It's hot. We mean ... well, most of you know what we mean. The cats have crawled off to lie on the floor of the shower -- it's dark and relatively cool there.
We've stripped down to the lightest clothes we own. There is no AC, and even if there were, we'd like to think we wouldn't turn it on.
If you live somewhere that's hot right now (like California), but not so hot that it would be dangerous to leave the AC off, what are you doing to stay cool?
We've got one interesting idea after the jump. Please add your own, too!
we live in central texas...and it's topped 100 degrees for 11 out of the last 13 days. so, leaving the a/c off is not a safe option (especially with a pet inside all day). but our apartment complex installed programmable thermostats last year, and they are GREAT because it's very easy to use and definitely conserves a lot of energy!
view ambsATX's profile
If you have decent insulation and it cools off at night, this trick works wonders: Put box fans in the front windows, facing outward. Open the bedroom windows and enjoy the cool breeze being drawn in. When you wake up, close all the windows and shades and hunker down. It stays relatively cool until late afternoon, at which point it's hopefully cooling down again.
PS: the swampcooler thing only works if it's not humid in your area. If it is, there won't be much evaporation and the temp won't drop much.
view Tiamat_the_Red's profile
we do what Tiamat_the_Red does, but have a whole house fan. If the windows weren't horrible it'd probably work better, but the heat seeps in. bleh
view Lizzykewl's profile
I'm also in the Austin area (Central Texas) and thankfully, my apartment is on the bottom floor, in a nook of an L in the building floorplan and rarely gets any sun, so it doesn't get hot usually. The Stucco on the exterior and the saltillo tile floors in the foyer, bathroom and kitchen all work to keep the apartment cooler, so I rarely have to run the a/c. I can leave the a/c off during the day and it stays relatively cool in the place.
When I get home, I open my living room window and turn on all the ceiling fans, and the two small fans, and get into apair of shorts and a t-shirt. It's pretty comfortable.
view ronzo's profile
Yuk, I really need help with this. DC has been in the 90's the last couple of weeks and I hate AC (but have a cat, so it's not fair to leave him in the hot humid apt while I go to work). A friend recommended a vertical fan - any thoughts?
view MargaretR's profile
MargaretR,
i bought a tower fan (is that what you mean?) and the thing was SO wobbly...it couldn't finish a full oscillate because it kept getting wobbled off course. it was a stupid fan. and i have rickety floors. so i don't know about that...i returned the fan and got a vornado instead.
we did get a big "king of fans" from home depot a few years ago and that thing IS A POWERHOUSE of fans. we've never ever ever put it higher than the lowest setting. it's really loud, though.
currenty we only have ACs in the bedrooms because sleeping in the NYC summer heat is so not fun. but the apartment becomes UNLIVABLE and we find ourselves in the bedrooms watching movies, eating meals, etc. which sucks. but the cost of running a "multiroom" AC? i don't think so!
view kdkaboom's profile