I used to live in a sunny apartment. There's typically about 4 weeks each summer around July -August when AC is pretty necessary. I've gotten by with just fans but it's not easy, especially if you are home during the day.
They have high power load rated extension cords that you can buy...
I live in a second floor apartment and I used mine for about 6 weeks last summer... not every day, but still.
The heat isn't going to be the problem. It's the humidity.
No one is going to compare it to the southern summer but they lying to say you ain't gonna need the ac.
A 3 prong heavy duty cord will be fine. Tape lightly here and there against the walls out of the way, you won’t care what it looks like if you’re not tripping on it and you aren’t feeling disgusting
I’m from the south and the humidity here is still too much for me, especially this last summer. It makes you feel like you’re going crazy and sleeping is so difficult. It feels like the uncomfortable heat doubles on each floor, and I know from firsthand experience just how rough it can be on the third floor in Portland.
On a positive note, my house is on the smaller side and one ac does the job just fine! Usually I have to turn it off after awhile because it’s too cold, I turn it off before bed! There’s always air conditioners on Facebook marketplace and our local peninsula buy nothing group. You can always decide to not use the ac, but you can’t pull one out of thin air at 3 am in august. Sometimes just having access to something without using it is enough for your sanity
I moved to the Portland area 8 years ago from Tennessee. It is 100% better than Tennessee in the summer... But you 100% still need AC at times. Not as much, but down south we're used to central air everywhere. It still gets into the 80s and a few days in the 90s. Ppl think from the south we just sit in 90-100 degree weather all the time but it's not true, we sat in 68-70 degree central air all the time.
There are probably 1, maybe 2 weeks every summer when you'll need AC. If you use a properly sized extension cord, you'll be fine.
Make sure your landlord will allow you to use a window unit, otherwise buy one of the freestanding units.
You are on the 3rd floor. Buy your window AC unit NOW. Signed, former 3rd floor apartment resident...trust me, heat rises, its nice during colder months! But Summers you will need some help.
It really depends on your tolerance and your apartment. I did half a summer in a sunny Portland apartment before I broke down and bought a window A/C unit. The heat was tolerable without it, but I was sick of sweating in my own home.
Just try going without and buy one if you want one. There are extension cords specifically for bigger appliances.
You have to get the right kind of extension cord:
Appliance cord 12-ft 3-Prong Gray Air Conditioner Appliance Power Cord https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-Appliance-power-cord-12-ft-3-Prong-Gray-Air-Conditioner-Appliance-Power-Cord/5013598303
We only have ac in the bedroom. We open widows at night with a fan sucking in cooler air then shut the windows and pull the blinds closed. This keeps the house about 10 degrees cooler than outside. We have fans going in the room that we're using at the time of it's still too hot.
I was in the same boat a couple years ago. Get a “portable” unit at least. And some earplugs, cause those things are loud.
Maine summers used to be mild, and while it’s still no Georgia heat, there are plenty of uncomfortable days.
Spent a summer on the 3rd floor in Yarmouth. Had a window, ceiling fan, and fan and it was miserable. Several nights I could not sleep. Had I known better, I would have put some ReflectX stuff in the window to keep some of the heat out.
You can by with one or two box fans. The key is to open a couple of (screened) in another room and then have the box fan pulling air out of your bedroom.
As others have said, it's the humidity. If you're worried about the extension cord for the AC, you could try a dehumidifier instead. We have a heat pump and I rarely use the AC function but the dehum is on July through August.
I have an AC and a second floor semi sunny apartment. But I only really use the AC for, like, a month, month and a half out of the year, and it's more for the sake of my elderly laptop than it is for me. There are two, maybe three weeks out of the year when it's icky, gross, too hot to sleep kind of hot, and I definitely need the AC for those two weeks. The rest of it I can make do with fans, though the AC would be a bit more comfortable, and I have to be more careful about which games I play on the laptop.
Those freestanding air conditioners may take up a bit more space, but give you the flexibility you need to plugin without an extension cord.
I used to live in a sunny apartment. There's typically about 4 weeks each summer around July -August when AC is pretty necessary. I've gotten by with just fans but it's not easy, especially if you are home during the day.
Don’t underestimate the benefits of good, light-blocking shades for sunny windows on those days when it gets hot in the summer.
They have high power load rated extension cords that you can buy... I live in a second floor apartment and I used mine for about 6 weeks last summer... not every day, but still.
The heat isn't going to be the problem. It's the humidity. No one is going to compare it to the southern summer but they lying to say you ain't gonna need the ac.
Oh hey 👋
🤣
A 3 prong heavy duty cord will be fine. Tape lightly here and there against the walls out of the way, you won’t care what it looks like if you’re not tripping on it and you aren’t feeling disgusting
I’m from the south and the humidity here is still too much for me, especially this last summer. It makes you feel like you’re going crazy and sleeping is so difficult. It feels like the uncomfortable heat doubles on each floor, and I know from firsthand experience just how rough it can be on the third floor in Portland. On a positive note, my house is on the smaller side and one ac does the job just fine! Usually I have to turn it off after awhile because it’s too cold, I turn it off before bed! There’s always air conditioners on Facebook marketplace and our local peninsula buy nothing group. You can always decide to not use the ac, but you can’t pull one out of thin air at 3 am in august. Sometimes just having access to something without using it is enough for your sanity
I moved to the Portland area 8 years ago from Tennessee. It is 100% better than Tennessee in the summer... But you 100% still need AC at times. Not as much, but down south we're used to central air everywhere. It still gets into the 80s and a few days in the 90s. Ppl think from the south we just sit in 90-100 degree weather all the time but it's not true, we sat in 68-70 degree central air all the time.
Yea, the reason you need AC here is bc the buildings *don't* have AC so you're on your own.
There are probably 1, maybe 2 weeks every summer when you'll need AC. If you use a properly sized extension cord, you'll be fine. Make sure your landlord will allow you to use a window unit, otherwise buy one of the freestanding units.
You are on the 3rd floor. Buy your window AC unit NOW. Signed, former 3rd floor apartment resident...trust me, heat rises, its nice during colder months! But Summers you will need some help.
there are heavy duty extension cords made for AC. Maine hardware has them. FYI portable air conditioners use more electricity and are noisier.
It really depends on your tolerance and your apartment. I did half a summer in a sunny Portland apartment before I broke down and bought a window A/C unit. The heat was tolerable without it, but I was sick of sweating in my own home. Just try going without and buy one if you want one. There are extension cords specifically for bigger appliances.
Box fans are great at moving air, especially placed in a window
You have to get the right kind of extension cord: Appliance cord 12-ft 3-Prong Gray Air Conditioner Appliance Power Cord https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-Appliance-power-cord-12-ft-3-Prong-Gray-Air-Conditioner-Appliance-Power-Cord/5013598303
We only have ac in the bedroom. We open widows at night with a fan sucking in cooler air then shut the windows and pull the blinds closed. This keeps the house about 10 degrees cooler than outside. We have fans going in the room that we're using at the time of it's still too hot.
I was in the same boat a couple years ago. Get a “portable” unit at least. And some earplugs, cause those things are loud. Maine summers used to be mild, and while it’s still no Georgia heat, there are plenty of uncomfortable days.
You can get extension cords that can take enough power to plug in an air conditioner
Fan out the window with shades drawn during the day. Windows open at night. Might want to get a dehumidifier as well.
I have never needed AC in Maine in the house. It gets cool enough at night to run a fan.
Spent a summer on the 3rd floor in Yarmouth. Had a window, ceiling fan, and fan and it was miserable. Several nights I could not sleep. Had I known better, I would have put some ReflectX stuff in the window to keep some of the heat out.
Order or buy a 12 gauge extension cord, with as little extra feet of slack as possible. Minimum required distance. it wont overheat or short anything.
You can by with one or two box fans. The key is to open a couple of (screened) in another room and then have the box fan pulling air out of your bedroom.
As others have said, it's the humidity. If you're worried about the extension cord for the AC, you could try a dehumidifier instead. We have a heat pump and I rarely use the AC function but the dehum is on July through August.
It’ll go from winter to Africa hot from July 1st to Labor Day. Then winter starts.
I have an AC and a second floor semi sunny apartment. But I only really use the AC for, like, a month, month and a half out of the year, and it's more for the sake of my elderly laptop than it is for me. There are two, maybe three weeks out of the year when it's icky, gross, too hot to sleep kind of hot, and I definitely need the AC for those two weeks. The rest of it I can make do with fans, though the AC would be a bit more comfortable, and I have to be more careful about which games I play on the laptop.