5 ms·

why do you even need AC in areas with moderate temperature? I get people in Arizona using it, but why would someone in e.g. New Hampshire need it, considering h

why do you even need AC in areas with moderate temperature? I get people in Arizona using it, but why would someone in e.g. New Hampshire need it, considering how much power it consumes? Many over here (UK) both dry their clothes on lines, and wash their dishes in the sink rather than a dishwasher. Space is a big factor - I've seen walk-in closets in the US bigger than most UK bedrooms. Our houses are much smaller on average.

rejectedandsad 5y ago
It was 93F for most of last week, even in NH. I’m not going to suffer through that. Space could be a factor but I live in a 450sqft studio. My washer dryer has about 1 square meter footprint in a closet.
- beaconstudios 5y ago
  fair enough, that's pretty damn hot. When you said cooler, I thought you meant something like a moderate year-round temperature - though with global warming even that probably isn't going to stick around long-term; we're going through a scorching summer (77F is a lot for us) in the UK right now. I have a dryer but not really any room for a dishwasher unless I got a countertop unit; I live in a normal-sized starter house in the UK.
- kleiba 5y ago
  That's not an unusual temperature in the summer in Central Europe. Still, people do fine without AC. I find this "I'm not going to suffer through that" attitude strangely disconcerting. On the flip side, the costs for building a house are getting higher in higher every year not in small parts because the requirements for insulation and energy efficiency where I currently live in Europe have started to become borderline ridiculous.
  - rejectedandsad 5y ago
    Its 87F in late-afternoon Paris right now and 83F in London. Where I'm from the humidity would make this unbearable. Perhaps Paris isn't the same, but I wouldn't want to take the chance. I'd rather be able to set my own temperature. For the record, I'm curious as to why the attitude of wanting a high standard of living is disconcerting.
  - gbrown 5y ago
    As others have said, humidity makes an absolutely staggering difference.
arcticbull 5y ago
Pretty sure dishwashers use far less water than sink washing. > Getting them clean in the sink can use up to 27 gallons of water per load. An Energy Star certified dishwasher can use as little as 3 gallons per load (around 11 litres), according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. [1] [1] https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/how-much-water-do-dishwashers-use/ https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/how-much-wat...
- beaconstudios 5y ago
  That may well be true, but washing in the sink uses almost no energy - to directly compare the two, you'd have to compare the energy used directly by a dishwasher and hand washing (heating the water), plus the energy required to filter the waste water from each.
  - arcticbull 5y ago
    I agree it obviously doesn't use much power, though in a lot of places fresh water is a much bigger concern (and that's really saying something). California comes to mind.
- _Microft 5y ago
  27 gallons of water per load of dishes? That sounds like they were washing dishes under running water which is obviously wasteful. Fill a dishpan, do the dishes, rinse them with clear water at the end and you will need very little water in total.
freshpots 5y ago
As someone north of New Hampshire who just had several 30+ C days, some hit 35 C, with high humidity, AC is necessary.

rejectedandsad 5y ago

It was 93F for most of last week, even in NH. I’m not going to suffer through that. Space could be a factor but I live in a 450sqft studio. My washer dryer has about 1 square meter footprint in a closet.

beaconstudios 5y ago
fair enough, that's pretty damn hot. When you said cooler, I thought you meant something like a moderate year-round temperature - though with global warming even that probably isn't going to stick around long-term; we're going through a scorching summer (77F is a lot for us) in the UK right now. I have a dryer but not really any room for a dishwasher unless I got a countertop unit; I live in a normal-sized starter house in the UK.
kleiba 5y ago
That's not an unusual temperature in the summer in Central Europe. Still, people do fine without AC. I find this "I'm not going to suffer through that" attitude strangely disconcerting. On the flip side, the costs for building a house are getting higher in higher every year not in small parts because the requirements for insulation and energy efficiency where I currently live in Europe have started to become borderline ridiculous.
- rejectedandsad 5y ago
  Its 87F in late-afternoon Paris right now and 83F in London. Where I'm from the humidity would make this unbearable. Perhaps Paris isn't the same, but I wouldn't want to take the chance. I'd rather be able to set my own temperature. For the record, I'm curious as to why the attitude of wanting a high standard of living is disconcerting.
- gbrown 5y ago
  As others have said, humidity makes an absolutely staggering difference.

arcticbull 5y ago

Pretty sure dishwashers use far less water than sink washing. > Getting them clean in the sink can use up to 27 gallons of water per load. An Energy Star certified dishwasher can use as little as 3 gallons per load (around 11 litres), according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. [1] [1] https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/how-much-water-do-dishwashers-use/ https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/how-much-wat...

beaconstudios 5y ago
That may well be true, but washing in the sink uses almost no energy - to directly compare the two, you'd have to compare the energy used directly by a dishwasher and hand washing (heating the water), plus the energy required to filter the waste water from each.
- arcticbull 5y ago
  I agree it obviously doesn't use much power, though in a lot of places fresh water is a much bigger concern (and that's really saying something). California comes to mind.
_Microft 5y ago
27 gallons of water per load of dishes? That sounds like they were washing dishes under running water which is obviously wasteful. Fill a dishpan, do the dishes, rinse them with clear water at the end and you will need very little water in total.

freshpots 5y ago

As someone north of New Hampshire who just had several 30+ C days, some hit 35 C, with high humidity, AC is necessary.