Do Beach Houses Have ACs?

Some coastal regions are typically cool, breezy, and comfortable; some holidaymakers do not like air conditioning and prefer to have the windows open to cool down. Not everyone finds that method of controlling temperatures comfortable. That made us wonder whether beach houses need ACs. Let’s find out!

For years beach houses along the coast have not had ACs installed because people just opened the windows and let the ocean breezes cool the home. But as temperatures have been rising over the years, most beach houses are now equipped with ACs to reduce humidity and provide comfort during hot days.

If you live in a coastal region with moderate temperatures, you might not need an AC unit. However, if your beach house is in a hot, humid area, you might need air conditioning all day when it becomes unbearably hot. Let’s explore if beach houses need ACs and why.

Does Beach Houses Need ACs?

Before air conditioning, beach houses were built with natural airflow in mind to keep them cool. Most beach houses were made from wood and raised on piers, allowing natural sea air to circulate under the house, cooling it down.

Beach houses typically had huge windows and wrap-around porches, and most rooms had ceiling fans to help control temperatures. Beach houses had cross-ventilation, high ceilings, and vented to keep temperatures down without ACs.

Temperatures were also more moderate those days before global warming became an issue. As global temperatures continue to rise, it has become clear that more and more people want ACs in their beach homes to help control hot and humid air and feel comfortable.

An AC is a necessity for a comfortable life on the coast. Keeping cool during a heat wave protects people from heat exhaustion, heatstroke, heat-related severe illnesses, and even death.

Heat-Related Illnesses Due to Lack of Air Conditioning

When temperatures rise, people can get heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and possibly even die. When a body cannot effectively sweat and cool off, it increases the risk. High humidity found on coastlines increases the risk because sweat cannot evaporate.

High temperatures paired with high humidity will lead to increased internal body temperature, which will affect the way enzymes and muscles work and cause vital organs to stop working. Heatwaves in the US are a deadly natural hazard.

During the 27 June 2020 heatwave in Washington State, the recorded death toll from heat-related illnesses where 95. At the same time, Oregon recorded 96 heat-related deaths when temperatures climbed more than 30 degrees higher than average that week. This caused severe heat-related illnesses in a place where such extremely high temperatures are uncommon.

In British Columbia, more than 400 heat-related deaths were reported during the same week. It is well-known that heat-related deaths are more common in older people; however, high temperatures can make everyone ill and quickly cause hospitalizations.

The human brain becomes sluggish and loses function when exposed to high temperatures. Recent studies have shown that students with ACs in their dorm rooms could concentrate better than students without ACs.

Hot, humid conditions negatively impact young people’s brains; scientists found it is worse for elderly persons, children, and persons with medical conditions.

While this highlights why it is essential to have ACs in beach houses, it also shows the importance of ACs in schools.

The unprecedented heat wave in the Pacific Northwest, where temperatures reached above 116 degrees, caused air conditioners to become a treasure for many coastal residents, that found it difficult to escape the heat even inside their homes.

How Did Beach Houses Stay Cool Without AC?

The extraordinarily high temperatures that are commonplace today were nonexistent 50 to 100 years ago. Seven of the top ten most incredible US summers recorded were from 1900 to 1950. Summer temperatures were a lot cooler back then, and people did not need air conditioning.

While air conditioning was first developed in 1902, it was rather expensive, and most people could not afford it and went without it. People found many innovative ways to stay cool without air conditioning.

These are a few innovative things people did to stay cool without an AC in their home:

Screens were installed on windows to keep direct sunlight out.
Beach houses had many windows that allowed hot air to escape.
People opened windows at night to let the cool ocean breezes in.
People had fans blow air over ice blocks to cool a room down.
People drank and ate cool refreshing treats like ice cream, iced tea, and lemonade.
Baking and cooking were reserved for cooler times of the day.

Why is it Important for Beach Houses to Have ACs?

The US coastline receives a considerable amount of sunshine around the year. While the warm sunny beaches are a huge tourist attraction, living through the summer heat can challenge most coastal residents.

You would think that a cool sea breeze blowing an AC unit in a beach house is obsolete. But as summers are getting hotter and remaining hotter for longer, most holidaymakers stated how much they appreciated the air conditioning on the coast. While others complained about how much more they would have enjoyed their holiday if their beach house had air conditioning.

As global temperatures continue to rise, it becomes clear that people cannot live without air conditioning unless they live in a cold climate. High temperatures negatively affect human brains and need cool temperatures to function correctly.

A beach house should have a proper cooling system to reduce indoor temperatures to comfortable living levels to beat the summer heat and humidity.

An AC is considered an essential service in most parts of the United States, and some states impose rules on landlords to repair ACs in a reasonable time. Renters can exit a lease or have the AC repaired themselves and subtract the cost if the landlord fails to repair the AC in a reasonable time. Today, you rarely find a beach house without an air conditioning system, ductless mini-split ACs or central AC.

ACs Reduce High Humidity in Beach Houses

High humidity can impact your beach house in many ways, and humidity also has many adverse effects on a person’s health. Because of the high humidity, most coastal residents rely on air conditioning to maintain comfortable living levels. An AC installed in your beach house offers many benefits.

Air conditioning units effectively lowers high humidity levels in a home. No one wants to live in an uncomfortable beach house sweating day and night. The humidity-reducing capabilities of air conditioning units make them essential for beach houses.

Most beach houses today have ACs installed in one form, and most coastal residents no longer see ceiling fans as a solution to the heat and humidity. No one wants to feel uncomfortable on their holiday or have their furnishings damaged.

High humidity can cause unpleasant smells, mildew, fungal growth, and mold in your beach house. Controlling humidity in your beach house is essential and best done with an air conditioner unit and air dehumidifier to keep the levels down.

Air conditioning lowers humidity levels drastically. Humidity in your beach house should not be higher than 50%. When indoor humidity is higher than that, condensation occurs, and humidity-related problems are present like:

Musty odors and unpleasant smells.
Mold forms.
Paint peels of walls.
Wooden furniture and floors get warped.
Humidity places extra stress on electrical appliances.

Most electrical appliances like freezers and refrigerators are made to withstand certain temperatures; they still must function within an ambient temperature level.

The correct indoor temperature does not affect your electrical appliances, while an overly humid and hot indoor environment will overwork them and even cause them to break down entirely. Without an AC in your beach house, these are a few issues you could be facing:

Added stress on your freezer and refrigerator.
High energy bills.
Appliance breakdowns.
Pantry food spoiling faster.
Electronics getting damaged

Alarm systems, televisions, and video game systems can all be damaged by excessive humidity and heat. The sensitive circuits soldered together get damaged by high temperatures and humidity. IF you allow your beach house to get overly hot, you risk damage to electronics and home appliances, causing:

Motors can be damaged
TV and computer screens can crack.
Electronic circuits can melt.

ACs Provide Better Air Quality and Reduce Asthma Related Illnesses

There are several ways to improve air quality in your beach house, but an AC is the best choice. Studies have shown that people have become increasingly focused on safe and healthy purified air in their homes.

Installing an air conditioner in your beach house is another reason to breathe easily it is the filter for your home, controls the indoor climate, and improves ventilation.

For asthma residents, installing an AC will help reduce asthma attacks by filtering out air pollutants. Your beach house’s indoor air can become a health hazard with dust and bacteria present due to heat and improper ventilation. This can cause respiratory problems, and you can develop fatigue, colds, coughs, and headaches.

Having an AC in your beach house benefits people suffering from respiratory health issues. The air is filtered, removing dirty air containing allergens, pollutants, and dust mites with an AC. Moisture is also eliminated, which can cause mold, furthermore helping people living with asthma breathe more easily.

These are all things that can cause increased asthma attacks in people who suffer from respiratory illnesses. Living in a beach house with a good air conditioning system significantly reduces the risk of asthma attacks. Make sure you change the AC air filters every 30 to 60 days to keep the air clean and healthy.

Global Temperatures are Higher Today

Climate change affects the global temperatures that have risen substantially over the last 50 years. With the world becoming hotter than usual, most people have installed ACs in their beach houses. According to the California Energy Commission, coastal residents buy air conditioners faster than inland residents.

Best ACs for Beach Houses

These air conditioning units we list below are best for coastal regions. They are specifically designed to handle harsh coastal climates.

Carrier 14 Comfort Coastal Air Conditioner – 24ACA4**C Central

The Carrier 14 Comfort coastal air conditioner is efficient and affordable. This coastal AC is designed with WeatherShield™ perfect protection against salt air coast corrosion.

Features:

14 SEER cooling efficiency.
Filter drier system.
Protection from contaminants and moisture
Ozone friendly Puron® refrigerant
Offers a 10-year limited parts warranty.
Offers a 5-year coastal corrosion parts warranty.
WeatherShield™ protection.
Features a Single-stage scroll compressor.
Carrier® Côr™ thermostat.
Capacity at 1.5-5 tons.
Runs as low as 73 decibels.
Heavy-duty galvanized steel construction.
Baked-on powder coat paint.
Dense wire coil guard.

The Carrier Comfort 14 Coastal Air Conditioner can be found online at:

https://www.carrier.com/residential/en/us/products/air-conditioners/24aca4–c/

Comfortmaker Performance 14 Coastal Air Conditioner – N4A4**C Central

The Comfortmaker coastal air conditioner lines are among the quietest, most efficient ACs for beach houses. It offers excellent dehumidification for beach houses all year round.

Features:

Features a Single-stage compressor.
Designed explicitly for salt air environments.
Provides up to 14 SEER cooling.
Runs quietly at 72 decibels.
Limited 10-Year Parts Warranty
Features a Single-speed fan motor.
Cooling capacity at 1.5–5 tons.
Ozone-friendly Refrigerant R-410A.

Comfortmaker offers an AC unit specifically manufactured to provide the best cooling and built to protect its components against harsh coastal conditions.

The Comfortmaker Performance 14 Coastal Air Conditioner can be found online at:

https://www.comfortmaker.com/en/us/products/air-conditioners/performance-14-coastal-design-central-air-conditioner/

Carrier 17 Infinity® Coastal Air Conditioner 24ANB7**C

The superior Carrier 17 Infinity model is manufactured to provide excellent cooling for any beach house and offer the best salt air resistance.

The Infinity coastal air conditioner offers the highest efficiency and the best dehumidification for beach houses.

Features:

Features a Two-Stage Compressor.
Certified ENERGY STAR®. Up to 17 SEER energy savings.
Offers enhanced humidity control.
Quiet operation and sound blanket and our Silencer System II™ are designed to minimize noise.
Available in different sizes to fit most homes.
A limited 10-year warranty.

The Carrier Infinity® 17 Coastal Air Conditioner can be found online at:

https://www.carrier.com/residential/en/us/products/air-conditioners/24anb7–c/index.html

Conclusion

People living on the coast brushed off the idea of air conditioning for years and relied on fans, sea breezes, and open windows to cool down.

However, global temperatures have been rising steadily, and temperatures that were comfortable on the coast for 50 years are not comfortable today. Humidity levels in beach houses make proper air conditioning a necessity. Almost 75% of US homes have air conditioning today.

Installing a good air conditioning system in your beach house will provide a cooler, healthier, and more comfortable living environment. Today, air conditioning is considered a necessity and not a luxury. We hope you found this article informative and have no problem choosing a coastal air conditioner for your beach house.

Sources

Chrissie Smuts

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