[bluejellybean]

I guess I am in the minority because I don't run an AC unit in my bedroom office here in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The humidity can get a little miserable during the height of the day, but it's completely tolerable as your body adjusts. For the few days each year when we get into the 90s, I strap a couple of reusable ice-packs from my ice chest to my back, neck, and seat. This method works exceedingly well for affordable cooling until the night temperatures bring everything back into comfortable territory.

I visited Texas this summer and the consistency of the 100+ degree days turned me off from ever considering that part of the country. I find that it's just too hostile to life; heaven forbid you experience a power outage for a week causing your AC to become a useless heap of metal; what then?

Edit: Does this data count heating as well? Whenever I hear "AC" I typically think cooling, thus my main comment is focused on that aspect. Heating here really only needs to be enough to keep pipes from freezing, beyond that, it's very easy to stay warm with enough clothing, blankets, and body movement.

[PebblesRox]

Reading a Mr. Money Mustache article about heat acclimation really changed my mindset about air conditioning. For the past several summers, we've used minimal-to-low AC. It helps that we both work from home now, so we're not spending our days in a highly-air-conditioned office.

https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/06/14/the-worlds-most-e...