What's the best way to keep a house w/o central air cool in 90 degree heat?
Answers:
Keep doors and windows closed. Wear loose, light clothes. Drink iced tea or water. Sit directly in front of the fan. Keep a bowl of ice water and a washcloth nearby. Wipe face and arms and the fan will feel delicious as it dries you. Take tepid showers, three or four a day. Don't have lights on in the daytime, they throw out a lot of heat. Microwave meals, stoves throw out heat. Try to only use your dryer in the very early morning. Good luck. You aren't alone. Sit and contemplate winter. It'll be here soon. Oh, one thing i love to do when i can't take the heat: Get in your car, get an iced coffee, turn the air on maximum and play Christmas music. I swear it works.
Other answers:
open a few windows and insert box fans blowing the hot air out.
open a few windows and insert box fans blowing the hot air out.
turn the air conditioner way up. there aren't any dumb questions by the way.
keep it dark. close as many curtains and window blinds as you can and turn the lights on if you have to but keep it dark. ur air will have a better chance to circulate if the hot hot sun isnt beaming in all at once from every direction
buy an a/c unit lol.......
um open the windows and put alot of fans in it
keep the shades down, doors shut, and the lights off unless you absolutely need them.
What kind of wall unit do you have? If you can afford to get a newer a/c you could buy one with a higher btu output and/or a 220v unit - as they put out more than the 110v units.
If that isn't an option then keep the shades closed, start the a/c before it gets hot inside, and if you can partition off the room with the a/c you should do so. Even by putting a sheet or blanket up to block the room off - it will make a big difference and that room will stay cool.
Windows open only at night. Shut the shades and windows during the day.
Put ice in buckets and place them in front of the fans. It mimics what we used to call swamp coolers.
Seal off the room for just the AC. ( Door, blanket, etc)
A fan, or two fans in the windows, one bringin in air and the other taking out air, will not cool 90 deg air, only move it, so that will work better in the night when it's cooler.
get central air! sorry couldn't resist.
seriously, close the curtains in the daytime to keep the sun out, open windows and fans. A spray bottle set on mist is always refreshing too.
Keep some cold beers in the fridge. Drink as needed.
Open all the windows on the shady side of the house, and then keep all the blinds down on the sunny ones.
keep everything dark and dont let air from the outside in
vent the heat with a floor fan through the single open window.
don't forget you can open the doors to let in cooler air.
after the temp drops a bit, air condition the place.
You can also try insulating your house or use a damp cloth and a fan to help you cool yourself directly.
After dark, open the windows and put the fans in them, turn the fans on high, and let them suck the cool night air in all night. When you wake up, before it starts to warm up, shut all your windows, doors, and pull the blinds to keep it as dark as possible..
This should keep it reasonable in the house all day. Mid day, turn on the air conditioner and seal off the room its in with blankets to make a good cold room for refuse ....
put the air conditioner on high and close all doors and windows. Put one fan close to the air conditioner to blow the cold air through the room. In your bedroom, close the door and put a fan in the window so it won't be hot in there when you go to bed. When the sun goes down it will cool off pretty quick. By closing all the other doors, the cool air from the air conditioner will have a better chance of cooling the smaller area. This is what we do at our house and even though it isn't frigid, it is pretty cool.
Pick one room that you will spend your time in. Use the a/c in there and close the door. In the other area's use one fan to bring in fresh air and the others to blow out the hot air. Drinking lots of fluids and using a cool wet towel around your neck and shoulders will help too. If you get really hot take a cool shower and stand in front of one of the fans. Good luck.
Provide shade for your window AC. This will increase the unit's efficiency by 5-10%.
Keep windows and doors sealed shut and dark blinds drawn. And keep the fans going!
Wear loose clothes.
Good luck!
Here it is supposed to hit the triple digits. I to deal with this sit. And have for years. Everyone is right shut your shades and curtains, Leave them all shut until this heat passes. Also DO NOT open your windows at night. All that does is let the humidity BACK in that the a/c has gotten out. You don't say what size place you live in, but I have a 3 bdrm house two story and my measly-crappy window unit cools the downstairs to about 66 degrees with these plans. If you get this 2nite b4 bed close up the house and start a/c unit. by morn you will feel a difference. Trust me on this one
Run the A/C with everything closed and keep the shades / blinds drawn to keep the sun out, at least a bit. If the room has a door, you have to decide if you want to retreat there or open the door and get everything else a bit cooler. Why not get that room real cold and then spread the cool with the fans. Repeat that periodically. And start early in the morning.