surfdude

Whos got them ? Could you do without them ? What are your running costs of either or ?

It would seem most established houses, that we have viewed in the past, don't have either. We want to install both in our new home and we would love to hear other peoples views.

Ushas

Pool - you can live without one, but it is lovely after a 35-40 degree day to jump in the pool and have a nice relaxing swim. But you do have to consider the maintenance of the pool. Regular cleaning, checking alkilinity levels and chemical levels. This can take up a bit of time.

Air con - is very important. Of course you can live without it by buying fans for every room. But unless you sit in front of the fan...Much nicer to come home and have a cool home during summer. Especially if you're used to the cold of the british weather.

mlbonner

We have a pool, we dont have aircon. We're just in the process of building a new house, our new house will be opposite way around with aircon, but no pool!!
Personally I love the pool and while my boyf does most the maintenance, it takes up very little of his time/money, obviously the hotter it gets the more time/money you need to invest. A decent filter/creepy crawly/pool shop to give you the right chemicals and its pretty straight forward. I am really going to miss having one, though I feel it could be novelty value just from coming from the UK, where you (generally) dont have them. Aircon I sometimes wish we had, but only on the real humid days - personally I dont like sleeping in aircon, its bad enough I sit in it all day!

If you get aircon, buy an inverter system. They run up to 60% more efficiently (and therefore cheaper!) They're also quieter so ideal for the bedroom/lounge.

Gibbo

I have both would say that I couldn't live without them but they are certainly very nice to have. Have had the pool for over 30 years. In the early days maintenence was a bind but now with salt chlorinator and pool cleaner not a problem. My aircon is ducted reverse cycle. Excellent summer and winter when needed. Didn't notice much difference in power bills when I first got these - however I did have 4 sons at home who knew how to switch things on but who could never get the hang of switching things off!!!! I believe ducted aircon is the cheapest to run.

JackTheLad

Pool - You can live without one, but I haven't been through a summer in Brisbane yet, so maybe thats when they show their worth. Up until now its been an expense, and a time consuming one at that, I'm growing to hate leopard trees dropping their bl**dy leaves in my pool all the time and clogging the filters. It also took me a while to find the most efficient ways of running the pump, creepy crawly etc.

Air Con - Only needed it on twice so far, each time just for an hour after walking the dog, we were both melting (and this was at night). If the summers like that, then yeah, definitely need it, or me and the dog are gonna have to go swimming in the pool after walks!

Cheers,
JTL

Quinkana

Run aircon to maintain the highest temperature you find comfortable / tolerable and use the de-humidify setting. This trains your body / sweat glands to tolerate the climate. Otherwise you end up trapped an aircon bubble indoors puffed up with water.

jad n rich

Pool and AC here, cannot imagine summer without either. You pay electricity wise tho last summer just a tad under the $600 for 91 days electricity, but it was a very hot summer and we really used AC a lot. Winter elec was just under $400. We use pool from late September to April, Poms may be brave enough to extend that season.

Down in home state of Victoria I personally would not bother with pool, spend money on heating in winter instead.

Pollyana

Air Con - The Bloke swears he couldn't cope without at least the reverse cycle he has in the sitting room. makes the air too dry and cold for me though, esp as like Michelle I have to work in it all day too.

As for a pool - I promise you a lot of Aussies do live without one,and have no chance of ever having one. Air con does seem to be considered more of a necessity than a pool. I'd love one, but even if we could get a place with one they cost a lot to maintain.

aussie73

l think if you live in Perth, Brisbane or Adelaide, the summers are hot enough
to the extent you need airconditioning, however the summers are mild enough in Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart, that you don't need it. l think swimming pools are a luxury item, get one if you can afford it.

ABCDiamond

When we lived in Sydney West I couldn't live without AirCon, but here in the Brisbane Bayside, it isn't as bad. We have AirCon in the main bedroom, but not in the rest of the house. We keep thinking of putting it in, but it doesn't seem to get that hot to warrant it. I know that if we lived inland, there would be no question about it, every room would be cooled !!

I think it does depend on how hot YOUR house gets, which way the heat hits it, and whether the bay breezes come through the house.

Sundays Courier Mail had a section this week that gave example costs, but I can't recall the figures now.

ABCDiamond

With the inverter systems becoming popular, the price of the standard R/C units seems as if they are beginning to fall.

MrsDagboy

Never had a/c apart from a couple of years in one house in the bedroom, although I would have killed for it last summer here in this house (but then again I was very sick, so the heat really knocked me around). As for a pool, havent had one of those either, until now, getting one installed in our new house next month, cant wait! Will see how the new house pans out heat-wise, its a big Qlder up on a rise with lots of verandahs & breezes so Im hoping that we may not need a/c. If we do we will get ducted - good to hear that its probably the cheapest to run Gibbo .

mlbonner

Thats probably true. I worked for Ergon Energy, in their product department on my WHV and spent a lot of my time marketing aircon units last year. There are pro's and cons to most, but on the whole the inverter units are considered to be more superior and the way forward in aircon technology.

ABCDiamond

A quote that may be of interest: This came from a web page on the Alternative "Breeze Power" cooling system.
http://www.nsw.lowenergyliving.com.au/index.php?o=MCw2

There is a showhouse locally, near Stones Corner, where it can be seen and heard in action.

Siren & Brian

If you have kids the pool is a must.... it entertains them for hours on end all during summer and the holidays.... air con.... nah... but the mrs wants.... i reckon she has 2 chances, buckleys and .........