AIBU to buy air conditioning on credit during this heatwave?

[Pansypots]

I'm currently housebound and taking medication that makes it much harder to cope with the heat.

I'm doing all the right things - windows and curtains closed when the sun in on them, reflective foil on the glass, multiple powerful fans, including a misting one but I'm still finding the heat unbearable. My flat is south facing and has large windows which makes it into an oven in the summer.

It's currently 28c in the flat with the curtains closed and the back windows open because they're catching a cool breeze.

I have asked my landlord about fitting shutters or ceiling fans and been refused.

I'm genuinely considering buying a AC unit but would have to pay for it on my credit card. I can afford the repayments but absolutely hate using it unless it's an emergency. Wibu?

its still hot in my shithole. Still wearing wet tops

@NeverDropYourMooncup camenonto say we bought that exact one from Screwfix but you’ve already got it! It’s amazing. We got it for £140 on the sale the day before the heatwave. We are so so bizarre in the uk wirh our attitude to aircon. We were doing everything right, had indoor and outdoor thermometers, got up early to open all the doors and windows then locked it down at 9am etc and it was srill 31 and like you medically it was killing me.

would I pay £140 for just a week a year in the 36’ heat? Absofuckinglutely. I can’t spend all day sitting In an aircon Starbucks spending the same amount to stay there

It has been an absolute miracle. I put it on for an hour in the morning and it cools my entire flat significantly. If it gets too hot, I put it back on for another hour. I was starting to feel really ill on the heat, and was getting extremely anxious about the heat.

I feel so much better both physically and mentally since getting it.

So pleased to hear it

There's a lot to be said for knowing that you'll always have access to a cool room.

I did the same and dont regret it. We are a house which has disabled people living here and honesty having just one cool room has been a game changer. Do it.

Exactly. I am able to go out now knowing I will get a break when I come home.

I never understand the 'you'll only use it for a week'. Summers are getting longer and hotter and we've just had a week in May that broke records!! Factor in the people that find hot weather hard to cope with, myself included, I'd say it is definitely needed. I spend hot days (and for me that's anything from mid twenties and above) feeling sick, shaky and headachy.
I always wish I was someone who loves the heat, but my body just isn't having any of it!

This! I used it last night even though it was cool as we had people staying so bedroom doors shut and would get hotter than usual

My unit can be switched to fan to keep air circulating, filters out assorted airborne contaminants and has a dehumidifier function that's useful for drying clothes when it's wet and cold outside/I don't want to use the tumble dryer.

That's great for more than a week, even before you take into account that it's too damn hot most of the time from May to September when you live in a built up area in a well insulated house that faces ESE (so is in full sun from dawn) and, thanks to other buildings deflecting any meaningful airflow well away, never really feel any cooling breeze.

@pouletvous

Still think summer is over? I bet you feel silly now...

I am extremely glad I bought it because it's forecast to be 40c here this week. I genuinely think I would have ended up extremely unwell without it 😬

I’ll bet it feels great! :D Enjoy OP. We’ll be getting AC in our forever house… If we can ever sell this new build 🤦🏻‍♀️

We had ours on the last couple of nights too. And will be til the end of the week I expect!

It feels amazing! I've actually just had to turn if off because I was too chilly 😆

My eyesight isn’t very good so could you say which one you bought and how you have sealed the window? I do have one ( s portable SC unit) but the damn tube keeps coming out at the back

https://www.screwfix.com/p/air-conditioning-unit-5000btu/931ax

Is the one I have. It cools my entire flat which is lovely!

I bought a kit for the window but it was rubbish so I cut an old shower curtain to fit over the entire window panel and stuck it into place with duck transparent repair tape. It's working brilliantly!

The tube kept coming out of the back of mine too so I put a few wraps of tape around it.

Thank you @Pansypots I’ll have a go with the duct tape

OP it’s lovely, and a clever and thankfully cheap way of dealing with the window. I read the early posts and it’s amazing how dismissive people were about buying AC. You must be so glad you ignored them and took the plunge. To go from the hell of a hot flat with all its attendant misery and health issues, to a flat so cool YOU HAD TO PUT IT OFF BECAUSE IT WAS SO CHILLY - that’s a miracle and a godsend. You must be so so happy!

I'm genuinely thrilled and smile every time I use it! It's only been on for about three hours today but it made a massive difference especially with my fan running to help circulate the cold air. I feel so much better physically too which is a blessing!

Just do it. You know yourself whether you can afford to pay it back.

a neighbour has just had professionally installed air con, £17k. I’m pretty sure the majority of people don’t pay for that upfront.

https://www.ducktape.co.uk/products/duck-transparent-repair-tape/

Is the stuff you want because it peels off cleanly ☺️

I’ve got two paid about £350 each for them 5 years ago, hands down the best purchase I’ve ever made. Mines air con, fan and dehumidifier and I use it from around April til September/October because both of us are hot sleepers and use the fan up until then. Ignore mn users who spout you’ll only use it for a couple of days a year 🙃

Thank you! After reading your post, I did have a go with ordinary duct tape and it works! The unit was going at full power and it stayed on, I was clearly not putting enough on so you gave me that boost of confidence.

As it’s a long term thing, I’ll invest in the one you suggested.

What a helpful thread this is

🥳🥳🥳🥳

Really glad it helped you!