# Is airconditioning a necessity?



## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

I notice that many older/ cheaper properties for rent do not have air conditioning.

Would you consider this a necessity for someone moving over from chilly Scotland?

Thanks


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

It depends, it does get very hot in the height of summer! I personally dont like air con, I find it dries me out lol!! I'd sooner have a fan. That said, I do like it in the car in the summer. But we dont have it in this house, we had it in the last one and never used it!

Jo xxx


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

jojo said:


> It depends, it does get very hot in the height of summer! I personally dont like air con, I find it dries me out lol!! I'd sooner have a fan. That said, I do like it in the car in the summer. But we dont have it in this house, we had it in the last one and never used it!
> 
> Jo xxx


Doh, why didn't I think of a fan! Thanks for the advice - just what I wanted to hear really - shame to rule out a nice, reasonably priced flat just because there is no AC!

I don't even like air conditioning in the car but it's easy to say that when a temperature of 20 degrees is close to a miracle!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

brocher said:


> Doh, why didn't I think of a fan! Thanks for the advice - just what I wanted to hear really - shame to rule out a nice, reasonably priced flat just because there is no AC!
> 
> I don't even like air conditioning in the car but it's easy to say that when a temperature of 20 degrees is close to a miracle!


Quite lol!!! Its easy to say when we havent hit the heat of the summer over here yet! In any case, you can buy portable air con units from the B&Q type places here - Leroy Merlin, Aki, Worten, Carrefour.............. They sell electric fans too 

Jo xxx


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Here in Cyprus it gets even hotter than Spain at times and we never use our aircon. It is unhealthy, gives you chest infections and costs a flippin fortune to use.
If our house had not had aircon units when we bought it we certainly would not have had any fitted. Far better to use fans.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Veronica said:


> Here in Cyprus it gets even hotter than Spain at times and we never use our aircon. It is unhealthy, gives you chest infections and costs a flippin fortune to use.
> If our house had not had aircon units when we bought it we certainly would not have had any fitted. Far better to use fans.



Thanks both of you, that's one more thing sorted out! 

Strangely enough, BofQ don't sell AC units here in Scotland - didn't even know you could buy portable ones! 

Yes, I was wondering about the cost of running AC, too.

Fans it is - cheaper and healthier!


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## Nigeljay (Dec 1, 2010)

I can understand why people do not like aircon. I don't like it on planes. However I cannot sleep during the summer heat without it in the bedroom and a fan moving the hot air around doesn't cut it for me. I should also comment that running a good quality inverter isn't that expensive ( subject to how you use it - if you want to maintain arctic conditions it would be pricey of course)


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Nigeljay said:


> I can understand why people do not like aircon. I don't like it on planes. However I cannot sleep during the summer heat without it in the bedroom and a fan moving the hot air around doesn't cut it for me. I should also comment that running a good quality inverter isn't that expensive ( subject to how you use it - if you want to maintain arctic conditions it would be pricey of course)



I cant sleep with the window closed, so aircon wouldnt be much use to me. However, ask me again in August lol!!!!!

Jo xxx


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## DunWorkin (Sep 2, 2010)

We have ceiling fans in the lounge and in both bedrooms. We also have aircon in all rooms.

Most of the time we find the fans are sufficient and only use the aircon for a couple of weeks of the year. BUT for those times when the temperature goes above 30C, for me, a couple of hours of aircon is essential. 

Some people can cope with the extreme heat better than others. I have a medical condition that affects my ability to walk very much. This gets much worse in high heat and high humidity when my legs swell.

When using fans we leave our windows open but we have fitted mosquito screens to all our windows. Otherwise we would have all the mozzies coming in.


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

for us, it's not a requirement...but a comfort in summer the aircon gets used for cooling for about 4 weeks.. then that part of it sits idle for the rest of the year.It gets a week or two using the reverse cycle, as a heater in winter. We have a fixed one and a portable one.... the portable got used twice and now resides (unused) in one of the sheds.

The fixed one ..gets more use in the winter


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

We find that ceilings fans are not really sufficient in the bedrooms. We have a pedestal fan at the foot of our bed blowing on us at night and it is keeps us really cool.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

For me aircon in the car is the necessity. I don't like to use it, but if you can't park in a garage for example... Hot hot hot!!!!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

We also use the aircon in the car when it is really hot. 
It is important though to make sure that car airon is disinfected before every summer to kill any germs which may cause chest infections.
It is easy to do. You buy a can of spray which you set going inside the car with the engine running and aircon on and leave it with the doors closed for a few minutes. 

We do this every year after I got a very bad chest infection our first year here from the car aircon. Took me 8 weeks to recover from it


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

If you keep shutters down and windows closed during the heat of the day, this will help cool down the room. In very old properties which are deep with thick walls, then keeping a window open at either end of the building at night to blow air through helps, mozzy screens are a must, however downside is, then you are compromising the security of the place, plus you hear more noise from outside, the odd Ryanair plane passing over, fiesta fireworks which go on till all hours, and Pablo the farmers rooster crowing early in the morning.
Personally I can't sleep in temperatures over 24c, plus if the humidity is high it is even worse, so use the A/C at night, which also reduces the humidity and stops mould growth.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

You cant beat a midnight swim before bedtime to cool you down! Thats one of the things I love about the summer here. Bobbing about on a lilo under the stars, listening to the crickets, glass of wine, peaceful........!!!

Jo xxx


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

We don´t have built-in air con in the house. We thought about it while we were lying sweating at 3 am one August night, but bought a portable one instead for about €250, My husband uses it in his room during the day, because it faces southwest and gets very hot, then we roll it into the bedroom put it on for an hour before going to bed and it cools the room down enough for us to get to sleep. You have to have the window open for the hose to pump the hot air through. We only need it in July and August, it adds about €40 a month to our electricity bill.

Some general things: keep the house as cool as possible by keeping the windows closed, the blinds down and the curtains drawn while the sun is shining directly on them (thermal curtains are good and help keep you warm in winter too), Once the sun moves round you can open the blinds a bit if it is hotter outside than in, don´t open the windows until it cools down! We also have a thermal curtain over the front door, which is metal and heats up like a hotplate when the sun is on it.

If you have awnings, keep them extended so they provide shade for the house. Use the microwave rather than the oven, and don´t leave lights or electrical appliances on when you don´t need them. Every little helps.

It´s great to be talking about the heat after a long cold winter!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> It´s great to be talking about the heat after a long cold winter!


Its actually hard to remember how hot it gets! I'm still using my hot water bottle and big thick duvet at night!

Jo xxx


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

I would add that to a certain extent you get acclimatised to the heat over time. 

I seriously thought about AC when we first arrived - now, 11 years on, I don't feel it's necessary. 

In bed a fan on its lowest setting, not oscillating and not directly blowing on you can help quite a lot and it's pence to run.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> Its actually hard to remember how hot it gets! I'm still using my hot water bottle and big thick duvet at night!
> 
> Jo xxx


but you're a wuss

even my dad is saying it's warm at night - but then he's only been here a few months


when I'm convinced that it's here to stay - in other words a week or so of getting too hot at night - the duvets are coming off!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> but you're a wuss
> 
> even my dad is saying it's warm at night - but then he's only been here a few months
> 
> ...


I hate being cold, especially my feet! Thats partly why I wanted to live in Spain! Just you wait til the summer, I'll be moaning cos its too hot 

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> I hate being cold, especially my feet! Thats partly why I wanted to live in Spain! Just you wait til the summer, I'll be moaning cos its too hot
> 
> Jo xxx


I know you will!!

actually the only reason our duvets are still on is cos my feet get cold


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## casaloco (Mar 30, 2011)

jojo said:


> You cant beat a midnight swim before bedtime to cool you down! Thats one of the things I love about the summer here. Bobbing about on a lilo under the stars, listening to the crickets, glass of wine, peaceful........!!!
> 
> Jo xxx




now i'm really jelous


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

jojo said:


> You cant beat a midnight swim before bedtime to cool you down! Thats one of the things I love about the summer here. Bobbing about on a lilo under the stars, listening to the crickets, glass of wine, peaceful........!!!
> 
> Jo xxx


That's why we moved here. Beautifully said JoJo.


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