Air Conditioning is it a necessity

[Denise]

Hi everyone

 

We are just in the process of securing our long term rental for our arrival in 2months time but the house we have fallen in love with doesnt have air con. I have spent 7 hot summers in Perth without it and although some nights were uncomfortable I can never remember it being that bad. The worrying thing is we now have 2 small children and I remember reading posts on this over christmas on how much they were suffering. What do you all think?

 

We are quite restricted on the properties we can arrange from the UK as the estate agent who is helping us only gets certain ones and many of them don't want pets, we are feeling pretty lucky to have the offer of this property in the area we want, the size we want and that they will accept our big daft dog is a bonus. We have friends checking it out for us and know the only thing missing is the air con.

 

Do you all have this and if not is it real hell with small children? I seem to remember Tracey's little one suffering?

 

Thanks for any replies ( In advance)

 

Denise

[foxychick]

I wouldn't want to be without aircon - but I'm a bit of a softy. you could always get a portable unit

[suzer]

Well with the kind of heat waves that can occur here, I would say it is a necessity. We suffered without a/c this year, and hubs has for most of his years in Australia, which are many;) My nieces & nephews live without a/c but for one main room I think, but I do think it could be very hard if you aren't from here. I'm from Chicago so am used to heat but this is something new even to me.

[Guest graandjac]

Deffo need msome sought of Aircon....weather it be Reverse cycle or Evaporaptive........after a week of over 40 deg.......100% NEED IT

[ShaunWilson]

We couldn't live without it!!! Too hot for us in the summer.

[suziewozie]

My advice would be that you definately need air con. Again I have to agree with the others on here, Summer is too hot to live without it.

[Denise]

Oh no, wish I hadn't asked this question I kind of already knew what the answer would be. What to do now? Maybe take this rental for 6months and swap before the summer kicks in? 6months would take us to November so could get somewhere else for Christmas, surely I wouldnt need it before then?

[Diane]

It does kind of depend where the house is - if it's up in the hills, it's cooler up there so might not be a major issue. If I were you, I would take it and worry about it in six months time! We've just finished the really hot bit of the year, so it won't be an issue till about January next year anyway, and who knows what you might have found by then? If your landlords are reasonable people, you may even be able to persuade them to put something in for the summer (it's all tax deductable to them!)

 

Otherwise you can do what we did this year when ours broke down during the hottest week - wet sheets wrapped round the kids, turn the fans on full, and drink lots of cold water (oh and wine and beer but that's probably not such a good idea!) - oh and a paddling pool full of water for the dog!

 

Diane

[Denise]

It does kind of depend where the house is - if it's up in the hills, it's cooler up there so might not be a major issue. If I were you, I would take it and worry about it in six months time! We've just finished the really hot bit of the year, so it won't be an issue till about January next year anyway, and who knows what you might have found by then? If your landlords are reasonable people, you may even be able to persuade them to put something in for the summer (it's all tax deductable to them!)

 

Otherwise you can do what we did this year when ours broke down during the hottest week - wet sheets wrapped round the kids, turn the fans on full, and drink lots of cold water (oh and wine and beer but that's probably not such a good idea!) - oh and a paddling pool full of water for the dog!

 

Diane

 

Yes, I think you are right, its in Flagstaff Hill and is perfect apart from this issue! We will take the house as it takes a lot of the stress away and we will worry about it nearer the time, paddling pools and wine, sounds good to me. Anyway, I might win the lotto before then and buy my own air con!

[Guest the4hopes]

Our air con went wrong on the first day in the 40s and was never fixed, we went to Bunnings and bought some fans and we survived, I wouldn't let it put you off. We got here last october so we weren't even used to the heat!

Laura

[sueoc]

Yes,it is a necessity.We have just spent the most unbearable experience in our lives in our rental property without Aircon,and cant wait to get out of this "Furnace"NEVER AGAIN.Good Luck.

[ShaunWilson]

We also apent our first summer in Flagstaff Hill. Fantastic area, but in summer, lacks some of the cooler sea breezes!! Does tend to be a couple degrees coller, but face it, the difference between 40 degrees and 38 is nothing when you in it!! Once it climbs above 35, it's just hot!!!! Lol. Best option is to get some portable aircons. You can pick up the evaporative mini ones for a couple hundred bucks each, then take them with you when you move. Always handy to have.

[Denise]

Thanks for that, good idea, hadnt heard of them.

[Guest familygood]

Hi Denise,

 

Can you let me know the name of the agent that is letting you arrange your rental in advance? Not sure I want to do this yet but would be good to have the option. One less thing to worry about!!!

Thanks

[Lazy Cow]

We've had four summers here,so not particularly long, but in that time we've used our aircon about four days each one. We have two units in the house, one in the kitchen to help with the bedrooms, and one in the lounge room. We've never switched the one in the kitchen on,just the loungeroom one.

 

We use a few fans which the kids just angle to hit them when they go to bed. Similarly we only have heating in the loungeroom, and individual heaters for the kids. Our electricity bills are not particularly high so no worries there either! We do have a pool, but it's really only the kids that use it - which is annoying as I spend more time cleaning the bloomin' thing that they do using it!

 

I think you get used to the heat - we have- and at the end of the day, and if you really can't hack it, just invest in a good portable cooler. Or use wet sheets/ clothes, which are lovely!

 

We live in Aberfoyle Park - the older bit, so not in the Hills (just the foothills).

 

Good luck!

LC

[suzer]

Keep in mind you can always buy yourself a free standing a/c unit, or evaporative fan or two...they work ok.

[Guest Tina P]

Oh no, wish I hadn't asked this question I kind of already knew what the answer would be. What to do now? Maybe take this rental for 6months and swap before the summer kicks in? 6months would take us to November so could get somewhere else for Christmas, surely I wouldnt need it before then?

 

Hi,

 

Sounds like you are coming over May time, I wouldn't be worrying about cooling - I'd worry about heating. Do you know if this rental has any heating ?

 

Our first rental had just a gas fire in the living room, which was useless in a big open plan house. We bought oil heaters for the bedrooms but the house was tiles and wood floors and so cold. This was also in Aberfoyle Park.

 

I can cope better with the heat than the cold.

 

I really would check the heating out.

 

Tina

[Guest stufi1997]

Hi,

 

Sounds like you are coming over May time, I wouldn't be worrying about cooling - I'd worry about heating. Do you know if this rental has any heating ?

 

Our first rental had just a gas fire in the living room, which was useless in a big open plan house. We bought oil heaters for the bedrooms but the house was tiles and wood floors and so cold. This was also in Aberfoyle Park.

 

I can cope better with the heat than the cold.

 

I really would check the heating out.

 

Tina

ME TOO. :wideeyed:we do live in victor though I suppose....but it's freezing here at nights and in the mornings....I'm panicking about getting some wood for the fire in now:unsure: I would say check the heating before the cooling though, good luck, fiona xx

[Guest nishman]

Sounds like you are coming over May time, I wouldn't be worrying about cooling - I'd worry about heating. Do you know if this rental has any heating ?

 

Just what I was thinking. It does shock a few newbies when they get to their first winter - it's maybe less of an issue coming straight from the English summer, rather than the Aussie one. If it's not got it, prepare to rug-up! We picked up some cheap fan heaters for the bedroom (for that early morning cold run to the bathroom) and timer sockets to see us through two winters...

 

No AC is not the end of the world, but there will be a week or two in the summer when you'll miss it. Fans and wet towel/bedding all help a little. A lot will also depend on the the house e.g. levels of insulation and any shade from trees/blinds/verandas etc - even on a mild day in the mid 20's, solar gain can make a room or section of the house really uncomfortable. A gully or sea breeze in the afternoon is a lifesaver too.

[Denise]

Hi Denise,

 

Can you let me know the name of the agent that is letting you arrange your rental in advance? Not sure I want to do this yet but would be good to have the option. One less thing to worry about!!!

Thanks

 

I'd love to help with this but its a friend of a friend who is doing us a favour and I'm not sure she'd be too happy if I put her name up here. I will ask her of course and PM you the details if its ok. We just wanted to do this for peace of mind on our arrival but we are only doing it as we have friends to check the house over for us, I wouldnt do it just from photos.

I spent months emailing estate agents last year asking the question whether this can be done from the UK and every single one which replied said no and the others just didnt reply!

There is a website called www.noagentproperty.com which people off here have used also.

Just incase you decided to try and arrange before you get there.

 

Denise

[Denise]

We've had four summers here,so not particularly long, but in that time we've used our aircon about four days each one. We have two units in the house, one in the kitchen to help with the bedrooms, and one in the lounge room. We've never switched the one in the kitchen on,just the loungeroom one.

 

We use a few fans which the kids just angle to hit them when they go to bed. Similarly we only have heating in the loungeroom, and individual heaters for the kids. Our electricity bills are not particularly high so no worries there either! We do have a pool, but it's really only the kids that use it - which is annoying as I spend more time cleaning the bloomin' thing that they do using it!

 

I think you get used to the heat - we have- and at the end of the day, and if you really can't hack it, just invest in a good portable cooler. Or use wet sheets/ clothes, which are lovely!

 

We live in Aberfoyle Park - the older bit, so not in the Hills (just the foothills).

 

Good luck!

LC

 

Thanks for that, I was more worried for the children, like I said, I've been ok and had some real hot summers in Perth, although I am getting older now!! Definatley will go with the portable unit idea instead of having to uproot as we love the house.

[Denise]

Hi,

 

Sounds like you are coming over May time, I wouldn't be worrying about cooling - I'd worry about heating. Do you know if this rental has any heating ?

 

Our first rental had just a gas fire in the living room, which was useless in a big open plan house. We bought oil heaters for the bedrooms but the house was tiles and wood floors and so cold. This was also in Aberfoyle Park.

 

I can cope better with the heat than the cold.

 

I really would check the heating out.

 

Tina

 

Thanks Tina, yes we have heating, heaters in both lounges and diners and the bedrooms are carpet and we have a heater which we have shipped over for each room, I hate the cold too!

[Denise]

Doh, it has air con after all!!! It just didnt say on the listing, PHEW

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

I know that this is pretty late to respond but... an aircon in Summer is a must.

What I would be asking now would be "what type of heating does the house have?"

Last year was really cold. If you have gas then that's good but if it's just electricity then you might be in for some high utility accounts.

Just a thought!