Can I live without air conditioning?

June 7, 2006 4:12 AM

I need a bit of advice on moving from northeast Florida (Jacksonville) to the Bay Area (Santa Cruz)...

I've recently almost completed a move from Jacksonville, FL to Santa Cruz, CA for a new job, but I'm wondering if anyone has any words of wisdom to impart on my situation.

In housing-plentiful Jacksonville, I lived in a ~2000 sf house, but I'm moving into a ~800 sf 2 bed/1 bath apartment here in Santa Cruz (I know, but it's only temporary for a few months until I find something more permanent). I'm by myself, but with two cats, and the only unusual thing that I'm bringing with me is ~12k records and ~4k CDs (I've been a DJ for way too long). I'm planning on putting most of those records into a storage unit, so they shouldn't be a problem, but some will remain with me in the apartment.

So my questions are mainly around climate control. The apartment lacks AC, and only has heat in the living room and in the hallway between the bedrooms. The apartment is about a block from the beach. Now in Florida, you simply can't live without AC -- it's miserable without it. Being the AC-addicted ex-Florida resident that I am, will I be able to live without AC in the summer? Will the half-assed heat arrangment keep me warm enough in the winter? And will I have any issues with condensation and humidity, especially with my records? Or will I need to go buy a portable AC unit, similar to one of these? Or is there any other solution that you could recommend? And will my cats be okay with the change? (I'm pretty sure that they will, but thought I'd throw that one in just in case.)

And any other advice for this particular situation would of course be appreciated...

posted by Oops to Home & Garden (11 answers total)

Almost every day of the year, Santa Cruz has fog in the morning that burns off by noon. For this reason, Santa Cruz never gets hot enough for you to need an air conditioner. Yes, there are a day or two here or there that get hot, but the insides of houses never really get bad on those days. Acclimate yourself for a week or so and see what I mean. I lived there for years and years without AC. I don't remember anyone using AC there.

bonus info: go to taqueria morenos (two locations). Order three quesidillas and load them with the salsa on squeeze bottles on the table. The quesidillas are more like tacos --- it's the best thing you can eat in santa cruz.
posted by about_time at 4:51 AM on June 7, 2006

Very few people have AC in the Bay Area, because you'd only need it maybe a week out of the year (unless you're in some god-forsaken place like Concord). The heating should also suffice, but you could always invest in some heave blankets.
posted by falconred at 5:32 AM on June 7, 2006

I never had AC as a child and I lived on the humid East Coast. What I did was keep a bucket of ice on my night table and a couple of washclothes soaked in them. Throughout the night I would change the cloth and drape it on my body, head, legs and had a fan beating directly on me. Got me through the nights.
posted by any major dude at 5:51 AM on June 7, 2006

I grew up in Santa Cruz, and no one I knew had A/C. As mentioned above, there will be a couple days a year when it gets hot (usually Septemberish) but it's really one of the most benign climates you'll find anywhere. One of the differences you'll notice right away is that when the sun goes down, it cools off!
I would be a little concerned about the humidity for your music collection. It's nothing like east coast humidity (I know, I lived in Baltimore for a decade) but that coastal fog can bring on the damp. I don't have any suggestions for that, sorry, but I'd suggest talking to locals. My first stop would be Logos Books & Records on Pacific Ave. They buy/sell used books and music, and are not far from the beach. They might have some suggestions, and besides, it's a great place to hang out.
posted by ChromeDome at 6:22 AM on June 7, 2006

What nobody will tell you about the Bay Area (not entirely sure about SC in particular) is that in the summer it gets cold at night. I had a friend come visit me in SF from Jacksonville in August and he was pissed that I didn't tell him to bring a sweatshirt.
posted by radioamy at 8:42 AM on June 7, 2006

You could always invest in a good ceiling fan for your apartment.
posted by Number27 at 9:59 AM on June 7, 2006

I used to live in a very similar-sounding place maybe *two* blocks from the beach in Santa Cruz, and believe me, the heat was never a problem. On the other hand, I have seldom been as chronically bone-chilled as I used to be in that place in winter (and I speak as a near-lifelong Minnesotan). Calif. builders tend not to believe in insulation, and (as you note) put in only the most scanty minimal heating. You may end up needing sweaters and space heaters much more than A/C.
posted by Kat Allison at 10:23 AM on June 7, 2006

I attended UC Santa Cruz and lived there for five years, from 1999-2004 without an air-conditioner. Heat is never a problem, and on the days that it does creep up to 90˚F, it gives you an excuse to head to the beach, where the water is icy cold.

During winter, you will definitely need some kind of space heater.
posted by invisible ink at 12:22 PM on June 7, 2006

Also, I should note that I've visited Florida, and the heat in Santa Cruz is nowhere near as thick and oppressive. Because you're right next to the ocean, there will always be some kind of refreshing breeze. I LOVE Santa Cruz. If you have any questions at all about the area, please feel free to email me.
posted by invisible ink at 12:24 PM on June 7, 2006

If you're two block from the beach, then you won't have a problem with the heat. You will have a problem with traffic and tourists during the summer but it will be so worth it.
posted by rdr at 2:44 PM on June 7, 2006

Don't worry about heat. Summer comes in September. Get a ceiling fan if you can. This will help a lot with any summer heat, and will definately help circulate the heat in the winter. You may want to get a dehumidifier for the winter months if it looks like you are getting mold or mildew. Welcome to the land of high rent.

wife of 445supermag
posted by 445supermag at 3:03 PM on June 7, 2006