Do I Need an Air Conditioner in Alaska? | Moore Heating
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Do I Really Need an Air Conditioner in Alaska?

Are Air Conditioners Practical in Alaska?

Jun
7

We expect that for many, the first answer that pops into your head is, “of course not!” It’s Alaska after all; it just doesn’t get that hot. And while we would agree that technically most could probably survive our short but glorious summers without air conditioning, there are some significant benefits to consider.

We Have a lot of Windows

The average temperature in Anchorage during the summer will range from 55 to 78 degrees. While that may sound tolerable, remember that if you have a lot of windows the long, long days will heat up your house well above 78 degrees. And let’s face it, we all have as many windows as we can to soak up as much light and breathtaking views as possible. So even on days when it’s tolerable outside, our well insulated Alaskan homes turn into ovens. Having an air conditioner can keep your home comfortable after a long day fishing, gardening, or hiking.

The Health Benefits of Air Conditioning

While our summers may be short, they are intense, and this includes pollen and other airborne particles that cause allergies to kick in. Without an air conditioner, you are left with opening all the windows and turning on a fan. Both of which increase the allergens in the air. An air conditioning unit can filter out the allergens that come into your home providing you with a refuge from the onslaught of pollen and other particulates.

Air Conditioners can Increase Productivity

We have some beautiful office buildings in Anchorage with full glass windows that provide 360-degree views of mountains, water, sunrises, and sunsets. Due to safety regulations, most of those windows do not open so air on hot days especially gets heavy and stifling. Air conditioners offer benefits for employers and employees.

Fatigue, headaches, colds, coughing and general discomfort, can be caused by excessive heat or cold. Air conditioners can moderate the temperature and keep it at optimal performance levels. The research documented by and article in Scientific American is staggering:

“In one lab study, participants were asked to proofread an article while they were in either a warm (77°) or a cool (67°) room. Participants in warm rooms performed significantly worse than those in cool rooms, failing to identify almost half of the spelling and grammatical errors (those in cool rooms, on the hand, only missed a quarter of the mistakes). These results suggest that even simple cognitive tasks can be adversely affected by excessive ambient warmth.” Reported by Adrian F. Ward, Scientific American

So while we could probably all technically survive our Alaskan summers without air conditioning, why would you want to when there are such positive benefits to having them? If you are interested in more information about air conditioning options for your home or business, you should reach out to your local professional air conditioning experts.