I live in an area of the country where the weather is most often chilly and wet.
Both the Spring and fall are chilly enough to require running the heating system, and there’s plenty of rain.
However, the winter time conditions tend to last for more than half the year. The temperature dips well below cold and often into the drawback digits. The cost of heating adds up to a significant section of the budget, I never gave much thought to installing an air conditioner. It’s not really necessary for the local climate. The summer season is short but can be boiling and humid, and for quite a few years, I managed with window air conditioner units in the kitchen and a few box fans. It wasn’t ideal. I didn’t love the aesthetics of the air conditioner units, and the majority of the apartment was boiling and sticky. When it was time to update my gas furnace, the company gave a significant discount on central cooling as well. The deal was too nice to pass up. I only wish I would have made the investment sooner. The improvement in comfort is amazing. The air conditioner unit not only maintains an ideal temperature but helps to combat excess humidity and filter out contaminants. It keeps the apartment cleaner and provides much better air quality, however even when the outdoor temperature is mild, I love to run the air conditioner unit for the sake of the fan, just to keep the air feeling fresh. Because I spent extra for an Energy Star rated, high efficiency model, my energy bills aren’t overly extravagant.