When it's hot out,and I don't have air conditioning, what's the best way to cool my house?
I have a fan, I have water, I have a freezer, I have ice, etc. What are some techniques for cooling down the house? Which is best, i.e. most effective.
2007-06-27 14:04:27 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
To cool your house without air conditioning you need to start in the evening after the sun goes down.
Open all the windows in the house. This will cool your home overnight to the lowest temperature.
Early in the morning, before the sun has been up very long, close all the windows and pull down the shades. You will keep the cool air you captured overnight in the house.
It's important to give the house the overnight hours to cool down. A couple of hours won't do it. You may want to put a fan in the highest window in the house, blowing out. This will help draw the cool air into the rooms on the lower level. When you do your dawn window closing, take the fan out of the window.
You can sleep better at night with a damp sheet over you with a fan blowing on it. Take a cool shower at least twice a day.
During the day, use a fan to cool your body. Wear sandals and shorts and a loose cotton top. Try not to run the dishwasher or dryer. Do your cooking in a crock pot out on the patio and drink icy beverages.
It works even better if you can shade your south facing windows from the outside. You know those inexpensive, plastic roll down shades from the super stores. It keeps the sun from heating up the windows.
When your budget allows, buy one small air conditioner for one room. It will give you an oasis for those uncomfortable humid days.
2007-06-27 15:05:46 · answer #1 · answered by wiffybog 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Living in Queensland, Australia with only natural cooling we have developed a system similar to the ones mentioning water and fans. Place a dish of water or suspend a damp cotton sheet between you and the fan. The air will cool as it passes through it. Do not allow any sun to reach the inside of your house. Cover any west facing windows with awnings, vegetation or a reflective foil. You can buy this at a hardware shop and do it yourself or get a tradesman to do it. Or close the curtains if you cannot get the foil. Install a "Whirley Bird". I don't know if you have these, but they look like a jet plane propellor which is installed on the roof of your house. As the wind blows it turns the propellor and draws the hot air from your roof cavity up and out through the "propellor vents". You can get power generated ones too. Good for days when there is no wind. Also depending on the air temp. outside I would close all windows that are open to a hot wind and open those on the opposite side of the house. Remember, you can't cool your whole house so just concentrate on the areas you are in. At night, open every window and place a damp sheet between you and the fan again. Hope this helps.
2007-06-27 15:04:23 · answer #2 · answered by crrllpm 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Open windows, close shades.
Fan to draw air in from outside on a side of the house that is cool,(north or east side).
For future years,(if you own house), plant fast growing trees,( hybrid poplar, or regular maple), on a southwest angle from the house. To shade the house between the hours of 12:30PM and 3:00PM, the hottest time of day. And use light colored shades.
Leaving the shades drawn will help prevent the house from getting real hot.
2007-06-27 14:18:08 · answer #3 · answered by awake 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Willeum..I dont have ac either, and my house is pretty cool until it gets real humid...And then there is nothing to cool a house off..fans blow hot air..Take cool showers if you have the water source and dont let the sunshine in...If you can afford it, buy a cheap little window unit ac and sit in that room..Hope this helps...i thought I was the only person in the world without central air...Hope you stay cool...
2007-06-27 14:17:00 · answer #4 · answered by Wanda S 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Turn the fans blowing toward the outside to blow all of the hot air out. Wear thin clothes and a cool wash cloth to wipe yourself down.
2007-06-27 14:12:18 · answer #5 · answered by ♥Mommyof3♥ 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Open all your windows. If you want your house cool, don't leave your stovetop on. open your doors and make sure that you have those black screeny thingys to block bugs out. Use your fan. if YOURE a bit warm, then don't wear as much clothing. Eat something cool.
Hope this helps :D
2007-06-27 14:09:12 · answer #6 · answered by sayWHAATT(8 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It was 110 in my world today. I used to work with someone who told me that she would wet down sheets and she would wrap her children in them and place a fan in their direction. The children would sleep through the night and In the morning the sheets were dry.
I actually did this a couple of time when my A/C didn't work in the midst of the summer. It does NOT cool down the house, but it makes the individuals more comfortable.
I feel your pain...
2007-06-27 14:12:09 · answer #7 · answered by seraph1818 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Fans in windows, and directly on you. Wet rag to pat down with. Cool drinks. soaked bandana around head. You know the drill. Stay wet and keep a breeze on you. wet+breeze=cool
2007-06-27 14:33:05 · answer #8 · answered by Teaholic 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
( 1) Open the windows.
( 2) Close the curtains.
(3 ) Place one layer of aluminium foil outside the windows facing the sun. Foil reflects the heat away from the house.
2007-06-27 14:13:15 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
use a misting fan. it will mist cool water on you and make summer a bit more comfortable. you can get them at walmart, etc.
2007-06-27 14:12:58 · answer #10 · answered by Lana H 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋