The recent spate of unprecedented hot weather has all of us rethinking our philosophy about air conditioners. For as many years as I have lived in this area (and that has been quite a few), people here smugly proclaimed that air conditioning was not necessary. It was pretty rare for the weather to get uncomfortably hot, and when that did happen it would last a few days at most before we got back to normal. Normal may mean 80 degrees in the early and mid afternoon, but our "natural air conditioning" (meaning the cooling fog and breezes from the coast) would inevitably lower the temperature to at least the mid 60's or even lower each night, so we could cool our houses and rest peacefully.

Well, as the old saying goes, that was then, and this is now. This summer has been one of the hottest on record, with recurring hot days and nights that remain hot. All of a sudden, house hunters are just as interested in air conditioning as granite counter tops and a professional stove in the klitchen. No longer is it viewed as an unecessary luxury, and more and more builders are including air conditioning in their plans. State-wide, 70% of homes build between 2001 and 2003 had air conditioning, as opposed to 29% in homes built prior to 1975 (California Energy Commission). Locally the numbers are lower, but that is beginning to change too.

If you are interested in retrofitting your home, the cost will vary depending on the size of the house and the type of heating system you already have. If you have a newer furnace and ducts that are"air conditoning compatible" the cost for installing a central air conditioning system will start around $3000. If you have to install a new furnace and ducts as well, the starting price will jump to at least $10,000. The older, window mounted room conditioners are much less popular now than they used to be. (Note: There is a new state law that requires a furnace installer to check the ducts for leaks whenever a new furnace is installed. If the ducts leak, they must be sealed or replaced. So, you may thinks your ducts are OK but be prepared, "just in case.")

If central air conditioning is not high on your priority list, there are other cost effective home improvements you can make that will soften the brunt of those extra hot days. For starters, there is nothing quite so efficient as good ceiling insulation. Next in line would be to replace older windows with high efficiency, low e coated windows. I did this in my home and the result was outstanding. Not only did it improve the overall appearance of the house, but on extra hot days I no longer have close all of the blinds and drapes (and still swelter) My house remains cool except for the most extreme cases, even with the drapes and blinds fully open.  

Of course there are things all of us should keep in mind when the temperatures soar... stay out of the sun, drink lots of water, try to conserve energy (because the increased demand could cause rolling blackouts.) If possible, avoid driving (has nothing to do with your house but it will help to keep pollution levels down.) What a great excuse to carpool with your friends or take public transport, come home and prepare a light summer dinner, maybe a salad with cold meat and iced tea, and sit out in the back yard to enjoy the natural beauty of living in California!