AC is not necessary...
but it is wonderful.
With this cool summer we have been having, we just left the windows open and the AC off. It was entirely comfortable, and I've enjoyed the air. Until this week.
Many days this week were in the 30's that felt like the 40's. So we went to flip on the AC and cool the house down. And.... nothing.
The thermostat no longer had the current temp or time and wasn't able to turn on our furnace or AC. Changing batteries did nothing. Dead. Old and dead. It was likely original to the house about 25 years ago.
So we got a new one today and I was able to rewire it in (not difficult at all) and I've got to tell you, instant relief. 25 degrees (the built in default temp) is SO much more comfortable than 30.5. Air conditioning is a marvel of modern technology.
We bought the new thermostat at Canadian Tire and decided to cash in our decade long collection of Canadian Tire money. $35 or so. About a 3 inch stack of bills.
If you don't have AC or Canadian Tire, I feel sorry for you.