New York man says his home hit 87 degrees at night because his wife ‘doesn’t believe in air conditioning’

A man in upstate New York says the temperature inside his home reached 87 degrees at 11:45 p.m. He posted a photo of his thermostat on the Reddit community r/mildlyinfuriating to show the conditions he deals with while trying to sleep.

He said his home has no central air conditioning, and that he and his wife rely on one small portable unit. The Reddit user, known as JiveTurkey1983, said he cannot use the portable air conditioner because his wife will not allow it to run.

He explained the reason for the heat directly, writing, “My wife doesn’t believe in air conditioning.” He also mentioned that his wife is Irish American and that the couple has tried cooling the house by placing fans in every window.

Wife’s stance on air conditioning

He said the house is well insulated, which helps in winter but traps heat inside during the summer nights. Other Reddit users have shared why houses trap heat indoors, pointing to common habits that make homes hotter than they need to be.

The daytime numbers were reportedly even higher. In the comments of his post, he shared another photo showing the indoor temperature had hit 93 degrees in the afternoon. He said the portable unit stays off during the day, too, leaving him without any relief from the heat.

Some commenters questioned whether the thermostat’s heat setting, shown at 53 degrees, was adding to the confusion. One user, IWantToBuyAVowel, explained, “If the a/c was on it would say cool and if it was just the fan running, it wouldn’t say anything but fan down at the bottom.” Another commenter, LunaticBZ, clarified that 53 degrees was simply the point at which the heater would turn on if the house got too cold, not a sign the heat was actively running.

Many commenters on the post did not offer sympathy. Instead, they questioned why he continues to accept the situation. One commenter told him, “Stand up for yourself dude,” while another wrote, “I would easily divorce over this.” A different user, No_Luck_374, compared it to their own household, writing, “My bf and I are arguing over 75. If I don’t get 73, he’s moving back to his momma by Monday.”

Other users pushed back on the wife’s reasoning. One commenter wrote, “Believe it or not, AC does not require belief,” adding, “That constitutes for insanely infuriating to me. I cannot stand sleeping in a hot room, I actually can’t even do it I’d rather sleep in a bathtub full of cold water.” Commenter Bobmcjoepants asked, “Have you considered using it anyway? Because that’s approaching if not hits or exceeds dangerous levels of heat.” Some Reddit posts about family disputes go viral for very different reasons, like one describing a hidden discovery kept secret from relatives.

Some commenters said the issue pointed to larger problems in the relationship. One user wrote, “Both. Wife for feeling this way, him for letting her win this argument.” Another, doll_parts87, added, “She can add more clothes but he can only do so much with nudity in compromise to be comfortable. The fact she isnt concerned with his misery is wild and selfish.” User Ribonichigo raised health concerns, writing, “Living spaces over 72°F impacts sleep and behavior. Over 78°F is dangerous for cardiovascular health,” and urged the couple to consider whether any medications might be affecting their heat tolerance.