2007-05-15 09:32:05 · 6 answers · asked by chocolate delight 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Other than window a/c..it has radiators...
2007-05-15 09:58:42 · update #1
An attic fan will remove the heat from the attic. Since heat rises, that is where the heat will accumulate. By ventilating the attic, you get a constant flow of cooler air from the lower floors. If you're lucky enough to have a basement or cellar, you can open a window there and have a constant flow of cooler air through the house. Depending upon your climate and relative humidity, a swamp cooler or air conditioning unit would be te next step. You can get window sized packages for cooling a small area, one or two rooms, or spend the big bucks and get the whole house retro fitted.
2007-05-15 10:03:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Before you spend any money, do a little investigating. If it's a very old house, it may have been designed to keep itself (fairly) cool in the hot summer months. The ones that are will have the following: Operable basement and attic windows, transoms above some of the interior doors and a central staircase. It works by convection. As the attic gets hot, the air in it rises and goes out the windows. This draws the cooler air from the lower floors up through the house via the staircase(s) and open transoms. In practice you would do this: Open the basement windows, (leave the rest of the windows closed, shades pulled down) open all the interior transoms and open all the windows and/or vents in the attic. Viola, free "whole house" vent. I hope this helps.
2007-05-15 23:59:43 · answer #2 · answered by Number6 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Make sure the attic is well ventilated. Open the windows, and leave an attic door slightly ajar. The hot air will rise to the attic, and pull in cooler air from the lower level windows as it rises. If you can, I would suggest getting a whole-house fan. It mounts in the floor of the attic, and provides an amazing amount of circulation. My mom could keep a single-level brick rancher cool like this in a Virginia summer, and we hardly ever had to use the AC.
2007-05-15 16:41:33 · answer #3 · answered by Angela M 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is a type of 'central air' available, that, instead of using the standard heating ducts, uses small insulated tubing. The vents are actually about 2" to 3" in diameter. This type of air conditioning is gaining popularity with renovators of older, multi-story homes -- especially in situations like yours, where there is no "central forced air heat".
It does cost a bit more than 'traditional' hvac systems, but the benefit is a low profile vent, unobtrusive, and very effective cooling of the home.
Other than that -- ventilation in the attic will help, as will ventilation throughout the home, to help keep the air moving up through the home. Many of these older homes will also have fans installed in the top floor ceilings, to pull air up through the home, and push it out through the attic space, doing double duty, if you will.
Dehumidifiers will help reduce the moisture level in a home, and that can help it 'feel' cooler.
I'd suggest checking into that air system....any good hvac dealer/installer should have a brand that you can look at. Get references -- go look at some homes in your area that have this type installed.
Good Luck
2007-05-15 17:20:45 · answer #4 · answered by thewrangler_sw 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Apart from the obvious opening windows to create a breeze .....Do you have insulation on the floor of your attic? If so, leave the attic door open so that all the heat is not insulated in your living area. It makes a significant difference, but only if the insulation is on the floor, not the roof. Clear any clutter, consider getting wood laminate floors that you can cover in rugs in the colder months.
2007-05-15 16:46:51 · answer #5 · answered by K H 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
geothermal sistem it`s the latest sistem but kind of expensive
2007-05-17 22:44:09 · answer #6 · answered by pinocchio 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋