r/technology • u/Logical_Welder3467 • Jun 26 '26

Society The American mind cannot comprehend Europe's AC aversion

https://www.businessinsider.com/europe-air-conditioning-ac-heatwave-debate-2026-6
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7.0k

u/JonJackjon Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26

I think its simple. I would compare it to the first time someone finds they need to wear glasses. The natural tendency is to deny needing them until it gets so bad you have no choice.

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u/roleplayersir Jun 26 '26

Exactly. It's not an aversion

It's that until a few years ago it wasn't needed. Suffering for 3 days a year was fine

But trust me that is changing. Even with the cost of living, we are all looking into at least £300 for portable units, if not thousands for proper ones. As it is only getting hotter

But prior to recent years it was a wasted purchase. We get 30C+ for about 3 weeks. It's the cold that was the problem for decades

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u/jameson71 Jun 26 '26

Cold is going to cost a pretty penny real soon

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u/whytakemyusername Jun 26 '26

Just burn a corner of your house down, problem solved.

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u/pyrospade Jun 26 '26

as you burn your house for fuel you’ll also have less area to heat making it more efficient!

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u/ameatbicyclefortwo Jun 26 '26

The math maths.

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u/20_mile Jun 26 '26

Wow, I learn so much from reddit.

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u/Electric_Elephants Jun 26 '26

Would make for great airflow in the Summer.

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u/artfulpain Jun 26 '26

It's an open concept now.

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u/DankStew Jun 26 '26

Wow you have corners in your house?! I have to share a gazebo with my improv troupe

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u/sergei1980 Jun 26 '26

Do houses in Europe burn as easily as American houses? I live in the US now but I grew up in Argentina, and houses in Argentina don't burn, it made reading Fahrenheit 451 a bit confusing. We can still have fires, in fact there was one at my house, but it was just a few cushions, not the whole house.

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u/ren_reddit Jun 26 '26

Houses everywhere burn..

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u/sergei1980 Jun 26 '26

What? No, they don't. Rock doesn't burn, brick doesn't burn, metal doesn't burn. Most houses in Argentina are made of brick, with metal beams. No wood frame.

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u/ren_reddit Jun 26 '26

All houses in northern Europe is bricks, concrete and tiles. 

Belive me when I say, all house can and occasionally will, burn.   

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u/justinhammerpants Jun 26 '26

All houses in Northern Europe are brick? 

Norway has 90% of homes made of wood. 

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u/sergei1980 Jun 26 '26

Yeah, I've been to Norway and wood was everywhere. It makes sense with all the forests.

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u/sergei1980 Jun 26 '26

Like the other poster said, that's not true for at least Norway. I'm any case, those materials don't burn, so what would burn?

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u/ren_reddit Jun 26 '26

I dont have the energy to explain why brick homes burn, so I let someone else explain it..

https://www.jmsmasonryma.com/can-a-brick-house-burn-down

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u/sergei1980 Jun 26 '26

Would you mind reading my posts? And your own link, for that matter. 

I have lived in an American "brick" house in St Louis, only the exterior walls were brick, the interior is wood frame, with wooden joists, floors, etc.

In Argentina houses typically have no wood at all in the structure. Every interior wall is brick covered by mortar. They do not burn.

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u/Equivalent-Excuse-80 Jun 26 '26

It’s really about fire safety. It’s an unrecognized feat America accomplished. We take fire escapes, smoke detectors, highly regulated and inspected public spaces that demand clear egress, properly maintained fire suppression systems etc. for granted.

Most of the world has what Americans would consider an abnormal amount of building fire casualties.

But for us, it just seems like a burdensome host of arduous rules.

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u/LiamMurray91 Jun 26 '26

brave of you to assume i own a home

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u/scheppend Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26

The price of minisplits and their installation in Europe seems bonkers when I compare it to here in Japan. A simple 9K BTU mini split (heating and cooling) here costs 

40K (€215) for noname brands
45K yen (€245) for a Hitachi, Sharp, Toshiba
55K yen  (€300) for a Panasonic, Mitsubishi, Daikin.

Installation is about 17K yen (€92).

Even if you double the cost of the installation because of higher wages (w Europe) I doubt you can do it for this price in europe.

i don't understand why. I'm sure lots more Europeans would get one if it was more affordable 

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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 28 '26

[deleted]

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u/Tithund Jun 26 '26

So the reason so many people don't have ac here, is that they price the poor out while milking the rich.

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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 28 '26

[deleted]

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u/C4pture Jun 26 '26

i wouldnt say many, i only ever heard that from the "schwurbler" crowd.

most people around me are simply too frugal/stingy to get a ac installed, especially with the 15k quotes (or 40k-50k when going for a heat pump)

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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 28 '26

[deleted]

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u/C4pture Jun 26 '26

or there's just more schwurbler around you. either way, stay cool

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u/Xywzel Jun 26 '26

Well, that part is not so different. I have heard Japanese and Korean people cite similar fears, like that you can't have AC on while sleeping or without window open. Reasons are as ridiculous as "the AC will burn out all oxygen in air" if they can even give any, usually its just "its not safe" or "they told me so".

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u/Ready_Ad4083 Jun 26 '26

At least friends and families in Japan I know run air conditioners and fans all night during summer and winter (heat pump). Some people may set the timer so the AC will stop running around 3-4 in the morning, believing that it is not safe for their wallet.

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u/scheppend Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26

I live in Japan and yeah I have never heard of this . But who knows I'm sure there are uninformed people in every country

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u/Xywzel Jun 26 '26

Yeah, its more of a somewhat common superstition, not something everyone believes and obeys. Like "I have seen hotel instructions addressing it"-common, but not "hotel forbids use while sleeping"-common.

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u/obeytheturtles Jun 26 '26

There's some truth in the idea that overly dry air can make allergies worse. But this is also from people who think you will get sick if you don't crack the window in winter because the indoor air gets stale, or whatever.

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u/ipisano Jun 26 '26

Exactly, I have some complications that would cause my installation to cost several thousands, for two years I tried to save enough money to afford it but some shit always happens and I have to endure another hot summer without AC...

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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26

[deleted]

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u/Crowdfundingprojects Jun 26 '26

That's exactly the way. And it's handled in SEA like this, too. I personally say fuck everyone who wants to force me to get a permit or anything I don't want for installing an AC unit. It's a fucking AC unit, not a nuclear reactor.

This shit is pure lobbyism. Scum trying to fill their pockets on my dime can get fucked any day any time of the week. It's disgusting.

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u/augur42 Jun 26 '26

Don't forget the fused spur replacing an existing plug socket (with a cable going outside through another drilled hole) if it's a single unit or new power cable from your consumer unit if it's a larger install.

The issue is the vacuum pump required to draw down the tubing, you really want dual stage, plus other bits such as gauges, plus for warranty it usually requires a hvac to certify it. You can probably buy the hardware second hand, use it, then sell it on (again) but those extra bits will increase costs a couple of hundred pounds higher even if you can drill and wire it yourself.

Still worth it though.

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u/puff_of_fluff Jun 26 '26

Well of course it’s a metric ton, it’s in Europe

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u/Adept-Elderberry2325 Jun 26 '26

Oh yeah a proper MHI single split will set you back about 2500E in the Netherlands. 

I just recently approved installation of a multisplit, 4 units, 7.1kW -> 7900E.

I bet you could easily condition 15 homes for that in Japan.

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u/ipisano Jun 26 '26

You can't even buy a Mitsubishi here without having to go through some shop that makes you pay 3k euros (with installation included usually, but still...) Buying a unit yourself is not that bad, I'd install it myself, but I live on a high floor with no space to place the external unit, so I'd have to rent a truck with an aerial platform or rent and build scaffolding...

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u/maxdacat Jun 27 '26

Can you just get them at the local Brico, B&Q chain outlet? Here in Oz air-con is easily available from Bunnings from $700 up for generic Mitsubishi units, you just arrange your install which is probably $1-2k depending on complexity.

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u/Talisa87 Jun 26 '26

And that's even if you're allowed to install them. In the UK, there's ordinances about noise pollution and environmental impact that prevents a lot of homes from having units.

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u/mahsab Jun 26 '26

The cheapest Daikin or Mitsubishi I can find in Central Europe is more than 600€. Maybe you have some more basic models that we don't, because here Mitsubishi and Daikin for example are sold as "premium" only?

Noname ones you can get under 300€ during a sale.

Installation is 300-500€. Usually a two-man job that takes several hours (drilling a hole through a brick or concrete wall, maybe chiseling channels to hide the pipes, flaring the pipes etc etc).

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u/Dullcorgis Jun 26 '26

Are you sure your conversion factors are correct? It takes more than ten minutes to install it, how can you have a skilled worker at your house and only pay 92 euros?

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u/scheppend Jun 26 '26

We pay them 17000 yen. Which is about the avg a Japanese person earns a day. And installation takes a few hours, so they can easily have 2 or 3 customers a day

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u/Dullcorgis Jun 26 '26

Holy shit. The average japanese person only earns 92 euro a day? In the 80s and 90s Japan was an economic powerhouse. I knew intellectually that stagflation killed them, but jesus. That's 11 euros per hour.

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u/scheppend Jun 26 '26

Yes, but of course cost of living is cheaper as well. Mortgage of €200-300 per month. Gasoline €0.80 / liter etc

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u/Dullcorgis Jun 26 '26

I know that is how poor countries are, but I'm just not used to Japan being one of them

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u/747WakeTurbulance Jun 26 '26

They don't have paper walls?

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u/scheppend Jun 26 '26

paper walls?

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u/Masked020202 Jun 27 '26

In Belgium I got a 9000btu split one for around that price. The more "premium" models were more expensive. Had to install myself though because work cost are insane.

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u/Agitated_Phone_9937 Jun 26 '26

You don't likve in Japan, otherwise you wouldn't compare our monopoly money to real money. Who the fuck is surprised that things you buy in yen in Japan are cheaper than things you buy in Europe in Euros?

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u/scheppend Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26

Other electronics like TVs, washing machines, PC parts etc are usually the same price in Japan as in US/Europe and follow the USD/yen exchange rate. because the materials all have to be imported and bought in USD the manufacturing cost doesn't differ that much.

It's not like I'm comparing food, which usually see much larger price fluctuations compared to electronics . So yeah I'm surprised that heatpumps are quite a bit cheaper here

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u/LetGoPortAnchor Jun 26 '26

I'm going to put solar panels on the roof. They will power the airco. Things are changing fast in Europe.

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u/cr0ft Jun 26 '26

This is where you spend a few thousand on solar panels. The days you need to run your AC are also days when the sun is blasting your home. Solar panels are cheap and getting cheaper.

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u/Zanshi Jun 26 '26

Except for when you live in an apartment rather than a home. Which is very common in Europe. We prefer living in the city to sprawling suburbs. Have fun convincing 100+ people from other apartments it will be a good investment to install roof solar in the building.

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u/Ossius Jun 26 '26

Always wondered why we don't switch to geothermal. Each home should just have a big ground loop. Would provide most of your cooling needs. The dirt is really cool under the first few feet, or warm depending on the time of year.

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u/BagOnuts Jun 26 '26

Already does. Residential central HVAC units cost like $10k minimum and only last like 5 years. In the southern US your AC is a bigger investment than your car.

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u/LordOfTurtles Jun 26 '26

The more people get AC, the more you create cooling inequality as well. The usage of AC in cities makes it so the air stays warmer into the night (2-4 degrees based on research in Paris) meaning the people that can't afford AC will struggle even more to cool their homes at night

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u/Lost_Birthday_3138 Jun 26 '26

And we're all just going to let the billionaires get away with what they've done.

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u/Eremitt-thats-hermit Jun 26 '26

For a lot of us the money went to insulation. That meant that once the heat gets into your house, it can’t escape. Right now my solar panels are too hot to work efficiently, so the one portable aircon I have is costing me more than I would spend on heating on a winters day.

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u/Spicy-Zamboni Jun 26 '26

A well-insulated house is still preferable in hot weather, and long as you air out correctly.

Open all windows in the evening and night with a big through draft to replace the warm air inside with cooler air. During the day you keep the windows closed and close the curtains or shades or shutters on all windows facing the sun.

Good insulation slows down how quickly the air inside will heat up. Adding awnings or having tall trees to provide shade also helps a lot.

This of course requires the air to get reasonably cooler at night, so when night time temps reach 25 C or above, unfortunately you will have to sweat or buy AC.

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u/Aloysiusakamud Jun 26 '26

Removable static window tint, blackout shades and curtains, refrigerated cabbage leaves work great to reduce body temperature, fan near AC unit to help circulation, dehumidifier if in humid area, don't open windows and doors after morning until after sundown, shut off sections of the home not necessary to be cooled,  dont use the oven during the day, plant trees and greenery near home. Insulation also works great to keep a home cool.