."

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/rsb/code/atcp/atcp134.pdf

I just want to say that the law you described is a minimum temperature. No one is required to provide air conditioning...

That said, I would at least want a wall unit for an apartment. I've had a couple summers with only fans and there are about 5 days that are hell without a/c. Even a wall unit would help considerably.

[Chelito23]

If you never want to be uncomfortable, you will need some sort of cooling. There are many days that, while not blazing hot, are well into the 80s and quite humid. Many of the buildings here are also built to retain heat since the majority of the year is cold vs. hot...so when it gets hot, an apartment won't cool down very quickly or at night until a front comes through.

The good news is, most apartments have at least a wall unit...and that should be sufficient for at least a year until you get a better idea of the area, apartment and climate.

A typical summer pattern here is 4 beautiful days with sun and low humidity, a wam humid day folowed by a hot and very humid day...then a day with big storms and the cycle starts over. Sometimes there are prolonged heat waves but they are always punctuated by cold fronts sooner or later.

Overall, summer is a beautiful time in Wisconsin. I am sure you will enjoy it.

[Milwaukee City]

I live right next to the lake so basically never a need for me to have a/c. I however like humidity and hot temps, while I can have the windows up on a 80 degree day I don't notice the heat. I would say no but with kids and living a little further from the lake I would say it would be nice but I think you could manage. Keep in mind Milwaukee is usually always cooler than the rest of the state. The far suburbs tend to show more of the state average in temps. There can be as much as a 20 degree difference between east side Milwaukee county and say Wisconsin dells.

[Nuclear_Art]

There is on average about a week when it is uncomfortably hot or humid in Milwaukee. You can easily get through those days with a fan. We live near the lake - about a mile away and don't have AC. You can always buy a window unit to keep on hand for the few days when it does get hot. I would not recommend using AC all of the time because it will get very expensive, very quickly.

[andrea3821]

Thanks to everyone for the comments! They have been very helpful. Just to clarify, the units DO have at least one wall or window unit, I would never dream of going completely without some kind of A/C!

So, the consensus seems to be that a wall or window unit will suffice if I just can't deal with having only a fan during those few disgustingly humid/hot days...no need for central A/C?

Originally Posted by Nuclear_Art

There is on average about a week when it is uncomfortably hot or humid in Milwaukee. You can easily get through those days with a fan. We live near the lake - about a mile away and don't have AC. You can always buy a window unit to keep on hand for the few days when it does get hot. I would not recommend using AC all of the time because it will get very expensive, very quickly.

Oh, I definitely know about that! In Florida, it was pretty normal to have our electric bill run about $200, sometimes more, in the middle of summer. I'd like to avoid that if at all possible! We were pretty reasonable with the thermostat, too. We kept it at 80 during the day and 77 at night (we can't sleep if it's hotter than that...which is why I'm concerned about not having central air or at least an A/C unit in our bedroom).

[Ultracorp]

We always used wall units in a four bedroom house. Most of the time you wont need it, but some days will be so hot and humid especially, that you will be happy to have some AC.

[caieva]

I was heavily pregnant in August in an apt right on the lake, and I was miserable in the heat for about 5 weeks, other than that - up to mid July and after Sept. 1 - the lake breeze did fine. Had a wall unit in the bedroom and just lived there. Looking back, while central AC would have been awesome, just getting one more wall unit to expand my space would have been fine, and I prefer oldy hard wood floor type places anyway, and they just generally dont have central AC.

[andrea3821]

Originally Posted by caieva

I was heavily pregnant in August in an apt right on the lake, and I was miserable in the heat for about 5 weeks, other than that - up to mid July and after Sept. 1 - the lake breeze did fine. Had a wall unit in the bedroom and just lived there. Looking back, while central AC would have been awesome, just getting one more wall unit to expand my space would have been fine, and I prefer oldy hard wood floor type places anyway, and they just generally dont have central AC.

I'm due August 30 so I'm a little concerned with that as well! I'm actually signing a lease today up in Thiensville and there is only one wall unit in the living room so if it gets bad enough, I may have to move our bed out there, LOL. We're not on the lake obviously but at least the area is pretty wooded and shady so I'm hoping that will help. I didn't notice any ceiling fans so perhaps getting a big fan to put in the bedroom will help, too.

Thanks for all the replies!