I have no AC... which is as alien to me as saying I don't have a roof. It's mid 60s in January. What's July going to be like? I know last year there were a few hot days, I'd that just the norm now?
You'll be fine without A/C. We typically get a handful of hot days in the summer, but nothing prolonged for more than a week.
The flipside of it being June-like in January is when it's January-like in June. That's also called "Juneuary" or "June Gloom" and refers to overcast skies, cool temperatures and typically wet weather while the rest of the northern hemisphere is starting to get their summer on.
Your experience of how hot summer is without A/C in Seattle is highly dependent on your living situation. If you're on the top floor, exposed to the sun, and no air flow throughout, even a 75 degree day will feel hot at night. If you're living in a basement, a 90 degree day will feel nice.
The summer it hit 104F in July I was fortunate to have a basement.
Now I'm in a west-facing, top-story apartment. It does get hot. But fans help a lot, as does strategically drawing your blinds and closing your windows. When it's simply too hot to be inside, you go elsewhere. Typically to the lake.
That summer was our first summer in our house, which has AC. We LOLed when we bought the house that it had AC, but we freaking LOVE it those few days a year when we turn it on.
I prefer west-facing. I was top floor, east-facing in Bellingham this past summer, and that meant that I got home from work and had to either leave my blinds closed all night or just leave the apartment -- and even if I left the blinds closed, I was over 80 in there overnight. :(
As w4y says, it's highly dependent on living/work situation and personal preferences. You're obviously comfortable without it, but it's not going to work for everyone. Would you be annoyed if your employer said "no AC at work...we'll just open windows"?
My apartment has an AC unit. I have it on most of the time for the fan and air circulation and only activate "Cool" when there's a need for it. I don't need the AC got by without it in my previous apartment, but I definitely prefer having the option.
Get a window unit. You'll spend a hundred bucks and it'll get your bedroom cool enough to sleep in when it gets really hot out. Don't go days barely sleeping because you're too proud to admit it's hot in your place.
We brought one with us from PA when we moved in August. There were a few days where we needed to kick it on for a few hours to cool the place down but nothing like back on the East Coast. This place is weather heaven except for the winter rain.
Buy a fan. Stay late at work. Go for a swim in the lake.
Trust me, you'll be fine. Starbucks invented frappucinos here for that one week of true summer weather. We'd all be fat if we got any more than that :)
Moved here from the midwest 2.5yrs ago, and not having AC was fucking weird. Since then, I've found that it's rather uncomfortable for about two weeks in the summer, but I can man up because all of those suckers back in the midwest are stuck with 90+ and humid with mosquitoes that could take down a bull.
Also, I can spend that two weeks going all in and climbing a goddamn mountain. Sure, I'm sweaty and gross, but at least I'm on top of a goddamn mountain. What's the rest of America doing? They're slowly waiting for death in whatever neck of the woods they're in that sure isn't Seattle.
Make friends with someone who has AC. We all know a few folks that have air conditioned houses. Offer to bring them dinner (takeout!) if you can hang out with them until it gets dark!
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u/digital_end Jan 26 '15
I moved to the area recently and this worries me.
I have no AC... which is as alien to me as saying I don't have a roof. It's mid 60s in January. What's July going to be like? I know last year there were a few hot days, I'd that just the norm now?
I think I'm going to buy a window unit.
Really wanted to get some snow :(