Do I need an AC system in Vancouver?

Remember when you thought that central air conditioning was an extravagance? In a city nestled beneath the Coastal Mountains of BC, you might be forgiven for thinking that Air Conditioning (AC) systems aren’t a necessity in terms of keeping your house cooler, but Vancouver homeowners are changing the way that they consider air conditioning in their homes. 

No longer a “nice to have”

Vancouver summers are getting warmer and longer with each passing year, so it’s important to ensure that your home feels comfortable when it comes to running the right internal temperature. Where once AC systems were a “nice to have” or something that only expensive homes could offer, they have fast become necessary for homes in the Lower Mainland. When the Celsius hits 30 degrees on a hot summer’s day outside, you’d be amazed at how fast your home can heat up inside. 

Many older homes in the city simply weren’t constructed with AC – summers used to be fairly mild in Vancouver and so the older homes didn’t require it. It just wasn’t that warm over the summer months.

When it comes to new condos and property developments, many are also not constructed with AC systems. However, south-facing condos (and any south-facing home for that matter) with floor-to-ceiling windows (and particularly ocean- or water-facing properties) can act as a greenhouse, rapidly heating up the interior of the property. 

Times are a-changing

The climate here is changing and summer days have more warmth than 20 years ago. In addition, the increase in forest fires has meant that we often experience forest fire smoke for a few weeks of the year, which means that opening up windows is not an option, and so the inside of a home can increase in temperature. In our experience, we’ve measured temperatures of up to 40C in living rooms during a typical Vancouver summer and this can be a health hazard for both humans and pets.

Tolerating such high temperatures in Vancouver homes is no longer an option and property owners are looking to the installation of AC systems as a necessary solution to the hotter weather.

If you own a property without AC, a new system can usually be retro-fitted into existing forced air furnaces. A ductless AC system can also be installed in condos or single-family homes and are a great way to bring cool air into your home, especially if you don’t have a forced air system and duct work. They’re also ideal for controlling the temperature in room additions or in rooms that get a lot of sun and need a little more help to stay cool in the summer.

Whatever option you choose, installing an AC system in your home not only helps you control the internal temperature and improve air quality, they are generally quick and easy to install, plus they can increase the re-sale value of your home.

It’s important to have your residential AC system professionally installed by a local AC replacement and installation expert. To get your new home AC system professionally installed today, talk to us at Ashton Service Group.