In Richmond, Virginia the summers can be brutal - but we always say it's not the heat, it's the humidity! Either way AC is mandatory in the city.

High Desert South West. Evaporative Cooler/"Swamp Cooler". Water over pads, downdraft, windows cracked. Works well with low humidity.

Pacific Northwest Passive Solar home- no air conditioning in spite of fairly hot (record breaking 80s-90s) temps this summer. Bermed into hillside with bedrooms downstairs and view oriented living areas ablove. Air vents in slab floors allow us to cool, vents up top let us dump heat in summer. I keep a shade cloth on solar greenhouse in summer. See 24 photos: http://www.remax.com/realestatehomesforsale/5810-19th-st-ct-nw-gig-harbor-wa-98335-id248675242.html

Bruce Crawford: I really like it. I was told it was more efficient, but was worried about bill. Just got first PGE bill for August 20-September 20 and it was $133 ($94 electric) and we have had extreme heat almost every day (95-104). Also have 21 year old who is really bad at turning off lights so went all LED a few months ago. I have a 1960's ranch house and had wall air conditioner in family room and 2 gas wall heaters with issuesn(living room and family room). House has no ducting so central air and heat was quotes were $20K. Did quite a bit of research and used diamond certified installer from Mitsubishi since most problems seemed to be because of installation. This cost me $10K (recessed cassette in living room ceiling and standard units for other). I need another $5K to $7 to do the three bedrooms so waiting until next year.

Heat pump central Heat/AC we live in the south. The
positioning of our home helps it stay realty cool in the summer.

We live walking distance to Lake Erie. With the lake breeze, plenty of shade on south side of home and a cedar shake roof we rarely need A/C. When temperatures go over 85 degrees, we keep the windows open at night to bring in cooler air. We close the windows in the morning to trap the cooler air. This keeps us cool most of the summer, as long a we do not have more than several days over 90 degrees. However, we do work from home, so we do not need to be concerned about getting dressed for the office on hot days.

Are you kidding??? We air condition on Christmas!!

We have a shipping container house in the mountains of Panama'. (www.PanamaShippingContainerHouse.com) We designed the house for lots of air flow, using jalousy windows lower on the walls with screened vents and clerestory windows along the top areas of the house. The front door and big windows on the opposite side of the house allow even more cross ventilation when they're open. We're able to leave our windows open year round, but it's more pleasant in the dry season. No need for air conditioning here, temps usually range from 65F-85F.

I live in Colorado and have a portable unit that I use occasionally. I don't know if it's because of the basement or good insulation, but I rarely need it.

I live in Edmonton. Not worth it and we have a basement to cool off in. :-)

I bought my home as a short sale. The AC was there during the walk through and then when I got the keys the next day, it was gone. Of course their realtor denied that their clients stole it, though the police said that must of been what happened. Luckily, it is rarely needed as we get some nice breezes in Alameda CA.

I'm in the UK now, so just have one portable a/c unit - the temperatures aren't bad, after Houston, but the humidity is unbearable without it. I have a tiny little dehumidifier which would probably help a little bit if I left it running non-stop all day, but coming home after a miserably sweaty day at work and a long sweaty trudge home that cool a/c breeze is incredibly welcome!

Yes, but I live in an area where many don't have heat. :)

Our air conditioner runs 9 months out of the year! We live in SW Texas,...the hot dry desert.

Even here in NH we need a/c. It can get into the 90's here in the summer. I have MS (multiple sclerosis) and one of the symptoms is low heat tolerance, which can make MS symptoms worse. How blessed I am to have central air! I need to stay in my house during most of the summer, but in the evenings I get on my scooter and usually bump into a neighbor or two, and we talk and laugh, so I'm glad most evenings are a little cooler.

I have not used it much because I signed up with SDGE to reduce energy use on the hottest days here in Vista, CA. I did use it prior to becoming energy wise.

There's only about one week during the summer months in Missoula, Mt where the heat is so bad I feel like I need to sleep in the fridge. Other than that, we are cool enough here to go without...or get along fine with a window unit (for those killer days).

Central AC is a must in SoCal. Exception: Homes located in one of the beach communities.

Yes, we have central air but we rarely use it (maybe a total of ten days per year). I hate living in air conditioning anyway. We live on the water in the Muskoka region of Ontario so the breezes off the water keep us cool for most of the summer but you have the odd day in July/early August when it is very calm and hot (30 degrees C./ 86 degrees F, is hot for here). We could have made do with a window unit in our bedroom for those days but, when we built the place, our heating contractor put it in for not much more than a large window unit would cost and we didn't want the chore of installing it in the spring and taking it out in the fall.

I lived with no air conditioning the first 12 years of my life and never had air conditioning in my bedroom. It is possible to survive in NE Arkansas without air conditioning, but you will have many miserable days. It usually hits 100+ several days each summer and a day in the upper 80's is greeted with relief. My husband and I have allergies and use use air filters that great reduce particles.

Never had it for 40 years in Oregon, but moved to Southern Utah and it's a must!

It's having it or living in a steam cooker. Georgia's humidity doesn't play!

I admit I didn't read all comments, but in the ones I did read I didn't see anyone mention attic fans. They used to be very popular. They would pull the air in through the windows and up through the attic. Ideal for certain climates or even certain nights in hotter areas. But, living where 100° F (38° C) is common in the summer I definitely use central air.

Our house was originally 1200 sf, 10 yrs after purchase, we added on 2400 sf, but we kept the heating and cooling separate, meaning 2 furnaces and 2 ac units. Now that all our kids have moved out we keep heat and air running less than the new part.

Ceiling fans and keeping the house at 80 in the summer keeps everything comfortable.

Yes, you would be considered insane if you don't have AC in Arizona

No - I live in the Netherlands (Amsterdam) and the summers here are mild with looooong daylight =) Winter on the other hand......

I live in the northeast corner of Ky. In the summer we often have temperatures in the 90's and the humidity is horrific. I would almost literally melt if I didn't have A.C..

Oh my gosh. This is the first home we have had built-in AC and I am never going back to a home without it. I can't stand hot temperatures. My favourite temperature range is about 25-30 degrees Celsius. After that? I'll pass. Last summer was brutal with record temperatures for long stretches. I would have been miserable without AC!

I despise humidity even worse than heat. The two together? I get away as fast as I can. (Yes, my friends in Toronto--I love you, but I am not moving there, lol).

Of course we have AC! I live in Ohio where we get 90% and higher humidity plus it can get up to over 100 degrees in the summer. I would never get any sleep or anything else done in the summer without AC!

I have it on now. It hit 90 degrees F. today. By June it will be in the 100's Georgia in the summer is both hot and humid. We had 80% humidity yesterday. It's been a trip getting used to it after Denver with 2-15 % humidity in the Summer. Then again it still gets into the 100's there. Can't live without it.

@rollinggirl. Oh my word. I applaud your ability to cope with that. I'd wilt faster than lettuce trying to cope. I'd love to visit GA, but couldn't live there apparently. Love CO! I got altitude sickness there though. We were camping in Estes Park. In the summer...I almost ended up in the hospital. By the time I was used to it, it was time to fly home! Memories...great place for stargazing there though. Wow!

I'm old enough to remember when air conditioning was not in the majority of homes. As those who live in hot humid climates have stated, it was wretched! We did not have another option in those days, but I'm sooo grateful to have it now!!!

I grew up without it. Dad didn't see the point. Then again he wasn't home much due to work. Luvourhome we actually lived in Co for 40 yrs, I moved to Ga for my health. The altitude there was treating me badly and the cold was really doing me in. I have M.S. and I had pneumonia three times 2014. I love Savannah but the humidity is going to take some adjustment. It's a much prettier quieter town that Denver. So that's a plus.

Sorry rollinggirl. That sounds tough. I hope things work out in your new digs. :-) Damp and/or cold can make people feel awful. Plus you'd probably get more sunshine in GA?

@redoredone--a person makes the best of things until they hit the proverbial jackpot (AC). Then a person realizes how strong they were for getting by. I always worry about the elderly in high temps. If they don't have people checking on them or reminding them to drink fluids it can be awful.

Nope, not in midcoast Maine!

Yes I have a Mitsubishi electric mini split wall units. They are the best.I can heat or air condition. I use then year round.

Ben Hart. I always wanted to see Maine. gorgorex. I really wanted to do that in my house but the cost was just out of reach. We did a new HVAC system , but the heat pump style. :( Maybe when I get that money tree.

Gordorex, thx for your comments. I've looked at the Mitsu units & liked what I saw, but haven't heard from anyone who had one. I don't have A/C & my heater is old & inefficient, so I've been looking in that direction. They seem perfect as I don't need A/C in whole house.

I have a central air unit but only because my house already had it when I bought it. I honestly have no idea why as I live in southern New Hampshire, where it doesn't get that hot very often to begin with, and my house tends to stay cool any way. It faces east and has trees and topography that result in the house not getting very much direct sun, but instead beautiful reflected light to illuminate the rooms without heating them up too much. Every room also has a remote controlled ceiling fan, and I have rough finished basement that stays cool year round, so there are plenty of ways to circulate air and keep it cool without turning on the AC. In the two years I have lived here I literally used the AC only 3x, mostly to make sure it still works. I'm pretty much of the opinion that anywhere between 60 and 80 degrees is fine for a house (cooler in the winter, warmer in the summer), and a little cooler or warmer is tolerable, although perhaps not as comfortable, so it is not often necessary to use the AC here.

I grew up in New Jersey where summers were muggy and disgusting. That house got plenty of sun and would hold the heat. We never had central air, but some years used window units (one in my parents' bedroom and my dad kept one in his office, but that's it). There were always at least a couple hot spells every summer where it would be at least 90 degrees in the house at night and sleeping was miserable. It was simply too expensive for us to cool the whole house. My mom still lives there and I wish she would put in AC and use in moderately (even just cooling the rooms to the low 80s).

I think AC or not, and how it is installed, is very much a factor of climate and house design. It's not necessary at all in many places, but there are certainly areas I wouldn't want to live without it.

We have lived here for 30years with no air conditioning. This fall, we replaced our furnace and added air. Haven't had a chance to turn it on since weather is now too cool. I don't expect I will have it on constantly next summer but I do look forward to a cooler July and August.

Inner city Cincinnati concrete jungle my house needs a 5000 BTU window unit to cool its 2000 SQFT

I keep my house at 62 degrees all year, so I do use air in summer, but less heat than average in winter. I have new windows and extra insulation in the attic. I just have no tolerance for humidity or heat.

No ... we live near Lake Erie, we have lots of shade and we have MCM overhangs. We run a portable dehumidifier when needed. Would love to get a built in dehumidifier!

I have air conditioning; it's a term and condition of my marriage apparently. Must have been in the fine print. 8-year-old unit is shot; new one on order for 7 large installed.

This lady really suffers in the heat/humidity so yes we have central air in both of our homes in MA and ME...sorry, Ben Hart, but let’s be honest...even in MAINE it’s gets mid 90’s and the air is oppressive!