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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85

u/roseofjuly Jun 26 '26

It's not an "aversion". They didn't need ac until recently and that shit is expensive both to retrofit and maintain.

8

u/coffeegoblins Jun 26 '26

In some cases it’s aversion. I met a lot of people in France who think that AC “makes you sick” and refused to use it for that reason (or complained about its use in public places).

5

u/Fakeikeatree Jun 27 '26

I work in Europe and a shocking amount believe this

12

u/blueandazure Jun 26 '26

Just get a portable ac, its a couple hundred bucks and the efficiency loss is not that relevant because you arent using it that many days.

9

u/nyibbang Jun 26 '26

Yeah, I live in France and bought a portable AC because I live in an appartment. It's more than 40° during the day, and 30° during the night which is very short. The portable AC helps us lower the temperature by at most 2° in the appartment, and it does it unevenly accross rooms ... It's better but not sufficient.

8

u/blueandazure Jun 26 '26

You need one with more BTUs then. You will also want to make sure doors are closed to isolate the air, generally is one ac per room, and you shouldn't expect it to cool your entire house.

The most important thing is to cool your bedroom. Which it should help do.

1

u/fieryfrolic Jun 26 '26

Perhaps you need a two hose portable AC. Here’s a fantastic in-depth video on the subject: https://youtu.be/_-mBeYC2KGc?si=rBMD04Nqye_ftUce

4

u/Pasutiyan Jun 26 '26

Duh, but that gets you one (1) bearable room.

8

u/blueandazure Jun 26 '26

1 ac'ed room will prevent you for dieing of heat stroke while you are sleeping so that seems worth it.

2

u/Pasutiyan Jun 26 '26

Yeah, of course. And many people here already have one of those for that reason exactly. But that doesn't seem to be the kind of airco people are talking about in these dumb posts. A full-fledged heat pump or other kind of house-wide installation is really difficult to install and expensive to get.

2

u/blueandazure Jun 26 '26

But then why are you hot/dieing just move the ac or move to the room with ac?

I can't comprehend why thousands of Europeans are dieing from heat exposure as the stats are showing. Just sit in the ac during the worst of the heat? Get people together for board games or go get a drink in the pub (your pubs have ac?)

1

u/Pasutiyan Jun 26 '26

Because those stats are bogus. They include drowing as a heat-related death for godsakes. No shit that's higher when everyone and their mums are out on the beaches and lakes.

So uhh, yeah. We essentially just do what you're suggesting. Still uncomfortable though, and it doesn't change the fact that most houses (and people) are not designed for these temperatures. So the complaining shall continue.

1

u/bwaredapenguin Jun 26 '26

No shit that's higher when everyone and their mums are out on the beaches and lakes.

...because of the heat and their attempts to escape it

1

u/Pasutiyan Jun 26 '26

Yeah, still not a heat death. Meanwhile those kinds of deaths aren't being counted in the stats for the yanks in that comparison graph they like using.

2

u/QueenScorp Jun 26 '26

Expensive to maintain? I am curious how? Understand that I am an American who always had central air conditioning and have not had to do any maintenance except maybe hose off the cottonwood fibers from the condenser once a year. So I'm curious what kind of maintenance needs to be done on other types of units that is expensive?

1

u/Mindless-Baker-7757 Jun 26 '26

A window ac unit is easy to install. 

3

u/Fearless_Sandwich_84 Jun 26 '26

Unless you live in country which most of window styles cannot accommodate it.

Like UK has outward-opening windows or sliding sash windows. Because these frames do not slide up and down to clamp the heavy unit (like double-hung American windows), installing a traditional window AC requires permanent structural alterations.

Whiiiiich many people can't do often as rentals do not allow perm changes/ is expensive.

Also cost 600-2500 dollars just to buy and then some to install if your windows can work with it which is rare.

And electricity prices is triple what USA has. US residential prices average around $0.16 (roughly 12p) per kWh, UK households pay closer to $0.42 (about 33p to 35p) per kWh. So it's 160% more to run it.

It just not worth it for a week or two, maybe if it'll change in the future.

-1

u/Mindless-Baker-7757 Jun 26 '26

Oh come on. Any one with a saw can make an AC fit. It’s not rocket science. 

Europe shot themselves in the foot with thier high energy prices. These socially engineered punishment prices are always a bodge. The UK and Germany especially. Dumbasses. 

2

u/barmiro Jun 26 '26

...what? Do you want me to cut a window in half? Or my front door? Because my external walls are half a meter thick - 8 inches of concrete and close to a foot of solid insulation. Not to mention, any modifications to structural walls require a construction permit and a civil engineer's approval.

1

u/Mindless-Baker-7757 Jun 26 '26

Just cut some plywood to make a baffle. Maybe it is rocket science for Euros?

2

u/barmiro Jun 26 '26

Our windows don't slide to open. It's not that they don't have the exact dimensions or built-in mounting holes or whatever. The whole window AC unit form factor is made specifically for the kind of windows you guys have, we have some options when it comes to using portable units but they're not as practical.

2

u/Mindless-Baker-7757 Jun 26 '26

I guess it can’t be solved then. Just die. 

1

u/MysticalRose_3 Jun 30 '26

I keep trying to say this. I think a lot of Europeans have never DIY constructed anything and know 0 about construction, is my takeaway.

1

u/MysticalRose_3 Jun 30 '26

They are not expensive to maintain whatsoever. To retrofit, maybe. But you can also get a window unit, and put plywood around the window to hold it on no matter what type of window you have, and that is extremely affordable.

1

u/DctrSnaps Jun 26 '26

what? how is it expensive

-12

u/Chrysolophylax Jun 26 '26

Humans have invented these magical things which are called mystical names like "window AC units" and "portable air conditioners".

You don't need to do a single shred of retrofitting or maintenance. You may simply purchase one and gently place it in the window of your room. And then when summer is over, you can take it out and store it in a closet if you so wish. Wowzers! Amazing!

2

u/Ditenetid Jun 26 '26

Have you ever seen a typical European window? Just asking

1

u/MysticalRose_3 Jun 30 '26

Yes I used to live in Spain. You can build something out of plywood/wood to hold the portable AC in the window very affordable and no matter the window style. You just have to have a little DIY skills or if you have enough money, hire a carpenter, it can be done.

1

u/Ditenetid Jun 30 '26

If you’re a renter that’s not an always an option - both in terms of damage, but also in terms of looks - I’d get chewed out by my landlord lol

1

u/MysticalRose_3 Jun 30 '26 edited Jun 30 '26

For sure. That’s another battle if you don’t own your property. But maybe European laws are going to have to change if they don’t want so many people dying. Can you imagine if the landlord refused to put in heat or a fireplace? I’m sure that’s illegal.

It doesn’t have to be permanent, something can be built that you put in summer and take out in winter. When the answer is overheating and death you find a way. Many people in the US do something similar, a summer AC they put up and then take down in the winter even if they have to to build something with wood to make it fit.

You can easily build something that can be put up and taken down easily without too much damage or really changing the architecture. And it doesn’t matter the window type.

1

u/Ditenetid Jun 30 '26

I’m baffled that climate issues haven’t been addressed properly yet tbh, and the city I live in has even had the whole city center renovated recently, and yet it’s all paved and there are no trees to create shade, even though it has been proven to lower temperatures quite a bit. It’s so stupid, but hopefully lawmakers will realize its importance soon…

I know I’m an outlier, but I have Velux roof windows in my bedroom where I live currently, and I genuinely don’t know how to fit a wooden frame without drilling it into the wall/window. But I suppose it is possible for most people.

Summer hasn’t been too bad here thankfully, but I feel for those who’ve been burning up for weeks