Central air conditioning is not necessary but worth the investment
Living in the northeastern area of the country, central air conditioning isn’t really necessary. We rely on the furnace for two-thirds of the year. Our summers are short and often overcast, chilly and wet. However, we sometimes experience brutal heat and humidity. The house becomes horribly overheated, sticky and uncomfortable. It’s impossible to be productive during the day, relax in the evening or sleep at night. The hot, moist conditions are ideal for bacteria, viruses, mold, mildew, dust mites and various bugs. Opening the windows doesn’t help much. There is very little breeze. The screens simply allow fumes, pollen and exterior noise pollution inside. I’ve tried window air conditioners but didn’t like them. They look ugly from the inside and the outside and eliminate the view from the window. On especially hot days and nights, window air conditioners struggle to handle the workload. I find it aggravating to install the units in the spring, remove them in the fall and store them all winter. Investing into central air conditioning was a smart decision. I run the system a lot more than expected, often using only the fan to circulate and filter the air. The central air conditioner keeps the entire house perfectly cool as well as cleaner and healthier. I spent a bit extra for an Energy Star rated AC that offers a 26 SEER and features an adaptable-speed compressor. Because of this, the unit maintains a very even temperature, makes very little operational noise and is wonderfully energy efficient. While my electric bills are definitely higher because of running the air conditioner, they aren’t unreasonable.