Ways of cooling down an apartment without AC.

[Tired]

I'm renting now a one room apartment, and it has no AC. It has one window which often allows sun to get in the room. Where i live temperatures in the summer can go up to 40C (104F), so I would like to know, do any of you have any working tips for how to cool down apartment (or at least myself)? I can buy something not ultra expensive like a fan or humidifier, if that helps, but AC is out of question right now.

 

[Mary Terry]

Put some curtains on the window to block the sun and buy a fan to circulate the air. Heat rises so the hottest temperature will be at the ceiling.

 

[Rodafina]

I've had some good experiences keeping my room cool by doing the following:

- Powerful fan, a must
- Keep windows open and fan blowing cool air in overnight and early in the morning
- When the day starts to heat up (7-8am?), I will close the window (but keep the fan going)
- When sun shines in my room in the afternoon, I'll close the shade and have a mostly darkened room. Blocking the sun helps, but I think there's an added psychological benefit to feel like I'm in a cool dark cave.
- As soon as the night starts to cool down, I get the window open and repeat the process

For personal coolness, I'd say to stay hydrated through the day and plan your sedentary activities for the hottest part of the day. I usually take a quick, cold shower in the afternoon on really hot days. If you have long hair, keep it up in a bun or ponytail.

 

[Hypnalis]

Pot-in-pot refrigerator - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Evaporative cooler - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Coolgardie safe - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Evaporative cooling chambers - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

All of those articles are based same physical principle and similar engineering principles.
Also used by by your body

Good to know:
* Wicking is useful (I'd look there for something "A/C like") - see the Coolgardie safe article.
A towel partly in a in a bowl of water and partly blocking an open external window is way better than nothing

* Porous ceramic filled with water (or with a layer around a cooled "core") also provides continuity

* Moving air is important for efficiency. Used for evaporation you should lose heat overall (water takes in a lot of energy (heat) when it evaporates).

And OFC shade the window from the outside if you can.

 

[Forest Cat]

I have a trick I use, first close your eyes. Then imagine it's early January. You're outside and it's -19°C. It's a little dark and windy, which makes it feel even colder. You have been shoveling snow for one and a half hour. Your nose is cold, your fingers are cold and you haven't had feeling in your toes for the past 30 minutes. And you still have a solid 30-40 minutes of shoveling ahead of you.

Now, open your eyes and embrace the wonderful heat.
I don't know if it works for everyone, but it works for me.

 

[Mr Alligator]

Sometimes the corridor to the apartment is cooler than the apartment itself (if indoors and/or on the shady side)

Not sure if you can open the door slightly without creating a risk of being robbed? But if so, a fan near that open door?

 

[Judge]

I can't imagine attempting to deal with that level of heat for more than 24 hours straight without AC.

But then I've lived most of my life with very hot summer temperatures. The hottest not being in the desert, but the suburbs of San Francisco (Walnut Creek, CA). When the highs could reach between 115 and 117 degrees (F) with consistently very little humidity. When you seek a hotel/motel room with AC to survive the nights on a very temporary, but expensive basis if it involves the elderly.

Though at your age you can get through it. But it won't be pleasant. When you hope for the temperatures to reduce once the sun goes down, and to open up all your windows and have as many large fans circulating air within. It's those few summer nights when the temperature doesn't drop that will be ugly- even painful to deal with. In the meantime, always keep curtains drawn.

In my youth I recall how my first two cars had no air conditioning. So many years later I can't imagine how I dealt with it. But with age withstanding extreme heat gets proportionately harder. Worse with higher humidity, but I left that mostly having left life on the east coast many years ago.

 

[Jumpinbare]

I grew up in muggy Central Florida with no AC.

Fans rule! Keep air moving around you to carry off body heat.

I am also always naked at home. Furniture have towels draped on them to absorb sweat and to keep the sitting area sanitary.

 

[Judge]

I am also always naked at home. Furniture have towels draped on them to absorb sweat and to keep the sitting area sanitary.

Reminds me of moving in with a girlfriend and her young daughter. They did the same each summer and then some. Made for a bit of an adjustment! But when it gets that hot..modesty becomes the least of your concerns.

I used to think the humidity of Virginia was bad, but I cannot even fathom what Florida is like.

 

[Aspychata]

I have little ice packs that you use to keep food cool. I can put these on my body. Also increase your levels of potassium by avocados, black beans, and bananas. This will significantly help with your energy levels. I also change out what l eat. Like only one or two meals, and a smoothie as a meal. Right now, l really enjoy a protein ice coffee which gives me a energy shot. Throw it in a blender with a carmel protein yogurt and a coffee smoothie is just happiness. You can also use instant coffee, sugar free carmel flavoring, a banana, protein powder in blender for energy, potassium and protein for your day.

 

[All-Rounder]

Instead of ice packs I have this plastic 'ice' with water inside, I don't want to bother the freezer so i put them in the fridge then put them on my body.

Fans, I used to put a small rag with water on the fan because humidity with fan is a new tech and can be more effective or put a cup of water in front or a little lower than the fan to prevent the blocking of the air. The rag tended to dry too often.

 

[Mary Terry]

I can't imagine attempting to deal with that level of heat for more than 24 hours straight without AC.

But then I've lived most of my life with very hot summer temperatures. The hottest not being in the desert, but the suburbs of San Francisco (Walnut Creek, CA). When the highs could reach between 115 and 117 degrees (F) with consistently very little humidity. When you seek a hotel/motel room with AC to survive the nights on a very temporary, but expensive basis if it involves the elderly.

Though at your age you can get through it. But it won't be pleasant. When you hope for the temperatures to reduce once the sun goes down, and to open up all your windows and have as many large fans circulating air within. It's those few summer nights when the temperature doesn't drop that will be ugly- even painful to deal with. In the meantime, always keep curtains drawn.

In my youth I recall how my first two cars had no air conditioning. So many years later I can't imagine how I dealt with it. But with age withstanding extreme heat gets proportionately harder. Worse with higher humidity, but I left that mostly having left life on the east coast many years ago.

When we were in Arizona a couple weeks ago, I learned that most people in that state who die from heat exhaustion actually have air-conditioning in their homes but don't use it because it is too expensive to pay their electric bills. I also learned that the Arizona state legislature just recently repealed a statute that prohibited mobile home/trailer owners from putting A/C window units in their windows! The old law deemed the aesthetics of a trailer park as more important than people's lives. I wonder who lobbied for the old law?

 

[Mary Terry]

I have a trick I use, first close your eyes. Then imagine it's early January. You're outside and it's -19°C. It's a little dark and windy, which makes it feel even colder. You have been shoveling snow for one and a half hour. Your nose is cold, your fingers are cold and you haven't had feeling in your toes for the past 30 minutes. And you still have a solid 30-40 minutes of shoveling ahead of you.

Now, open your eyes and embrace the wonderful heat.
I don't know if it works for everyone, but it works for me.

Stick your head in the freezer for a couple of minutes. If your head is cool, the rest of your body will automatically cool down.

 

[Judge]

When we were in Arizona a couple weeks ago, I learned that most people in that state who die from heat exhaustion actually have air-conditioning in their homes but don't use it because it is too expensive to pay their electric bills. I also learned that the Arizona state legislature just recently repealed a statute that prohibited mobile home/trailer owners from putting A/C window units in their windows! The old law deemed the aesthetics of a trailer park as more important than people's lives. I wonder who lobbied for the old law?

Sad, but quite true. Another reason why I contemplate moving to Las Vegas and always reconsider such a notion given a much longer period where a/c is running 24/7. And NV Energy utilities bills are relatively expensive, even when compared to No. California's PG&E. Making a tradeoff not so advantageous between lower rent and higher utilities costs.

Arizona and their stupid laws. Glad to see that they are finally being recognized for what they were.

 

[Mary Terry]

I'm renting now a one room apartment, and it has no AC. It has one window which often allows sun to get in the room. Where i live temperatures in the summer can go up to 40C (104F), so I would like to know, do any of you have any working tips for how to cool down apartment (or at least myself)? I can buy something not ultra expensive like a fan or humidifier, if that helps, but AC is out of question right now.

If you live in an area with mosquitoes, you need screens on your windows or a mosquito net over your bed if you leave the windows open. Mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile, Dengue, Zika, etc. are on the rise with climate change/global warming.

 

[Forest Cat]

One simple thing is to hang a big wet towel or sheet infront of an open window on a hot day. It cools the air that comes in through the window. But it's a little inconvenient, it dries after a while and then you have to take it down, wet it and hang it up again.

 

[Xinyta]

Fans rule! Keep air moving around you to carry off body heat.

I have to agree. Air circulation is your best friend on hot days. Even if it doesn't mitigate the full heat, it will keep any room from stagnating. Keeping the house cooler by a better margin, compared to the outside.

Still air is bad air.

 

[Forest Cat]

If your head is cool, the rest of your body will automatically cool down.

My head is always cool.

 

[Mary Terry]

I grew up in muggy Central Florida with no AC.

Fans rule! Keep air moving around you to carry off body heat.

I am also always naked at home. Furniture have towels draped on them to absorb sweat and to keep the sitting area sanitary.

I'm a big fan of loose, flowing lightweight cotton dresses so the air can circulate around my body. Underwear optional.

 

[All-Rounder]

Then you're ready to take a shower, cooold shower. That'll cool you off