Cooling Off without A/C or Central Air

[SportsorDeath]

Re: Cooling Off without A/C or Central Air

Just get an indoor A/C. They don't go in the window. They just sit on the floor. I had one at my old job when I worked at an ISP. They had it to cool down the back room where all the PC's and equipment were (the back room had no windows).

Those units still need to be ducted out, though. The built up hot air from the unit itself needs to vent out somewhere, or you will just be adding a lot more heat along with the cool air. With him living in an apartment, drilling a hole just big enough for an exhaust duct isn't an option, so it's either vent out of a window or maybe a sliding glass door, both of which will also end up sucking a lot of the cool air out too.

Dual window fan is the way to go here.

[Bahnzo]

Re: Cooling Off without A/C or Central Air

So its been 1 week since of traded the harsh Canadian winter for the Australian summer. What is weird is that in a country that averages over 20celsius for most of the year, a/c and central air homes are few and far between. I am living at an apartment right now and all I have is a ceiling fan in the living room and one in the bedroom (but I dont use it because the noise is brutal and I cant figure out why), and I bought another fan today for the floor.

Unfortuntely, it's still brutally hot in the apartment. I wake up numerous times in the night and sweating like crazy--pillows drenched, etc.

My question is: How the heck can I stay cold. I cant put an a/c in the window, not can I buy central air (Im only here for a year). Is there anything out there that can make my house cooler? Preferably something decently priced. Hopefully someone has a secret.

Is it humid there? If it's a dry climate, you might want to look into a "swamp cooler" also known as an evaporative cooler. It's basically a water bucket that sucks water into a big sponge that then has air blown across it. The water evaporates and cools. Not sure how easy they are to find, but I would think that if it *is* dry there, then for sure this would be sold in stores. If not, let me know, and I'll become the Australian Swamp Cooler King.

[ODogg]

Re: Cooling Off without A/C or Central Air

Those units still need to be ducted out, though. The built up hot air from the unit itself needs to vent out somewhere, or you will just be adding a lot more heat along with the cool air. With him living in an apartment, drilling a hole just big enough for an exhaust duct isn't an option, so it's either vent out of a window or maybe a sliding glass door, both of which will also end up sucking a lot of the cool air out too.

Dual window fan is the way to go here.

oh yeah you're right, well for ours we just ducted out the heat to our drop ceiling, it seemed to work pretty well. so maybe if you have a drop ceiling you could go that route.

[Peji911]

Re: Cooling Off without A/C or Central Air

Well, our apartment has 2 sliding doors, one in our bedroom and another in our living room. We have only one regular window but Im not sure if its too big for the window fan--I wish it were.

Also, internet down here is SUPER expensive. Back home, I pay 32.15 a mth for unlimited broadband--here's its about 50 for 2GB.... BRUTAL! Plus, they require two years contract and Im here for 1, so nothing yet.

And yes, its pretty darn humid down here. Everything that was described before coming seems erroneous. Hopefully things improve. I only signed a 3mth lease though, so if the situation doesnt improve, Im out.

[SPTO]

Re: Cooling Off without A/C or Central Air

Also, internet down here is SUPER expensive. Back home, I pay 32.15 a mth for unlimited broadband--here's its about 50 for 2GB.... BRUTAL! Plus, they require two years contract and Im here for 1, so nothing yet.

At least it's not England where the internet is tied to phone bills so you pay as you go more or less. Someone like me would be in debt after a week!

[Peji911]

Re: Cooling Off without A/C or Central Air

Is it humid there? If it's a dry climate, you might want to look into a "swamp cooler" also known as an evaporative cooler. It's basically a water bucket that sucks water into a big sponge that then has air blown across it. The water evaporates and cools. Not sure how easy they are to find, but I would think that if it *is* dry there, then for sure this would be sold in stores. If not, let me know, and I'll become the Australian Swamp Cooler King.

I found one, and only 70$. How long does it take for the water to dry/evaporate? And its actually humid down here, but considering they sell them, it must work--just not sure how well.

Is is DEFINITELY better than fans? Im sure it is, but Ive never heard of this.

[madscientist]

Re: Cooling Off without A/C or Central Air

If you have access to lots of ice you should try putting buckets of ice in front of your fans. As the ice melts the air should rise, and if the fan is behind the ice and slightly above it, it should blow the cold air towards you.

This worked for me when I lived in Northern Japan, and it has also worked when my AC unit was out.