Do I need air conditioning in Fremont?

[80skeys]

Well, Fremont always seems about 5+ degrees warmer than where I'm at in Sunnyvale, and where I live there are probably 10 or 12 days in the summer that I wish we had A/C ....

[SFG510]

Fremont probably averages in the mid 70's- 80's during the summer months (drops to the 50's-60's at night). There will probably only be a handful of days where the temps will get into the 90's-100's. I guess you could buy an AC system but I don't really think you need one, a fan would work just fine.

[ccm123]

Lived in Fremont (near Lake Elizabeth). We never had AC, but wished we did, for about a week or two per year. The temperatures in Fremont stay pretty nice most of the year, but will get warm for a week or two.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by ccm123

Lived in Fremont (near Lake Elizabeth). We never had AC, but wished we did, for about a week or two per year. The temperatures in Fremont stay pretty nice most of the year, but will get warm for a week or two.

Since this thread was resurrected today, I'll go ahead and contribute, because the topic is still timely 11 years later. Even more relevant nowadays, in the era of extended heat waves.

Fremont now needs A/C much more than a week or two per year. In fact, a few years ago someone posted, that all the homes in the hills have it. I know people who don't have it, and they really struggle during the lengthening heat waves, which sometimes begin in late spring and can also arise into the fall. This is especially difficult if there's wildfire smoke in the area, which forces people to keep their windows closed!

You have been warned. If you're new to the area and think you'd rather muddle through the heat waves than opt for the expense of installing central air, you'll get an unpleasant wake-up call eventually.

[ippi76]

Grew up in Fremont until 2011 or so, and the parents still don't have AC in their 1960 ranch house. Are there days trust me it sucks and is 84 in the house and you can't sleep and you're cranky and wish you had it- oh yes. Then you forget about it and say "eh not worth putting it in".

I'll agree with the warmer temps and fires it is seeming more and more necessary each year.

[ccm123]

I believe you are correct, Ruth4truth.

I have some close friends/relatives still living in Fremont and have mentioned the extended heat waves and those fires.

We now live in the Tri-Valley (i.e., Dublin) and definitely need A/C, especially from around May until October.

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Since this thread was resurrected today, I'll go ahead and contribute, because the topic is still timely 11 years later. Even more relevant nowadays, in the era of extended heat waves.

Fremont now needs A/C much more than a week or two per year. In fact, a few years ago someone posted, that all the homes in the hills have it. I know people who don't have it, and they really struggle during the lengthening heat waves, which sometimes begin in late spring and can also arise into the fall. This is especially difficult if there's wildfire smoke in the area, which forces people to keep their windows closed!

You have been warned. If you're new to the area and think you'd rather muddle through the heat waves than opt for the expense of installing central air, you'll get an unpleasant wake-up call eventually.

[CaliforniaPlaya]

I think it's more of a personal choice. I grew up in San Francisco but have been in Fremont almost 30 years. I like having a bit of variety in the weather and don't mind the warmer days. My wife grew up in San Jose and she doesn't like the warm weather. She regularly has fans blowing air in the windows and doors, even during the cool mid-30's temperatures that we're having now.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaPlaya

I think it's more of a personal choice. I grew up in San Francisco but have been in Fremont almost 30 years. I like having a bit of variety in the weather and don't mind the warmer days. My wife grew up in San Jose and she doesn't like the warm weather. She regularly has fans blowing air in the windows and doors, even during the cool mid-30's temperatures that we're having now.

Well, just to be clear, we're not talking about the normal summer temps that edge into the 80's. Those were easy enough to deal with by opening windows at night, then shutting in the cool air and pulling the shades to conserve it during the day.

What we're talking about is heat waves of temps in the 90's. That used to only happen in Sept. for a week or two. It was part of the annual cycle. The last 10 years, though, there have been other several-day to week-long (or longer) heat waves of high-80's and 90's days that hit by surprise anytime from May through October or November. This development is what has caused people to install A/C. It's no longer a predictable week or two in early Sept; it's random high-temp events, some stretching to 2 weeks, that can come anytime in a 6-month period from May through October.

Or maybe there always were people who wanted A/C even for the milder warm periods in the 80's, in Fremont. In Berkeley/Oakland, no one had A/C for that. I wonder if people in the fog belt region of the East Bay are now getting A/C. I haven't seen A/C mentioned in any RE listings for the area.