Statistics tell us that only 45 percent of Australians have an air-conditioner. This could be due to the cost, or the fact that people don't want to put one in rented accommodation. Yet those who do have an air-conditioner find many benefits. Not only do they get refreshingly cool air during those hot summers, but they can also get a reverse-cycle unit and have warm air during freezing cold winters.

Just imagine jumping out of bed at 6am in the middle of winter and feeling - warm? Life is really good when you have an air-conditioner installed. You don't have to worry about he house filling up with smoke and fine ash like when you have an open fire to keep you warm. Even those lovely warm fireboxes seem to leave a fine layer of ash over everything. This is really bad news for those people who suffer from respiratory disease of any kind.

With an air-conditioner, you get clean air both summer and winter. You don't have to find a source of fuel either, or a place to store it out of the weather. With a firebox you need to find a reliable source of good burning wood and store it in a safe place. This then becomes an ideal home for lizards, snakes and spiders. And then you have to light the fire! With air-conditioning, you only have to flick a switch to get warm air.