NationStates Jolt Archive

So I live in a crappy apartment. My roommate and I both have an air conditioner, but are on one circuit, and can't run the two at the same time. Usually, I'll let him run his. The problem is, my room tends to be the hottest in the apartment. For example, tonight, my room was 92 with a fan pulling outdoor air in all day, but the outside temperature was only 80. I also have a tendancy to overheat and dehydrate quickly.

Closing the windows actually makes my room heat up more quickly (I have a southern exposure). I tend to close my blinds, but that only does so much. I also use very little artifical light outside of my LED desk light. What other ways have people found to cool down a room without AC?

1. can you put the fan in another window in the apartment and blow air out? You'll have a more efficient exchange that way. The fan will draw cool air in passively as if blows the hot air out actively.

2. Better curtains. The accordion-style insulating window shades are very efficient.

3. What's the humidity there? if you have high humidity, a dehumidifier may help. That would be most effective if run during the day while the windows are closed.

My roommate once bought a yard of thick black felt, that he used it to cover his window to help reduce the amount of light coming through the window blinds (which was a lot, since he had a southern exposure). It helped, but one thing that might help you is to possibly buy a larger air conditioner (one that can handle the entire apartment), and place it in a more central location. For us, it was a 10,000 BTU unit in the living room. If you live on a floor other than the first, you can take the air conditioner out of the housing, secure the housing in the window, then place the unit back in (that way, you eliminate the risk of dropping a heavy A/C out of the window).

Keep your hands cold, it'll cool the rest of you down.

Make a schedule with your roommate, he gets to use his a/c for an hour, then you get to use yours, then him, then you...

Or, kill him.

1. can you put the fan in another window in the apartment and blow air out? You'll have a more efficient exchange that way. The fan will draw cool air in passively as if blows the hot air out actively.

2. Better curtains. The accordion-style insulating window shades are very efficient.

3. What's the humidity there? if you have high humidity, a dehumidifier may help. That would be most effective if run during the day while the windows are closed.
I've tried the fan both ways and haven't really noticed tons of difference. I usually have it sucking in cool air at night so I can have it blowing on me.

Curtains, I sadly don't have tons of control over...the place came with venitian blinds that I can't replace without paying a fee, and I put up some real curtains. Sadly, both are a bit far from the actual window, allowing lots of hot air to build up.

And I considered a dehumidifier, but sadly, don't have the money on hand.

My roommate once bought a yard of thick black felt, that he used it to cover his window to help reduce the amount of light coming through the window blinds (which was a lot, since he had a southern exposure). It helped, but one thing that might help you is to possibly buy a larger air conditioner (one that can handle the entire apartment), and place it in a more central location. For us, it was a 10,000 BTU unit in the living room. If you live on a floor other than the first, you can take the air conditioner out of the housing, secure the housing in the window, then place the unit back in (that way, you eliminate the risk of dropping a heavy A/C out of the window).
I like the fabric idea...I used sheets of plastic in winter, and that worked decently well. maybe white would work better though.

Sadly, the layout of our apartment doesn't work very well with a big AC, nor do we really have the money for a big one (our place would take around 15,000. The only central window is a small one that wouldn't hold it.
Keep your hands cold, it'll cool the rest of you down.

Make a schedule with your roommate, he gets to use his a/c for an hour, then you get to use yours, then him, then you...

Or, kill him.

I may choose the latter.

We cool in the day based off what we want to do, then pile into whichever room works for that. Night is when there is a problem, as my room builds heat quickly

Do you have two windows in your room (I hope, I hope?) A fan set so it's sucking air out in one window, and another set so it sucks air in, may help. If not, something like this: http://www.jr.com/honeywell/pe/HNW_HW628/ with one set to blow in and the other to draw out.

Funny enough: wet some athletic socks, wring them out, and wear them to bed. It will help.

Try a chillow? http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/chillow.html I have NO IDEA if it works, but... maybe an icepack in a plastic bag by your feet or in your pillow would work?

Do you have two windows in your room (I hope, I hope?) A fan set so it's sucking air out in one window, and another set so it sucks air in, may help. If not, something like this: http://www.jr.com/honeywell/pe/HNW_HW628/ with one set to blow in and the other to draw out.hmm....I like this. I've tried opening one window at the top, one at the bottom with one fan working...maybe I can work with this.

Funny enough: wet some athletic socks, wring them out, and wear them to bed. It will help.
Interesting. I'm hesitant to have wet socks in bed only because I don't want mold (I'm sure you understand the recent humidity of the Northeast/New England), but could be worth a shot
Try a chillow? http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/chillow.html I have NO IDEA if it works, but... maybe an icepack in a plastic bag by your feet or in your pillow would work?

haha...aside from the horrible name, I like it. I may just try to figure something similar out.

Move to Canada!

Buh!

Interesting. I'm hesitant to have wet socks in bed only because I don't want mold (I'm sure you understand the recent humidity of the Northeast/New England), but could be worth a shot.

I've done it. Remember the massive blackout years ago, Canada to Ohio or so on the East Coast? I was desperate.

It was slightly uncomfy because, having the same concerns, I positioned myself so the feet were hanging over the edge of my mattress and the sheet was not over them. But it did help me get to sleep.

I've done it. Remember the massive blackout years ago, Canada to Ohio or so on the East Coast? I was desperate.

It was slightly uncomfy because, having the same concerns, I positioned myself so the feet were hanging over the edge of my mattress and the sheet was not over them. But it did help me get to sleep.

Ah yes...strong memories of that and my pool staying open despite the lack of pumps, and my coworker breaking her front tooth doing a rescue, but not being able to contact our workmans comp offices in detroit or our bosses because both offices had closed.

I can usually sleep with my feet off the bed, so that might just work. Though, at least for tonight, my room has hit 82, the coldest it has been in a month.

you live in boston right? In this humidity? And you don't have an AC? You poor bastard

you live in boston right? In this humidity? And you don't have an AC? You poor bastard
Tell me about it. Add in the dehydration, and you get my current headache. My roommate and I have talked about just sleeping in one of the bedrooms, but we did that for two years...privacy is nice.

Clearly the answer is: Move in to Neo Art's home.

Clearly the answer is: Move in to Neo Art's home.

he could take the couch, I have an AC in the living room :p

Now, correct me if i'm wrong, but didn't you say you lived in allston/brighton? Surely there are enough rats in your area to catch and put on a wheel to power an AC sufficient for your needs...

he could take the couch, I have an AC in the living room :p

You're just boasting now :)

Barring the liberal application of mud, I would suggest setting up a cross-breeze.

The exact placement will depend on the windows in your room/house but the gist of it is that you want air drawing from the shaded side of the house in the morning(west to east) and the opposite way in the afternoon. The key thing, however, is to draw air across the house; the more distance the better. The circulatory pattern of air will draw warm air hovering near the ceiling much more effectively than if those same windows are near eachother. *nod*

If you would like to convince your roommate to share air conditioning time, explain that without yours, the only other option is nudity. :)

the only other option is nudity. :)

And this is a problem because.....? :D:D:D

And this is a problem because.....? :D:D:D

The roommate may(or may not) have a big problem with it. :p

The roommate may(or may not) have a big problem with it. :p

Or a small one.... >=)

Drinking ice water or tea will actually help keep you cool.

When I lived in SoCal and the temperatures got up to 110^F and I had no A/C, I'd soak a sheet and wring it out as thoroughly as I could, then I'd aim the fan at the bed and cover myself with the damp sheet, instant a/c - By morning the sheet was dry and I'd managed a reasonable comfortable night.

Or a small one.... >=)

They hang low in high temperatures. Make things look bigger. *nod*

the answer, lay in bed with nothing over you and be wearing what you'd normally sleep in. Then if your nice and cool or chilled pull up your sheet etc.


Seriously I don't see why you complain though. I sleep in hot Humid ass weather under a big fluffy cover, and sure it gets hot as hell but thats why I deprive myself of sleep until I'm completely exhausted and then it's nighty night!

Or a small one.... >=)

That's my brother you're talking about! :eek:



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Sark, what if you cut a hole in your wall and put a wide tube through it to blow cold air into your room from to a/c?

Barring the liberal application of mud, I would suggest setting up a cross-breeze.

mmm...mud...

The exact placement will depend on the windows in your room/house but the gist of it is that you want air drawing from the shaded side of the house in the morning(west to east) and the opposite way in the afternoon. The key thing, however, is to draw air across the house; the more distance the better. The circulatory pattern of air will draw warm air hovering near the ceiling much more effectively than if those same windows are near eachother. *nod*
I attempted this...the main problem is, it either runs North to South, which involves the entire length of my apartment and several curves, or East to West, which involves leaving our hall door open, and getting our neighbor to do the same (mind you, the stairwell has a glass celing which works as a greenhouse, making the hall twice as miserable.)

I could probably pull it off in my room alone, although, the room isn't all that large...maybe a mix of this and Kats ideas...
If you would like to convince your roommate to share air conditioning time, explain that without yours, the only other option is nudity. :)
Haha...they've all seen me in many many states of dress and undress, including nudity.
he could take the couch, I have an AC in the living room :p *packs bags* you said downtown, yes?

Now, correct me if i'm wrong, but didn't you say you lived in allston/brighton? Surely there are enough rats in your area to catch and put on a wheel to power an AC sufficient for your needs...

We tried to put Johnny Drama (my roommates pet rat) on a leash, but couldnt

We tried to put Johnny Drama (my roommates pet rat) on a leash, but couldnt

you...you...you touched a rat? You're not stepping foot in my apartment until you've been properly bleached.

If the two are on one circuit, maybe call an electrician and seperate the two from one breaker to two?

A standard 125 amp service should accomodate both units...

Or a small one.... >=)

:(

Kitty got claws.

Drinking ice water or tea will actually help keep you cool.

When I lived in SoCal and the temperatures got up to 110^F and I had no A/C, I'd soak a sheet and wring it out as thoroughly as I could, then I'd aim the fan at the bed and cover myself with the damp sheet, instant a/c - By morning the sheet was dry and I'd managed a reasonable comfortable night.I have been absolutly pounding water the past few days. Including now.

They hang low in high temperatures. Make things look bigger. *nod* :)

That's my brother you're talking about! :eek:



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Sark, what if you cut a hole in your wall and put a wide tube through it to blow cold air into your room from to a/c?

I almost did that last summer...

<.<

>.>

:)

you...you...you touched a rat? You're not stepping foot in my apartment until you've been properly bleached.

I'm sure it's one of those pink-eyes white ones, or maybe a black and white... surely not a 23 pound rabies infested fleabag subway monster.

It's funny you start this thread now, as I'm currently trying to fix my A/C unit...

o.O

:(

Kitty got claws.

I meant, obviously, that your roommate would feel inadequate were he to bask in the glory of your loins.

Whoa, that so does not sound right....

you...you...you touched a rat? You're not stepping foot in my apartment until you've been properly bleached.
He's clean!

plus I bathe frequently.
If the two are on one circuit, maybe call an electrician and seperate the two from one breaker to two?

A standard 125 amp service should accomodate both units...
We rent, so not our place to handle electricians...and given how great our landlord is about necessary reoairs, I don't see requests happening

I meant, obviously, that your roommate would feel inadequate were he to bask in the glory of your loins.

Whoa, that so does not sound right....

haha....I'll take it.

you...you...you touched a rat? You're not stepping foot in my apartment until you've been properly bleached.

Pssh, pet rats are cute.

Wuss. :p

We rent, so not our place to handle electricians...and given how great our landlord is about necessary reoairs, I don't see requests happening

This is where massively overloading the circuit panel is required. :D

This is where massively overloading the circuit panel is required. :D

Quite tempting. And, in this heat, quite easy.

Try a chillow? http://www.asseenontv.com/prod-pages/chillow.html I have NO IDEA if it works, but... maybe an icepack in a plastic bag by your feet or in your pillow would work?

I do basically a homemade version of that now. Works nicely. :)

Interesting. I'm hesitant to have wet socks in bed only because I don't want mold (I'm sure you understand the recent humidity of the Northeast/New England), but could be worth a shot
Just cover the bottom part of your bed with plastic - either saran wrap or the big sheets you can buy for covering the floor when painting the walls or just cut a large plastic bag apart at the seams, spread it over the bed and tuck it into the sides.

Then tuck a large towel or other piece of fabric over it so your legs don't have to deal with the sticky plastic.

he could take the couch, I have an AC in the living room :p

Now, correct me if i'm wrong, but didn't you say you lived in allston/brighton? Surely there are enough rats in your area to catch and put on a wheel to power an AC sufficient for your needs...

Wait a second. You're a lawyer, and you don't live in a home with full climate control? (central air, central humidity control, etc).

Pssh, pet rats are cute.

Wuss. :p

Ha well I have three pets rats at the moment.
A albino one, a black one and a wannabe albino that has white fur, reds eyes but looks like some one spilt a load of cappacino on its back.

In case you're overweight, remember that each two pounds you lose add a degree to your upper limit of comfortable temperature.

Well best bet is to run multiple fans pulling air around the room. That'll work until it gets to about 95 out. Your mileage may vary based on humidity. Otherwise I'd say cover the windows with either thick curtains, or with cardboard/aluminium foil. I've done the latter, it makes rooms much darker and much cooler. Did a good job when I worked nights and had to try to sleep during the day.

Sure the neighbors think you've got a meth lab, but fuck 'em.

move to britain. its fucking chucking it down, and cold, today :(


though i had a similar problem in my first year at uni. my room never went below 26C (79F) in winter, and in summer was more usually at 30C (86F) day and night. not that hot compared to you, but i still found it unbearable. i have no answer for you, because i didn't find a solution back then either :p

my usual solution was to go down to the pub ;)

What other ways have people found to cool down a room without AC?
Move to Scotland.

:)

EDIT> Pure Metal beat me too it, though I think my solution's cooler... and wetter.

Move to Scotland.

:)

EDIT> Pure Metal beat me too it, though I think my solution's cooler... and wetter.

and there are more mountains :)

I'm surprised nobody suggested aluminium foil.
Cover your windows with aluminium foil. It's the best material as it reflects most of the light.

If you can keep your feet cool, then usually the rest of your body is cool. Or at least that works for me. Put your feet in front of your fan, and that should help some, I would think.

and there are more mountains :)
True dat.

It always surprises me, for some reason, that England is so flat.

In case you're overweight, remember that each two pounds you lose add a degree to your upper limit of comfortable temperature.
Sadly, no weight to be lost really. As it stands, I am fairly comfortable up to around 87. Once that breaks, however, I tend to get very uncomfortable very quickly.
move to britain. its fucking chucking it down, and cold, today :(


though i had a similar problem in my first year at uni. my room never went below 26C (79F) in winter, and in summer was more usually at 30C (86F) day and night. not that hot compared to you, but i still found it unbearable. i have no answer for you, because i didn't find a solution back then either :p

my usual solution was to go down to the pub ;)
Haha...I've been drinking a bit much recently. Yay for unemployment and high heat!

Just cover the bottom part of your bed with plastic - either saran wrap or the big sheets you can buy for covering the floor when painting the walls or just cut a large plastic bag apart at the seams, spread it over the bed and tuck it into the sides.

Then tuck a large towel or other piece of fabric over it so your legs don't have to deal with the sticky plastic.I like that...may just work

Well best bet is to run multiple fans pulling air around the room. That'll work until it gets to about 95 out. Your mileage may vary based on humidity. Otherwise I'd say cover the windows with either thick curtains, or with cardboard/aluminium foil. I've done the latter, it makes rooms much darker and much cooler. Did a good job when I worked nights and had to try to sleep during the day.

Sure the neighbors think you've got a meth lab, but fuck 'em.
Well, since the ugly neighbor and his equally ugly girlfriend like to have sex in front of the window, I wouldn't mind all that much

There's been some rather desperate advice given in this thread already, so I might as well add a link to this... contraption that I read about a couple of years ago. I would like to build the simpler version, but have it use cold tap water instead of a tank with water and ice in it, but I haven't been able to find the materials required.

Link: http://www.gmilburn.ca/ac/

Just cover the bottom part of your bed with plastic - either saran wrap or the big sheets you can buy for covering the floor when painting the walls or just cut a large plastic bag apart at the seams, spread it over the bed and tuck it into the sides.

Then tuck a large towel or other piece of fabric over it so your legs don't have to deal with the sticky plastic.

Other solutions along that line: A plastic sheet under your normal sheet, like those used to protect a bed from a bedwetter, would be more comfortable and more protective. A shower curtain might be cheaper and could work just as well. then you won't have to worry about damp sheets transferring moisture to the mattress.

Can you rig up some sort of shade cover outside your window? That would be the better option, I think. It keeps the heat that the shade picks up outside your room.

Also, a two fan system to pump air through would help, along with possibly a ceiling fan. The improvised A/C linked to above would make sense as a system, or even just a plain water pump to pull some of the heat out of the incoming air.

When I lived in Pakistan, our house did fine without an A/C in the summers there. However, we had the following key advantages:

All windows on east/west sides, and open airflow between them. The prevailing winds in Karachi come from the west off the sea, so this kept things nice and cool

High ceilings, and fairly thick walls

Ceiling fans in all rooms

So I live in a crappy apartment. My roommate and I both have an air conditioner, but are on one circuit, and can't run the two at the same time. Usually, I'll let him run his. The problem is, my room tends to be the hottest in the apartment. For example, tonight, my room was 92 with a fan pulling outdoor air in all day, but the outside temperature was only 80. I also have a tendancy to overheat and dehydrate quickly.

Closing the windows actually makes my room heat up more quickly (I have a southern exposure). I tend to close my blinds, but that only does so much. I also use very little artifical light outside of my LED desk light. What other ways have people found to cool down a room without AC?

Stay hydrated, the more you sweat the cooler you will be.

Use a cold wet washcloth on the back of your neck.

Wear cotton clothes that absorb and hold your sweat.

My A/C broke in May/June and it was horrible. It would be like 87 outside and 99 inside. I just went outside. It was cooler and I was much less miserable.

move to England, it's plenty cold here

I recommend 2 scantily clad bimbos waving large palm leaves.

Go nude. the clothing is just another layer that maintains heat :p

At first, I thought this was whole-house cooling w/o AC, which is much easier because you can fiddle with the climate controls for the whole house and get some pretty sweet drafts going (para-sailing in the hallway again?)

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For such, a dehumidifier, basement, and furnace with the heat shut-off and blower on = poor man's central AC. Best run on humid days with all windows on lower floors sealed and a few "exhaust" windows topside along with some free-flowers to make sure you aren't sucking in super-heated air and asbestoes/fiberglass insulation from the attic.

At night, open pretty much all windows, mount fans topside, every single one blowing OUT on LOW, again, to prevent the underpressure from sucking undesireables into the living quarters.

Make sure cold air can "condense" into the basement, if worst come to worst, lay on the freezing concrete floor there and make snow-angels.
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Apartments are different.
Every one of them will have some person who walked on the sun in a past life and will always insist the furnace heater be cranked 'ON', "Just in case it gets cold tonight", find this person immediately, throw him a fuckton of blankets, and welcome him to Wisconsin/Canada/Alaska next winter. If he lets them shut off the furnace or dies under the ton of blankets, it's a win-win situation, I hear prision has AC nowdays.

The next is to work-out an agreement with your roomate, figure out who's AC is more efficient/powrful, and then figure out in which room it'll do the most good, then you strap a window-fan in the other blowing Out on whatever setting doesn't suck insulation in from the ceiling

Make sure both doors are open at all times, maybe even the one to the main entrance if you find a draft in the hall. It'll encourage you to keep a very clean main-room.

And lastly, see about installing an awning/sunshade over your windows, as shading the sunlight from the AC will make it work about twice as good.

Note: If humidity is an issue, sweating is a very bad thing (it doesn't cool you and just makes you uncomfortable and dehydrated) and should be avoided if at all possable, going shirtless and wearing loose fitting khaki shorts seems to help, as does removing shoes.

And lastly, the epic freezing cold shower of pain is always there to embrace/caress/pleasure you in your times of need.

The AC's cooling coils act as a dehumidifier.

Oh, and BTW, shit will hit (accumilate on) the fan. Clean it off every so often, rotate with a "clean one" and let the other operate in a cleaner enviroment (such as for internal circulation [poor man's ducted ceiling fan], best placed near the AC to help mix the cool air)

And regarding excessive sweating, caffine = bad, alchohol + freezing shower = good.