A Summer without AC?

[Marc]

I do remember hot, humid summers in Montreal when I was young, though, and living without AC could be miserable. I still cringe when I hear the buzzing of telephone wires in the heat, as it reminds me of not being able to sleep due to the heat and humidity. That house was old and had small windows, so there was never much of a cross-breeze in the house. When we moved to Toronto we had AC, which didn't work well enough on the top floor, was just right on the ground floor, and left my basement bedroom so cold I could pack meat in it.

So you wouldn't be missing the hot humid weather that's been lingering over Ontario and into Quebec the past week or so. The predictions were that Toronto was going feel like it was 50C by the time the humidity was factored in though I don't think it was quite that bad.

I'm about 90mins North-East of Toronto and it was pretty bad but didn't hear what our temprature go to. All I know was at work (Call Centre) it was actually too damn cold but probably should be glad of that.

I'm also glad that the electricity is included in my rent so we don't have to pay the actually hydro costs for having the A/C (just an extra $25 a month for having the thing sitting in the window). the apartment would be almost unlivable without the A/C. Building ventilation system is only runnig some of the time and merely takes the air from outside and the windows are original from when it was build so there's not even any tinting.

 

[JiNX-01]

I'm in Central NY (couple of miles from Lake Ontario), so it's not that hot. The humidity is uncomfortable but not unbearable, so thankfully I can get by with a fan.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

The heat finally broke here in Chicagoland and the humidity is gone.

It's the first time in over a week I've turned off the A/C and opened the windows.

 

[Gotham Central]

I actually think that the ability to cope with the heat has a lot to do with the way homes are built in different parts of the world. In places where the wether goes from tropical to mild, homes are largely designed to keep the occupants cool. Buildings in places where winter can be brutal, are designed with the intention of retaining heat. Central North America gets screwed because unlike many regions of the world our weather swings from one extreme to the other. Because the cold lasts longer, our buildings are designed for heat retention. The problem is that in the summer they are still holding on to that heat.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Do what people have been doing for millennia.. suffer miserably and look for every way to cool down (keep in the shade, look for a lake to swim in or drink cold stuff).

It's not the end of the world.

Yeah, I don't get the obsession with AC. I don't have it at home, and we routinely get temperature around 38°C (100°F). Even in the night the temperature rarely drops under 30°F (85°F). With the high humidity (40% during the day, up to 70% during the night), it means we feel like about 110°F during the day, 90°F at night. And yet, most people seems to survive without or very little AC. The wonders of the human body, I guess.

I don't mind the heat. However, since I have AC, I have no reason not to use it.

 

[Mary Ann]

I do remember hot, humid summers in Montreal when I was young, though, and living without AC could be miserable. I still cringe when I hear the buzzing of telephone wires in the heat, as it reminds me of not being able to sleep due to the heat and humidity. That house was old and had small windows, so there was never much of a cross-breeze in the house. When we moved to Toronto we had AC, which didn't work well enough on the top floor, was just right on the ground floor, and left my basement bedroom so cold I could pack meat in it.

So you wouldn't be missing the hot humid weather that's been lingering over Ontario and into Quebec the past week or so. The predictions were that Toronto was going feel like it was 50C by the time the humidity was factored in though I don't think it was quite that bad.

I'm about 90mins North-East of Toronto and it was pretty bad but didn't hear what our temprature go to. All I know was at work (Call Centre) it was actually too damn cold but probably should be glad of that.

My dad lives in Oakville, just west of Toronto, and he's been keeping me up-to-date with the terribly hot and dry weather he's been having. He lives right on the lake so gets a cool breeze, and his condo has AC so I don't worry about his wellbeing in this weather (he's 85). I must admit I'm glad he has AC as I'm taking two of the kids to visit him this August. Just like Canadian winters, if you haven't experienced Canadian summers for several years it hits you in the face like a brick.