Methods to cool a hot room, what exists?

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:35 pm

I need some ideas on how to cool a hot room, no central A/C. Of course, I could get a window unit, and there are some very affordable ones, I can get a brand new one at $99 here, put it in the window, and be fine. But, the darn things are kinda ugly, and it completely takes away from my window view, its a small window, and there is only one in this room.

What other cooling ideas (besides fans of course) exist? I'm not too familiar with evaporator coolers, but if I understand them right, you use water, which means they would make the room more humid right. I already live in a very moist area, so this might not be the best thing, mold is a problem here.

De Plano · Post by **De Plano** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:39 pm

Why is it hot? Sun beating on it? A number of rigs and/or power being used in it? Above a really hot room?

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:43 pm

Brent wrote: and it completely takes away from my window view, its a small window, and there is only one in this room.

You're in jail?

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:48 pm

De Plano wrote:Why is it hot? Sun beating on it? A number of rigs and/or power being used in it? Above a really hot room?

On the top floor, townhomes are painted a dark brown (absorbs sunlight), vaulted ceiling, skylight, sun beats directly on it, no central a/c, 3 computer systems on pretty much all the time, 4 displays running as well. It gets about 15-20 degrees hotter in this room than it is outside. Lately, it has been warm for this area, got up to 86 on Sunday outside, and this room was 95+. It stays at around 90 degrees in the last few days. I've got fans in the window, fans at the door, but darn it is unbearable. I end up going downstairs in the evenning time because it is just too hot up here, it is about 10 degrees cooler downstairs. Looking for alternative cooling methods that exist.

Pictures of the room are here, its the one with the computer stuff - http://cid-42d92a985d442b2d.skydrive.li ... 20Finished - You can see the tiny little window I have there, and right below this window are roof shingles, I have a front porch that has a roof over it, it extends out from below this window. So i'm finding that the heat will bounce off of this roof and back through the window too.

Teirney · Post by **Teirney** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:57 pm

Try this...to cut down on the sunlight heat.

http://www.skylightblinds.com

Debbie · Post by **Debbie** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 2:07 pm

Since you don't want to use a window AC unit, the only thing is a portable air conditioner. I don't think a fan would be enough.

mountainman · Post by **mountainman** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 2:10 pm

Motorized skylight blinds...

Also, my buddy has a standalone A/C unit that is floor standing. Not sure what it's called, but his video studio is in the upstairs of an old house with no A/C and it is usually COLD in there...multiple PC's, etc etc etc.

Good luck.

Debbie · Post by **Debbie** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 2:26 pm

mountainman wrote:Motorized skylight blinds...

Also, my buddy has a standalone A/C unit that is floor standing. Not sure what it's called, but his video studio is in the upstairs of an old house with no A/C and it is usually COLD in there...multiple PC's, etc etc etc.

Good luck.

That is the one that I was thinking of. They are portables. I find that they do cost more than the window units though.

Debbie · Post by **Debbie** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 2:30 pm

http://www.compactappliance.com/Portabl ... swodFGsvfA

blebs · Post by **blebs** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:07 pm

Screw the view, be a man, put a window unit in and be comfortable. Besides, women love cool rooms.

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:15 pm

blebs wrote:Screw the view, be a man, put a window unit in and be comfortable. Besides, women love cool rooms.

Ultimately, next summer I will probably put one in, there isn't much left in this summer. I was just seeing if other ways existed to cool a room besides that and fans. I like the portable floor air conditioner units shown above, but they are pricey indeed.

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:27 pm

i look at the cheap window units as a temporary fix. will get you through the current summer, but beyond that who knows.

if you have the budget, look into ductless units. only need a 2-3" hole in the exterior wall. compressor is located outside, cooling portion of the unit is on the inside. definitely more efficient than a portable unit, but you obviously cant move a ductless unit from one room to another.

http://www.mrslim.com/Products/Category ... egoryID=24 as an example. much less expensive than central, and no ductwork to install.

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:18 pm

How do you like your new place?

mountainman · Post by **mountainman** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:38 pm

Faust wrote:i look at the cheap window units as a temporary fix. will get you through the current summer, but beyond that who knows.

if you have the budget, look into ductless units. only need a 2-3" hole in the exterior wall. compressor is located outside, cooling portion of the unit is on the inside. definitely more efficient than a portable unit, but you obviously cant move a ductless unit from one room to another.

http://www.mrslim.com/Products/Category ... egoryID=24 as an example. much less expensive than central, and no ductwork to install.

We have a big one at the office that cools the server room. They're pretty nice.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:45 pm

Brent wrote:I need some ideas on how to cool a hot room, no central A/C. Of course, I could get a window unit, and there are some very affordable ones, I can get a brand new one at $99 here, put it in the window, and be fine. But, the darn things are kinda ugly, and it completely takes away from my window view, its a small window, and there is only one in this room.

What other cooling ideas (besides fans of course) exist? I'm not too familiar with evaporator coolers, but if I understand them right, you use water, which means they would make the room more humid right. I already live in a very moist area, so this might not be the best thing, mold is a problem here.

we bought one like this for my MIL and it really works great.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... =100662136

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:49 pm

Dan wrote:we bought one like this for my MIL and it really works great.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... =100662136

My question about those are, does it make the room more humid and add moisture?

Rainbow · Post by **Rainbow** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:10 pm

Brent wrote:Ultimately, next summer I will probably put one in, there isn't much left in this summer. I was just seeing if other ways existed to cool a room besides that and fans. I like the portable floor air conditioner units shown above, but they are pricey indeed.

pricey and they still need to be vented outside which make them look even worse.

OSULLY · Post by **OSULLY** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:21 pm

Just to be humerouse, A fine mist of LN2 would do it but don't go in afterwards because of low O2 levals.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:30 pm

AC in window.... regardless of how much summer is left, it can stay in the 90's well into Sept. Plus i'm sure they will last packed up for the winter till next year.

Its been hot around here these last few days and even the weather men suggest finding a AC to get into!

JawZ · Post by **JawZ** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:40 pm

Brent wrote:My question about those are, does it make the room more humid and add moisture?

Swamp coolers are for low humidity environments where the water will evaporate quickly.

We used them in the Middle East and in New Mexico/Arizona to great effect.

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:50 pm

JawZ wrote:Swamp coolers are for low humidity environments where the water will evaporate quickly.

We used them in the Middle East and in New Mexico/Arizona to great effect.

Wouldn't work in the NC mountains.

JawZ · Post by **JawZ** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:37 pm

This is a cool DIY project:

http://lifehacker.com/5335024/how-to-bu ... m+legal-ac

Meggie · Post by **Meggie** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:16 pm

Well I think the most obvious answer is to shut down some of the computers. But other then that... Try keeping the lights off, putting up curtains that keep the light out. Open the windows at night when its cooler outside and then close them in the morning. Depending on ur insolation it may keep it cooler in there. Another thing to try, since its hotter inside then outside, try pointing your fans out the window, it may move the hot air out. Another trick I've heard is to put a bowl of icecubes in front of a fan. Kinda ghetto, but it might work.

But again, the best answer is probably to shut down at least most of your electronics.

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:21 pm

Unfortunately, turning them off isn't an option. When I do review work, which is everyday, they all have to be on, I know that is what is making it hot, but it is necessary, that's my job. Thanks for all the recommendations everyone. I think next summer I'm just going to buy a $99 window A/C unit, it seems to be the most economical and best solution for the summer times from my research.

chimdogger · Post by **chimdogger** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:36 pm

[/end of thread]

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:43 pm

My alcohol

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 6:15 pm

Brent wrote:Unfortunately, turning them off isn't an option. When I do review work, which is everyday, they all have to be on, I know that is what is making it hot, but it is necessary, that's my job. Thanks for all the recommendations everyone. I think next summer I'm just going to buy a $99 window A/C unit, it seems to be the most economical and best solution for the summer times from my research.

Try to contain this PC work area to a room with a door that shuts to the rest of your apartment, and have them in a room which has a window. You'll want a fan exhausting the hot air from that room out of this window, so the heat doesn't spread to the rest of your apartment..and especially upstairs if there is an upstairs. Heat rises.

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 8:08 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:Try to contain this PC work area to a room with a door that shuts to the rest of your apartment, and have them in a room which has a window. You'll want a fan exhausting the hot air from that room out of this window, so the heat doesn't spread to the rest of your apartment..and especially upstairs if there is an upstairs. Heat rises.

Yeah, I got it setup that way. In the winter though, they will certainly help

The winter here lasts a lot longer than the summer anyway.

Meggie · Post by **Meggie** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 7:47 pm

Brent wrote:Yeah, I got it setup that way. In the winter though, they will certainly help The winter here lasts a lot longer than the summer anyway.

not living in tex-ass anymore?

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Wed Aug 19, 2009 9:50 pm

Meggie wrote:not living in tex-ass anymore?

Boone, NC in the Appalachian Mountains (home of ASU) as of August last year, love it