WFMW May 31
Ahh! It's time for another "Works for Me Wednesday," the part of the blog where Amy comes out and gives a WFMW tip.
In honor of our lack of A/C, which is currently being looked at right now (and while you're at it, please say a prayer that we do not need to replace our 18 month old heat pump), I am going to post a few "keeping cool" tips that I've learned in the last few days.
Foiling your windows (this is an elaboration of tip #3 from yesterday). DH used to do this at college, and surprisingly, it helped enough that the back of the house (west-facing) stayed nice and cool all afternoon long - even upstairs! I took the cheapest aluminum foil I could find, DH's masking tape from the garage and had at it. I left a few holes for light, but it still helped. I'm sure the neighbors thing we're wierd, but what's new, eh?
Fan positioning. We have a 20" fan tilted up the staircase, so it is blowing cool air from downstairs into the upstairs. I think I'm going to continue doing this trick, as it is making our loft so nice and cool. The other fans are positioned in the bedroom doorways, so we're constantly pulling the cooler air blown up the stairwell into our bedrooms.
Run the heat pump fan constantly, even without the A/C running. This helps bring the hot air downstairs and the cool air up and makes the temperature more even. Otherwise, upstairs is around 85 degrees and downstairs stays a comfortable 78 degrees.
Those are the biggest helps, but I'm so thankful for the fan positioning tips from my parents. They've really helped keep us as cool as anything.
posted by Amy from Ezekiel's Garden @ 10:30 AM
9 comments
9 Comments:
here's to hoping your ac gets fixed soon, but that is a great tip anyways.
I hope your A/C gets fixed soon! Thanks for sharing. (My word verification happens to start with "hot", lol!)
First, I hope your A/C gets fixed soon! Second, I run our fan all the time too and what a difference!! I can actually keep the set temp lower and it feels cooler in the house. And you're so right about the second floor -- much better!!!
I've never thought of putting a fan at the bottom of the stairs! Great tip!
(Of course, we don't have any hot weather, but when we do, this is one I'll try)
My tip is up :-)
Oh. I don't know about not having A/C for more than...about an hour, this time of year. It would take a semi-full of foil to cover our 12-ft. windows. I totally feel for you. Let's get that thing fixed.
Fan idea is a great tip just in case my AC ever does go out...let's hope not.
I have never heard of foiling the windows. The house we are moving in to will not have air conditioning (just window units in some of the rooms). I'm going to keep this idea in mind! Thanks!!
Reading your profile was a little scary. I am Amy, I am from Indiana, I am a SAHM, I just replaced my a/c....that was a bit frightening. :)
Great tips for keeping cool and good luck with the air and heat pump for that matter!!
I feel for you. My temp. tolerance is about 4 degrees 74 to 78. Otherwise I'm a lazy grouch. What a mess I'd have been in pioneer days!
These are great ideas. I guess I should run my fans with my A/C, too.
Hey, nice blogskin. ;0)
first time poster: via Mommylife, i think...
We live up north, but there can be some brutally hot days...however, not enough for frugal yankees to invest in whole house a/c!
Here's our trick. Open the top half of the upstairs or attic windows, open the bottom half of a downstairs window on the shady side of the house. (If you can, put a fan blowing OUT of the top window.) Since heat naturally rises this creates a suction through the house and pulls the cool up.
However, in the heat of the day close/curtain all the windows on the sunny sides of the house to lock in the night's cool air. Then move it around with a fan.
I AM GOING TO USE YOUR FOIL idea on my hottest window! I will make a removable cardboard panel so the window is free for looking out of in the morning.
Thanks! Floorplan
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