It took a long time before I was willing to invest in central air conditioning for my home.
I didn’t think it was necessary. Living in the northeastern part of the country, the weather is cold and snowy for most of the year. We normally rely on the furnace from September until sometime in April. We get temperatures down to twenty-five below zero and spend a fortune on the heat bills It seems to take forever for the summer weather to get here. Sometimes, the whole summer is overcast, chilly and rainy. Even when the temperature soars into the upper eighties and the humidity is brutal, it doesn’t last long. The house feels overheated and sticky at the end of June and throughout July and August. I saw no problem with installing window air conditioners in the bedrooms and running a few box fans in the other rooms. I liked having the open windows and getting some fresh air. My wife, however, wasn’t happy. She felt the open windows presented a security risk. According to her, the screens weren’t sufficient to keep out criminals, bugs, pollen, exhaust fumes and noise pollution. She complained that the box fans stirred up dust and the window air conditioners looked ugly. Two years ago, when I had no idea what to buy her for our tenth wedding anniversary, I finally made the investment into central cooling. It was an expensive project. I spent extra to get a top-of-the-line, high-efficiency air conditioner with all of the latest features. My wife was absolutely thrilled. I figured we’d rarely use the cooling system. I was totally wrong. The air conditioner is one of the best home improvements I’ve made. As soon as we shut down the furnace, I’m anxious to start up the cooling system. The house is so much more comfortable. It helps with humidity control, circulation and air filtration. I sleep better at night and can relax in the evenings without sweating.