# Tips for staying cool with no A/C **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 7, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-staying-cool-with-no-a-c/627538 "2012-07-07T18:32:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-staying-cool-with-no-a-c/627538/41 "2012-07-09T15:02:16Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > If the evaporator coil develops a crack, it can leak refrigerant into the living space. > > However, the refrigerant of choice these days is [R-134, which is actually very safe.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R-134#Safety) It’s even used in “canned air,” which involves squirting it directly into the air. I’d imagine it’s not good for caged birds though - they can be extremely susceptible to anything out of the ordinary in the air they’re breathing. > [@](#): > > Anyone who is concerned about the safety of R-134 in their living space should probably also get rid of their refrigerator. Agreed, the actual risk is very low. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-staying-cool-with-no-a-c/627538/42 "2012-07-09T15:12:18Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I’d imagine it’s not good for caged birds though - they can be extremely susceptible to anything out of the ordinary in the air they’re breathing. True, but according to Wikipedia, the LD[sub]50[/sub] for rats is 1500 g/m[sup]3[/sup]. I’d guess there’s maybe 2 kg of refrigerant in a window A/C unit, and if you managed to rapidly dump this into a 15’x15’x9’ bedroom (volume: 57 m[sup]3[/sup], the concentration would be just 35 g/m[sup]3[/sup]. This would be an absolute worst-case scenario. Far more likely: a very slow microscopic leak over the course of a couple of years that diffuses harmlessly throughout your home and then leaves via normal air exchange, resulting in concentrations much, much closer to zero. Are birds _that_ sensitive? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-staying-cool-with-no-a-c/627538/43 "2012-07-09T15:16:03Z")
The [EPA](http://www.epa.gov/ozone/snap/refrigerants/safety.html) also puts this another way: for rats, the lethal dose of R-134 is 500,000 parts per million. I’m no math major, and I realize that rats aren’t birds (possibly excepting pigeons from that equation) but that’s a lot of parts per million to be lethal. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-staying-cool-with-no-a-c/627538/44 "2012-07-09T15:16:28Z")
Wet bandannas on your wrists and/or neck do wonders, while being a relatively-small amount of “wet stuff” on you. Silk ones work best. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-staying-cool-with-no-a-c/627538/45 "2012-07-09T15:50:11Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Are birds _that_ sensitive? Far more sensitive than rats (that’s why miners used canaries), but probably not enough to be killed or harmed by a very slow leak. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2012, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-staying-cool-with-no-a-c/627538/46 "2012-07-11T20:50:45Z")
Be careful not to do something with water that gets you _too_ chilled - if you do that, your body will try to _raise_ your temperature. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-staying-cool-with-no-a-c/627538/47 "2012-07-12T15:14:22Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > I’d guess there’s maybe 2 kg of refrigerant in a window A/C unit, Are birds _that_ sensitive? There’s only 1/2 to maybe a pound of R-22 or R-410 in a window unit. There’s something like a bajillion window units in use, and frankly I’ve never heard of birds succumbing to their use. I’ve had birds for 30 years - granted they’re bigger than some dogs - but I’ve just never known them to be that sensitive. I do keep them away from mimes just in case. I think I read somewhere that they’re incompatible. No, I think you and the budgies or finches are in more danger in a closed room with a fan. \*\*Everyone \*\*knows not to do **that**! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-staying-cool-with-no-a-c/627538.md?page=2)