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I think the Greek custom of AC units everywhere is because traditionally houses have been pretty cool, so there hasn't been much of a need for central AC until

I think the Greek custom of AC units everywhere is because traditionally houses have been pretty cool, so there hasn't been much of a need for central AC until now. We prefer to open our windows at night and shut them during the day, and we use fabric awnings to keep the sun out. Plus, most buildings are rather old so HVAC systems weren't popular. That said, yeah, it does look very ugly, and I wish new buildings had central AC units.

nostrademons 7y ago
It's like that in parts of the U.S. as well - the vast majority of Bay Area homes do not have central A/C or even a room air conditioning unit, because for 99% of the year, you don't need one. This is getting to be a problem with 100 degree days becoming more common. Strangely, I saw more units with central A/C in Toronto than in San Francisco. I guess they're used to hot summers there. (It's ubiquitous in the American South, though, since many of those areas were quite unpleasant to live in before air conditioning was invented.)
- qball 7y ago
  >Strangely, I saw more units with central A/C in Toronto than in San Francisco. I guess they're used to hot summers there. A home in San Francisco doesn't need central heating at all, but a home in Toronto (where it remains frozen for a few months in the year) very much does. Once you have central heating, adding a central A/C unit (or a heat pump) is not a significant additional expense compared to how much a home usually costs, and failing that can be roughed in for later installation, so the decision to purchase one when the summers get too hot is an easy one, or when you have a family and want A/C so that small children or the elderly don't roast while living/visiting.
- throw0101a 7y ago
  > Strangely, I saw more units with central A/C in Toronto than in San Francisco. I guess they're used to hot summers there. Toronto can get humid at times: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto#Climate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto#Climate * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humid_continental_climate#Hot_summer_subtype https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humid_continental_climate#Hot_... Temperatures in July and August often go >30C, and adding >70% humidity to get the Humidex you're looking at ("feels like") >40C. * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humidex https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humidex * https://toronto.weatherstats.ca/metrics/relative_humidity.html https://toronto.weatherstats.ca/metrics/relative_humidity.ht... Sweating starts become ineffective because the air is already saturated with moisture, the sweat just beads up on your skin and there's no evaporative cooling. If you have a "dry heat", what you mostly have to do is (a) be in a draft to cool down and (b) replenish liquids. With >80% humidity, it's like trying walk in and breathe soup.

nostrademons 7y ago

It's like that in parts of the U.S. as well - the vast majority of Bay Area homes do not have central A/C or even a room air conditioning unit, because for 99% of the year, you don't need one. This is getting to be a problem with 100 degree days becoming more common. Strangely, I saw more units with central A/C in Toronto than in San Francisco. I guess they're used to hot summers there. (It's ubiquitous in the American South, though, since many of those areas were quite unpleasant to live in before air conditioning was invented.)

qball 7y ago
>Strangely, I saw more units with central A/C in Toronto than in San Francisco. I guess they're used to hot summers there. A home in San Francisco doesn't need central heating at all, but a home in Toronto (where it remains frozen for a few months in the year) very much does. Once you have central heating, adding a central A/C unit (or a heat pump) is not a significant additional expense compared to how much a home usually costs, and failing that can be roughed in for later installation, so the decision to purchase one when the summers get too hot is an easy one, or when you have a family and want A/C so that small children or the elderly don't roast while living/visiting.
throw0101a 7y ago
> Strangely, I saw more units with central A/C in Toronto than in San Francisco. I guess they're used to hot summers there. Toronto can get humid at times: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto#Climate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto#Climate * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humid_continental_climate#Hot_summer_subtype https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humid_continental_climate#Hot_... Temperatures in July and August often go >30C, and adding >70% humidity to get the Humidex you're looking at ("feels like") >40C. * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humidex https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humidex * https://toronto.weatherstats.ca/metrics/relative_humidity.html https://toronto.weatherstats.ca/metrics/relative_humidity.ht... Sweating starts become ineffective because the air is already saturated with moisture, the sweat just beads up on your skin and there's no evaporative cooling. If you have a "dry heat", what you mostly have to do is (a) be in a draft to cool down and (b) replenish liquids. With >80% humidity, it's like trying walk in and breathe soup.