June 1, 2021
We know a lot about our neighbors across the pond regarding things like Harry and Meghan. But did you know that only 0.5% of homes in the UK have built-in air conditioning?
This may seem crazy to us here in Arizona, but this is pretty normal in England. Why? Let us explain!
It all comes down to climate and culture. At this time of year, temperatures are naturally cooler, with average highs around 65 – 66°. This means you don’t need an air conditioner. Over here in Phoenix, we wonder, what must that be like??
Of course, that doesn’t mean that homes in the UK never need to be cooled down – they usually rely on a good old-fashioned fan for that. In addition, most people spend quite a lot of their day outside, so they don’t stay at home for long to feel that excess heat.
In addition, homes in the UK are often built with a loft space. This means that if you live somewhere in the UK where it gets hot, warm air rises and stays up in the loft area.
So, overall, it’s a little bit inconvenient, but nothing that can’t be dealt with!
Did you know that most homes in the UK are older than those in the US? And many have even been there before the founding of America! As you can imagine, it’s not easy to install a new cooling system in such an old home. In addition, the age of a home can often mean it doesn’t have enough insulation to keep cool air from escaping.
But that doesn’t mean there’s no demand for A/C systems in the UK at all. We found a 2019 article from WIRED UK talking about how, that year, A/C unit sales increased 11% in the UK! “What is unusual is France, Germany, and the UK. These are not traditional residential markets for air conditioning but they are seeing an increase in temperature and associated demand for air conditioning units,” said Saziye Dickson, a building services consultant.
So, why are air conditioning units so uncommon in the UK? It just might be because many homes there simply weren’t built for them. And when it comes to a British summer heatwave, that’s going to make a huge difference!
Meanwhile, in Phoenix, we have a huge demand for A/C, whether that’s tune-ups, repair, or replacement. Here at Parker & Sons, we’ve been helping our customers beat the heat for years with affordable and reliable air conditioning systems! If you have any questions or any cooling needs, give us a call today! We’ll be happy to help!
Source: WIRED UK
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