# How do I make the air cooler in my place, since I'm not allowed to have an AC? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 23, 2002, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283 "2002-09-23T15:50:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cdhostage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@cdhostage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdhostage)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283/21 "2002-09-24T03:38:42Z")
[http://www.coolchips.com/](http://www.coolchips.com/) :)\_ šŸ™‚ šŸ™‚ See if you can do a promotional - llok at what good it did for me, now you can cool your computer too! ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283/22 "2002-09-24T03:42:10Z")
You could also get a [personal misting device](http://www.mistymate.com/home.html) of some kind. Fill with ice water, and mist yourself as needed. I keep one around for when my AC breaks, and combined with a fan, I manage to keep myself pretty darn cool. You might also want to buy a little desk fan and have it blow across the computer, too (open the case, if necessary). Even in 100+ degree temperatures, moving the air to carry away the excess heat keeps your computer nice and cool. And, if youā€™re only taking measures to keep yourself cool, the poor computerā€™s gonna suffer. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283/23 "2002-09-24T05:08:37Z")
Next year, go to Australia or South America, during June thru Sept. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283/24 "2002-09-24T05:09:42Z")
or moveā€¦ šŸ˜› ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283/25 "2002-09-24T05:24:45Z")
Start hanging styrofoam insulation in the room. (You know the kind w/ foil on both sides) do the ceiling and cover the windows too! You could even put some on the door, just cut out for the knob. Get some low wattage black lights and blocks of ice. Open the refrigerator/freezer doors. Really coolā€¦šŸ†’ (he he) makes for some great acoustics too. Screw what the neighbors thinkā€¦mix up big pichers of margaritas, sit in the tub w/ the stereo cranked up. Better yet get a small wading pool and invite some friends.šŸ˜ƒ šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283/26 "2002-09-24T05:33:57Z")
You might try, in addition to closing windows that let hot air in, keeping blinds or drapes in place, or the sunshine streaming in can create a ā€œgreenhouse effectā€ pretty quickly. I also find that packs of ā€œblue ice,ā€ fresh from the freezer, are fantastic personal coolers. Soā€™s a cold shower & change of clothes in the early evening ā€“ esp. if you grab a pre-semi-moistened t-shirt that you put in the fridge or freezer before you take the shower. Are you using incandescent or halogen lightbulbs? Try converting some fixtures, including any reading lamps, to compact fluorescent bulbs (with the appropriate lumen output). This can really make a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283/27 "2002-09-24T14:19:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kniz \* > \*\*or moveā€¦ šŸ˜› \*\* Iā€™ll second that. Um, why donā€™t you move to place that has (or allows) AC? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283/28 "2002-09-24T15:57:25Z")
Do you have alot of windows/doors? You know one that you can open on one side & then one you open on the other side so that air enters one & then exits the other. They should be on opposite walls for best effectā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![biker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce7236/32.png) [@biker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biker)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2002, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283/29 "2002-09-25T01:57:35Z")
the ceiling fans will have a small sliding switch on them. this changes the direction the blades spin. in hot weather you want the air blowing directly down on you from the fan. it will be easy to tell if they are spinning corectly, to blow the air down. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2002, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283/30 "2002-09-25T03:58:40Z")
Sethdallob you need to check out the site linked by drachillix again. There are powerful, portable standard, non-evaporative air conditioners also available, but they are not cheap!. see [http://www.air-conditioner-store.com/portable\_air\_conditioners.html](http://www.air-conditioner-store.com/portable_air_conditioners.html) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2002, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283/31 "2002-09-25T05:21:30Z")
I know desperate people do crazy things sometimes, so please forgive me if Iā€™m sounding too much like a mother hen, here. > [@](#): > > Something else that seems to work somewhat well is the same fan blowing over a bathtub of (relatively) cold water. Please tell me you donā€™t have an electric fan perched on the edge of a filled bathtub. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2002, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283/32 "2002-09-25T13:39:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sethdallob \* > \*\*well it is 1:07 here, and the temperature outside is 104, and inside it is 83. The best thing Iā€™ve found so far is a wet rag draped around my 12" fan, that I rewet as needed. Speaking from experience living where it can be 110 for days in a row the _best_ implementation of that is a big bowl of icewater, a washcloth, and an attractive friend then take turns cooling each other off. šŸ˜ƒ > [@](#): > > Also, when you say evaporation via wet sheets, does the window have to be open (heat energy) for the effect, or will it work with the windows closed?\*\* I believe the magic word is adiabatic cooling, larger surface area, lower relative humidity and higher airflow will accellerate the process. so you could for example have a window open but curtains closed and possibly hang the sheet on your side of the closed curtain. That way the sun is not contributing to your misery as much and the slow airflow will evaporate water from the sheet and cool the room a bit. You will need to have some kind of airflow to keep the humidity from climbing to the point where evaporation slowws way down. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2002, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283/33 "2002-09-25T13:56:23Z")
[http://www.contractorstools.com/patfloorcirculators.html](http://www.contractorstools.com/patfloorcirculators.html) Look for this brand of fans, they usually have 15-20 year warranties and they move some serious air. I have an 18" one I bought about 7 years ago for $50 on sale. Best $50 I ever spent. OR if you really have to move air [http://www.tempest-edge.com/blowers/electric.htm](http://www.tempest-edge.com/blowers/electric.htm) Gas powered versions are used for positive pressure ventilation of buildings in firefighting. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2002, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283/34 "2002-09-25T14:42:28Z")
Dear, itā€™s 83 degreesā€¦Iā€™ve got news for yaā€™ā€¦thatā€™s not hot! I keep my therm. set between 78-80 and BTW most ACunits are only supposed to cool a building about 20 degrees cooler than the outside temp. anyway! unless you do some serious insulating and weatherstripping and have outside shade. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-make-the-air-cooler-in-my-place-since-im-not-allowed-to-have-an-ac/129283.md?page=1)