Current Events > My AC is broken in the South. Any tips on keeping a room cooler?

(+) Yeah! (+)

People keep suggesting swamp coolers, but if hes in a place thats super humid those would be worthless. Same with the ice trick.

take periodic cold showers or fill a ziplock up with ice, wrap a towel around it so the condensation doesn't get everywhere and just rub it around you periodically.

I just had to replace my unit this summer too, south louisiana heat and humidity in the summer is no damn joke.

Getting airflow through the house is the only thing you can do as a texas resident here, I have central air and a window unit and it is cranking rn to even keep up

I'm gunna break texas sorry

RIP man fan

Don't let ManFan die.

Veggeta X's advice to stay cool in this heat withouth AC!

Take a cool shower. That always cools me down for at least an hour comfortably.

Wash your face with cold water. That always cools me down for at least 20 minutes.

Run cold water through your legs and feet. That always cools me down for at least 20 minutes.

Drink cold water. Put some water in the freezer or just the regular fridge, let it sit for 10 minutes and you'll get some refreshing cold water to drink. That always cools me down for at least 20 minutes.

Get a small towel and wet it with cold water. Wrap it around your neck. Rinse and repeat. You'll be coolrf down so long as you keep the towel cool and wrapped around you.

Dip your head in the fridge/freezer for about 40 seconds. It'll keep you cool for 5-10 minutes.

Portable air conditioner. Warning: you will have to dump the hot air somewhere else in your house but it should make sleeping more tolerable.

https://products.rentacenter.com/appliances/air-conditioners/

Get naked.

Im off today so Im going to buy something for sure. Especially since this is what my thermostat said in the upstairs room where I game.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/6/6/AAU0QaAADWDe.jpg

DepreceV2 posted...

Im off today so Im going to buy something for sure. Especially since this is what my thermostat said in the upstairs room where I game.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/6/6/AAU0QaAADWDe.jpg

Thoughts and prayers.

Sleep on a wet towel.

If you can get comfy enough in the tub, tubs tend to be cooler.

Try different areas and different heights. I have windows in my apartment but what seems to cool it is keeping the windows closed and opening the door.

Middle hope posted...

People keep suggesting swamp coolers, but if hes in a place thats super humid those would be worthless. Same with the ice trick.

This is true. You suggested dehumidifier though and those produce heat so they aren't great for this situation either. Heat and humidity are both problems and each of those things will help with one at the expense of the other. Cheap window unit is best call. If the repair is going to be too expensive, maybe multiple cheap window ACs for multiple rooms or a floor unit for larger spaces (they aren't difficult to move around, especially with an ideal-sized panel) so technically if you only need 1 cool room at a time, you could always wheel it from room to room as needed, at least if they're on the same floor. Minor pain in the ass for the comfort it will provide).

My dehumidifier has a heat exhaust that runs out the window or I suppose you could direct it anywhere in the house like the basement or attic or something.

A large bucket, 4 gallon bucket would be fine. Fill with as much ice and wafer as possible, place a fan in a position to blow the cool air releasing from the bucket

be sure youre drinking not just water, but something with electrolytes. You can make electrolyte water by adding salt and sugar. Preferably potassium and magnesium salt

at temps this high be wary of headaches, ears popping, and dizzyness, it could be a sign of heat damage

Get a fucking window unit. Fuck all the Jerry rig bullshit and home remedy stuff.

Get a window unit and blast that bitch.

FYI, the price to fix an A/C unit skyrockets during spring/summer. I had to kick out $7000 last year to get mine fixed. The same repair job was advertised for $4500 later on during the fall/winter. So if you can manage it, now is the time to get your heating system checked out while its not in use and the pricing isnt ridiculously high.

When my a/c went out, for a few days I made a heat sink out of a 2 liter pop bottle. I just filled an empty one with cool tap water and cuddled with it while I slept lol. It will pull the heat right out of you.

Won't cool the room, of course, but it works.

Middle hope posted...

My dehumidifier has a heat exhaust that runs out the window or I suppose you could direct it anywhere in the house like the basement or attic or something.

ah okay. I haven't used one in a long time. My parents used to have one in their basement and it didn't have a port and there were no openable windows. That was so long ago that the technology was probably shit compared to now. My floor unit has a dehumidify function but I never use it. If I'm bothered enough by humidity, I'll be bothered enough by the heat to just run as AC since it's both.

You could run it out the duct for the dryer if you have one inside the house.

That leads straight outside.

Ill find a way to make it work. If anything, Im learning a lot about something stuff I never needed to know. Thankfully this kind of stuff doesnt bother me too much. Im really only concerned about dehydration and heat exhaustion. The actual heat making me uncomfortable isnt a big deal

DepreceV2 posted...

Ill find a way to make it work. If anything, Im learning a lot about something stuff I never needed to know. Thankfully this kind of stuff doesnt bother me too much. Im really only concerned about dehydration and heat exhaustion. The actual heat making me uncomfortable isnt a big deal

Yeah, it can also give you some pretty nasty skin issues if it's too hot up there.

Not to mention the swamp ass...

Swamp coolers work great but I would buy a window unit over that instead. Also use towels under the doors to keep the cool air from escaping.

Out of curiousity what is it not doing?

buy a mist fan fill it with ice water

You can literally get a window unit tonight for $150. Is not losing $150 worth being dead?

doesntcare posted...

Out of curiousity what is it not doing?

The attic unit has a hole in it? I think? Something about Freon leaking and it ruined some aspects of the unit so it has to be replaced. Hopefully I can find someone that can fix it and not replace the entire thing

It's always the damn Freon smh

Rip

I really do not recommend this because it is wasteful of water and you can get fined and jailed but if you open a fire hydrant that is near you then the water rushing out will - very slowly because the mains tend to be plastic or ceramic - cool the water entering your home and cool your home. I really do not recommend it but since it is a thing for the hydrant on my block, I have been getting by without AC.

RE freon It has not been available in Illinois for decades. If you are close enough to Mexico and if you could put the unit in your truck you could have it repaired in Mexico, I think.

I would need to see the hole. Assuming its an "A" coil with a txv valve in place. Finding the coil should not be an issue. Brazing/soldering it in place is where experience is the most useful. Happen to know the tonnage of the unit and manufacturer??

Ill say this. I bought that window ac unit. GOD SENT. My room will be in the 60s but as soon as I step outside my door its 90 degrees. It helps SO MUCH. I slept for 13 hours straight in this cool air. My sleep must have been horrible for a long time

Heck yeah. Nothing worse than sleeping in a hot ass room.