Actindi Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo), which operates "Iko-yo," an information site for parenting generation outings, conducted a survey on the actual usage of air conditioners at home and awareness of the "Air Conditioner 2027 Problem" targeting 466 parents of child-rearing households.

The survey revealed that while about 70% of child-rearing households think "we'll use it until it breaks," about 30% have "serious concerns about breakdowns during the summer that affect life and livelihood."

Furthermore, it was found that only 11.7% answered that they "know well" about the "Air Conditioner 2027 Problem," which is concerned that air conditioners will become "larger, heavier, and more expensive" from 2027 due to strengthened energy-saving standards.

[Survey Overview] Awareness Survey on Actual Usage of Home Air Conditioners and the "2027 Problem"

Survey Method: Internet survey (nationwide)

Target Audience: Iko-yo Monitor Club members

Survey Period: May 21-27, 2026

Valid Responses: 466 people (85.0% female, 13.3% male, 1.7% no response)

*For some questions, respondents are branched, so percentages are calculated using the number of respondents (n) for each question as the base.

[Focus 1] About 70% Tend to Operate on a "Breakdown-Driven" Basis, Saying "It Still Works"

Regarding the replacement of the oldest air conditioner used at home, 70.8% responded "no plans to replace it," accounting for about 70%.

When asked for the reasons for not replacing it (multiple answers allowed), "because it's not malfunctioning or broken and still works" was overwhelmingly chosen at 78.1%. This was followed by "large expenses are difficult" (33.0%). It can be inferred that many households operate on a "breakdown-driven" basis, "thinking about it when it breaks" rather than planned replacement.

The most common usage period for the oldest air conditioner was "less than 5 to 10 years" (36.1%). Those who had used it for "10 years or more" accounted for a total of 24.4%.

[Focus 2] About 30% Have Serious Concerns About Summer Breakdowns, Saying They "Affect Life and Livelihood"

How concerned are you about air conditioner breakdowns (inability to use) during the summer?

While many households "use it until it breaks," concerns about summer air conditioner breakdowns are serious.

When asked, "How concerned are you about air conditioner breakdowns (inability to use) during the summer?", combining "concerned enough to affect life (extremely high risk of heatstroke)" (13.2%) and "concerned enough to disrupt daily life (considering temporary evacuation or staying out)" (16.2%), about 30% (29.4%) had serious concerns. Including "quite concerned (concerned about lack of sleep and poor physical condition)" (36.9%), as many as about 90% felt some level of concern.

This result reflects the pressing reality where the premise of "using it until it breaks" coexists with the anxiety of "it would be a problem if it broke."

Voices from Moms and Dads

"With temperatures rising year by year due to global warming, we have to use it continuously because we're afraid of heatstroke, which is a significant financial burden. We also have to consider measures for children's poor health due to overcooling, and we're anxious about the arrival of hot weather."

"We absolutely need air conditioning because we have dogs and children. It's difficult that the financial burden of electricity costs and purchase price is high."

[Focus 3] 65% Consider "Repair Depending on Age" When Air Conditioners Malfunction, But "Repair Budget" is Strict

When asked if they would consider paid repairs instead of replacement when an air conditioner malfunctions or breaks down, 65.0% responded "consider paid repairs depending on the usage (manufacturing) year." This surpassed "replace regardless of age" (35.0%).

However, the repair cost they are willing to pay is strict. Regarding "up to how much would you consider repair?", 60.2% answered "less than 10,000 to 40,000 yen," and 24.9% answered "less than 10,000 yen," with about 85.0% responding up to less than 40,000 yen. On the other hand, for those who answered "repair depending on age," the estimated age for considering repair was centered around "less than 3 to 5 years" (31.7%) and "less than 5 to 10 years" (30.9%).

This shows the realistic line drawn by households wavering between repair and replacement: "We want to fix it and use it for a few tens of thousands of yen up to a certain number of years."

[Focus 4] "Main Unit Price" is Most Important at 59.4% When Purchasing. "Cleanliness" is More Desired Than "AI"

What is most important when purchasing an air conditioner?

"Main unit price" was overwhelmingly the most important factor when purchasing an air conditioner at 59.4%. This was followed by "electricity costs" at 16.4% and "manufacturer" at 10.4%, clearly showing a trend where price and cost are prioritized over features.

While many functions are considered "nice to have," "cleanliness-related" functions were considered "essential" by many. "Internal cleaning (mold prevention)" (57.7%), "disinfection/air purification" (48.8%), and "automatic filter cleaning" (42.1%) ranked high.

On the other hand, only 3.7% considered "AI function essential," and only 7.1% considered "smartphone connectivity essential," indicating the true desires of child-rearing households for "low price and cleanliness" over advanced features.

Voices from Moms and Dads

"We don't need that many functions, just make something that cools well at a low price."

"When the price goes up, we struggle with when to replace it."

[Focus 5] Only About 10% of Moms and Dads "Know Well" About the "Air Conditioner 2027 Problem"

Do you know the term or topic "Air Conditioner 2027 Problem"?

The "Air Conditioner 2027 Problem" refers to the possibility that outdoor units of air conditioners will become "larger, heavier, and more expensive" from 2027 due to strengthened energy-saving standards and refrigerant changes.

In this survey, only 11.7% "knew well" about the details. "Did not know at all (learned for the first time this time)" was the most common response at 33.0%, followed by "knew vaguely" (32.6%) and "had heard of it but didn't know the details" (22.7%).

This suggests that information is not sufficiently reaching households, despite it being a topic that could directly impact purchasing decisions.

Summary of Questionnaire Survey

As households increasingly start using air conditioners during this season, what has become clear before the height of summer is the reality of child-rearing households where "using it until it breaks" and the anxiety of "it would be a problem if it broke" coexist.

Awareness of the "Air Conditioner 2027 Problem," which could directly lead to replacement, is still low, and many households operate on a "breakdown-driven" basis. Therefore, knowing the correct information early and inspecting the condition of your home's air conditioner before summer leads to peace of mind in case of emergency.

[Regarding Use of Figures and Data]

When publishing or quoting the contents of this survey in various media, please contact our public relations department (pr@actindi.net) before publication and indicate "Survey by Iko-yo Family Lab" in the publication/quote. More detailed survey content is also available, so please inquire.

About Our Services

Iko-yo Family Lab

This is a co-creation parenting marketing lab that conducts and announces data from surveys through Iko-yo monitor members every week. It conducts unique research and analysis on the interests and trends of the parenting generation, focusing on the childcare, education, and outing markets. It disseminates insights useful for planning and promoting services and products. We welcome inquiries from companies targeting the parenting demographic who may be able to cooperate.

Iko-yo

The children's outing information site "Iko-yo," launched in December 2008, is used by about 80% of the parenting generation and features information on approximately 100,000 facilities nationwide and over 104,000 reviews (as of May 2026). "Iko-yo" provides information to make family outings more enjoyable and aims to increase family communication and children's smiles through outings.

https://iko-yo.net/

[Company Profile]

Company Name: Actindi Inc.

Location: 2F TK Ikebukuro Building, 5-22-33 Higashi-Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo

Representative Director: Takamichi Shimomoto

Established: June 2003

<Inquiries Regarding This Matter>

Actindi Inc. Public Relations Department

Phone Number: 03-6777-7807 (Main)

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: Survey結果