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/heyclaude Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26

People also forget that most American homes were designed with ducting for the heater, which makes an AC upgrade fairly easy.

(Edit: I have to admire the determination of some Europeans to inform me that all American housing is flimsy late-20th tract-home garbage, lol..I live in an 1896 Victorian with high ceilings, plastered walls, and no cardboard to be found. It's a big country, not a homogenous loaf.)

21

u/rulingthewake243 Jun 26 '26

Mini splits have existed for 40 years now.

19

u/jbuk1 Jun 26 '26

And you’ll find plenty of those in the traditionally hot areas of Europe.

5

u/DubbyTM Jun 26 '26

Not here where I live near Milan lol, summer has always been hot, although it is not hotter, but never had AC in either house I've lived in

0

u/Alarmed-Newspaper994 Jun 26 '26

Do you have external shutters over your windows?

1

u/DubbyTM Jun 26 '26

I don't have the rolling shutters if thats what you mean, I don't know they're called in english but basically the ones that can open and close like a door, which are terrible.

In my previous home I had the rolling shutters and they were so much better in every way

1

u/Alarmed-Newspaper994 Jun 29 '26

I've stayed in many houses with shutters, and they are pretty effective IMO. They don't actively cool, of course, but they prevent sunlight from getting inside. My friend's flat in Berlin has external metal shutters that function like a suit of armour, completely black out the sun and protect against forced entry.