Seniors, what did you do before air conditioning? (grandparent, raise, college)

[engineman]

We toughed it out because we didn't know any better. There was AC in the office where I worked in the 60s and 70s. We didn't Know anybody that had AC in their home or car. That all changed in 1972 when we moved to Florida.

Two weeks ago we were on eastern Long Island. I never saw so many houses with window ACs. Here in FL only very old houses have window ACs, newer ones have heat pumps.

[Listener2307]

Alabama, 1945.

I can't believe it! Am I the only one who slept in the empty tub because the porcelain was cooler than anything else in the house?

Nowadays - I wait until around noon to take my daily 2 mile walk here in Mississippi. It helps keep me acclimated and allows me to enjoy working out doors when the temperature is in the 90's and the heat index 110.

[wit-nit]

Seniors, what did you do
before air conditioning?

[luzianne]

You didn't even think about it, because that's just the way it was. We had window fans that actually moved a lot of air. We played in the creek. We spent a lot of the time outside. And when the days are hot, the nights actually feel cool.

The windows were bigger, floor to ceiling almost, so let more air in. I preferred hot summers over cold winters; still do. I still prefer NOT to have the AC on if at all possible, but these days 83 is my breaking point where it goes on. My husband is less tolerant of the heat than I am, so I live with the AC on a lot more than I would like. I feel sort of out of touch with the natural world when I am in a climate-controlled environment.

My parents lived in an un air-conditioned house until maybe 2000. I was always surprised when I visited that their house didn't really feel hot. Houses were built differently back when, and there would be a breeze coming through the big windows and while not COOL, it wasn't uncomfortable like it would be in my house if I had no AC.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by Deelighted

Dad was also one who would not wear shorts. He did have bad varicose veins, but I don't think it was vanity. Anyways in the 90's, I bought him a soft cotton t-shirt and short set (Go Cubbies) for father's day. Mom said, "he'll never wear it." When dad saw the shorts, he said "you know I don't wear shorts." I told him, "why be uncomfortable in jeans inside your own house? You don't have to wear the shorts outside!" He did actually wear the short outfit, then chased mom to the store to get him more pairs of those comfortable shorts. Eventually he did even wear the shorts outside. rofl!

I met my husband in the early 80s and he never wore shorts; only jeans. He lived in a house without AC and when we moved in together, still did not have AC, and he still wore jeans. I finally convinced him to wear shorts and he never looked back. Now he wears shorts practically all winter too; he won't wear jeans unless he has to.

I have tried to get him to go from socks and tennis shoes to sandals, but haven't had any luck with that. I did get him to go from knee socks (they used to be in!) to calf length to now no-show. I live in sandals in the summer and I can't imagine wearing socks and tennis shoes. I dread the fall day every year when it's too cold for sandals.

[Ariadne22]

As a kid in the late 40s/50's, we slept on the LR floor in the summer near the front door, maybe even the basement.

Don't remember what I did after I left home and until age 23 when I married, but do remember upon marrying we had a window AC until we moved into my present house in 1975 which had central air - same furnace/AC [Mueller Climatrol] unit still running like a champ with occasional freon charges the past 15 years or so. Gotta say, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when we moved here.

I've always worked in air conditioned offices. So, other than my childhood, I've never been without central air. Nor would I be. Heat makes me ill. I could never live in TX, FL, etc. Never. Like it cold.

AC to this day keeps house at 69 during the day and 64 at night. I use time of use electricity which cuts rate by 55% at night when it runs nonstop. Heating/AC for 1800 sq. ft runs $1,800/year, of which AC is about $400 total for the entire spring/summer. The $350++ monthly electric bills I read about in the south make me shudder.

[texdav]

One of the things I miss about house design now I have always liked in pre air conditioning days is the 10 foot ceilings and windows that open to near floor. Also the large porches often extending on both sides and front. Meant to have air flow and to keep heat up high. Open top of double sash windows to let breeze in but not blow things away in room. and with central attic fans there was always a breeze coming in windows.

[jlawrence01]

Window fans.

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by Lodestar

I just remembered that Mom would sometimes take two washing tubs out into the back yard and put them in the shade of our oak tree. Then she'd fill them with water and I could have a friend over to sit in her own personal wash tub in the afternoon.

I guess that must have been before the air-inflated kiddy pools.

We'd wear our swim suits and rubber bathing caps. What a sight!

OMG - remember BATHING CAPS? I had long hair and stuffing my butterscotch locks into a rubber bathing cap was - PAINFUL!

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Nor'Eastah remembers:
"Allowance money was always spent on ice cream and sodas at the corner store."

At our general store we got our sodas out of a large tub of icewater with chunks of ice from the lake in the tub. You reached your arm down in there to get your soda. The glass bottles were identified by shape. Coke had the shape everybody knows. Orange Crush had a bumps on the outside. Moxie had a single rib around the bottle about 3/4 of the way up. All the bottles had painted labels and were reused until the paint wore off. Nehi was smooth part way up and ribbed near the top.

I agree. Good thread.