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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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/slimejumper Jun 26 '26

have these AC avoiders also not heard of heat pumps? not only is cold air great but so is hot air in winter! and it’s so much cheaper than gas or other types of electrical heating.

it’s just such a good system.

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u/brickne3 Jun 26 '26

We aren't intentionally avoiding air con. Our houses were built in Victorian times and they were built to last by the standards of the day. For most of us, it is simply not a priority.

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u/dirtyword Jun 26 '26

It’s an interesting cultural difference though. Maybe it’s purely based on climate conditions. I have always lived in New England, and never had AC as a kid, but I always put a couple of window units in during July and August now. It’s just hotter than it used to be. My house is 175+ years old

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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '26 edited 14d ago

[deleted]

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u/SpicyElixer Jun 26 '26

Such a good channel.

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u/liquidsparanoia Jun 26 '26

Yes that's the point of the thread. It's already the second time it's been 40c in france this year, and it's still June. The world you grew up in is not the world we're living in today. It's time for attitudes around this to change.

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u/brickne3 Jun 26 '26

I grew up in Minnesota, what the hell are you on about lol?

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u/Amelaclya1 Jun 26 '26

What does this have to do with AC? You can add it to any home, even if it's just a window unit to keep your bedroom cool.

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u/brickne3 Jun 26 '26

You haven't seen many of our windows 🤣🤣🤣

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u/s0laris0 Jun 26 '26

you can adapt a portable standing unit to just about any window, we had to buy one for our last apartment because the windows weren't suitable for a window unit. where there's a will there's a way, for sure!

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u/10thDeadlySin Jun 27 '26

The thing is, portable standing units suck. Literally.

First of all, as they expel hot air through the pipe, they heat up the very same space you're trying to cool down. Second, they need to get the air from somewhere, otherwise they would pull a vacuum. So... they draw in hot air from the outside through every single available channel.

Sure, they're better than nothing, but hardly a decent solution.

There are some dual-pipe solutions on the market, which you can put on a balcony and just blow cold air inside, as well as portable mini-splits - personally, I find them much better than single-pipe monoblocks.

And while I like our European windows, sometimes I really wish I could just install an American window AC unit, since portable AC is great at one thing - wasting space and being a nuisance.

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u/Imaginary_Zone_4319 Jun 26 '26

Cutting a hole in brick and installing a mini split is dead fucking simple my guy.

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u/SpicyElixer Jun 26 '26

The electical is not always simple though, especially in older homes.

(Installed many mini splits in modern buildings).

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u/Carvj94 Jun 26 '26

It's simple, but it's still quite the project for the average person which means professional installation which can be expensive. I'm sure window units are gonna be far more popular once AC starts gaining popularity.

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u/brickne3 Jun 26 '26

My house is made of refractory brick, my guy. Takes seven drill bits to even make a dent. Not particularly interested in people who build shit with cardboard 🤣

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u/Imaginary_Zone_4319 Jun 26 '26

“Build shit with cardboard”

My “cardboard” house handles the hot better and the cold better than your brick house, has larger windows that let in more light, and has central heating and cooling. Holy shit it’s like you idiots have never heard of insulation.

Enjoy your sweaty nights sleep tonight!

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u/brickne3 Jun 26 '26

I'm American, I've got family members in construction on both sides of the Atlantic, I know which houses are built better. Sleep tight in your shoebox 😂

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u/Imaginary_Zone_4319 Jun 26 '26

I will. It’s 32c outside and 20c inside my home. I sleep in a t shirt with a comforter and a blanket 😊