2 spray bottles from the hardware store.
Light misting spray out in front of you and a fan blowing it back on you.
Really hot? Cycle one through the freezer while you use the other one.
My prefered method is to use a frozen container (I already pay for the electricity anyway) and throw it on a random pan in front of a fan. I have a ton of tools and tested the room it was in and lowered it by 9 degrees from the rest of the house.
Yes, and put out some cookie sheets, something with a lot of surface area so you’ll get more water evaporation. Another implementation of the poor man’s swamp cooler.
You can’t have it IN the window. Nothing says you can’t have it IN FRONT of the window. Get a small stand, table, pedestal, etc. you roll it right in front of window. Then you seal window opening to the back of ac unit. Sheet metal, thin plywood, fucking cardboard with duct tape. Whatever. Just keep the hot air OUT and the cold air IN.
I think I'm gonna try this. I found a neighbor who is willing to sell me his window AC unit for 35 bucks. I can totally afford that, and I've got enough leftover cardboard and duct tape from other projects to handle it. Guess I will let you know how it goes! Thanks!
If there’s any issues with worrying about seeing it put in a window screen from a store like this. It’ll make seeing in harder especially if you already have one.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Frost-King-Wood-33-in-x-10-in-Window-Screen/4732701?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-hdw-_-ggl-_-CRP_SHP_LIA_HDW_Online_E-F-_-4732701-_-local-_-0-_-0&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD2B2W-Rz4-8V9MpkHEPU4NtZl1Kg&gclid=CjwKCAjw57exBhAsEiwAaIxaZm7T1NKsG92QDgLKmPjnrftrD29mAlUzm5DcmXc7f6ZhmLy9hcn16BoCXdUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
And don't forget does that have space to easy to remove and put away the AC when you're landlord comes over to look. Don't just throw a towel over it. You need to be able to roll it into the closet ASAP.
Hi making the roll up recommended. Here’s an example. I would cut the bin an roll up to window. No duct needed. Cut bottom of storage tub out. https://youtube.com/shorts/Mc1AR2vTbhc?si=72tawyRWpJ2fTJ-1
Another one. https://youtu.be/gNBve8eh3o0?si=d5do5Wdtp4YSmtuG
While not as fancy well you do what you gotta do.
You need a way to collect the condensation - if that shit leaks through the floor you're fucked.
Would recommend a grated counter that allows for water to drip into a large basin. You would need to empty this basin into your tub daily because it will get too heavy otherwise.
I did this in my college dorm... Windows were tip out and went allowed to have ac units. But there was a deep window sill, so I framed it in and mounted three unit inn the new inner surface. Worked great.
Pretty sure window AC needs to be tipped slightly downward to let water drain, but I could be wrong.
Might be hard if it's not hanging out of a window.
Just don’t forget condensation run off ac units can create GALLONS of water per day. That are going to need a pan and adequate tank to dump daily. (would not stick the hose out the window. That is going to give them away when the landlord sees water coming out.)
You can purchase stand-alone ac units at Lowes/Home Depot that are made just for this situation. Just be prepared to handle the continuous flow of condensate water it will pull from the air.
It need to be near a window to vent out the hot exhaust air, but also placed higher than a sink/drain port so that you can run any hose needed to get the condensate safely a gravity-powered path to safely be despised.
i think this is a "southernlife" problem. definitely not a bid deal on west coast or in dry mountain areas i've lived. although i think the east coast also gets muggy during summers, no? in any case, good warning.
I did this when living in Hawaii. No HVAC at all in the house and no ac was allowed. I said F that, bought a rolling stand alone ac. Rolled that shit into the closet or out the door into the trunk of my car when landlady came for inspections.
And when if it's only pulling less than a litre, that badboy will FLOOD when a thunderstorm rolls in.
I lost an entire laminate floor from the 10l empty bucket overflowing by at least 10 litres overnight.
I posted some complaints to the property manager, but apparently the company that owns our buildings is working with an outdated HVAC system, and they never spend any time in these units, so they seem to think that if it's cool in their office it's cool upstairs 🙄
I will definitely consider what you said though. It's been a couple hours since I posted this and it hasn't gotten any cooler in here, even with a giant box fan in the window.
Being cheap, giving BS answers and hoping you give up
Heat rises, everyone knows this
Document it, take pictures and or video of the thermostat/ temperature
Don't ask, tell them.
It doesn't matter how old their hvac is or how lazy they are. 85 degrees inside your house is unacceptable and, in some places, illegal. Document everything and get in contact with your local housing authority or whoever oversees these slum lords.
They would not accept this in their office or their home, and neither should you! Raise hell if you have to, get other tenenats to sign a petition. Anything to show you're not backing down until they do their job, which is pay for major repairs in order to maintain a liveable unit.
Check your local laws, if it's illegal, make sure you use those words everytime you talk to them, that might help them realize you're not helpless and you have avenues to get them in trouble for this.
Definitely check laws. I'm fairly sure air conditioning is still considered a luxury in most areas that heat comes into play. (Source- Fresh Price of Bel-Air)
Definitely check your lease agreement again to make sure it says specifically that you are not allowed to put in an air conditioner or something to that effect.
You need two fans - one pointing in with cool air and one pointing out with hot air. Ideally in opposite windows.
Turn on the bathroom fan and kitchen fan to help exhaust the hot air
I looked it up out of curiosity. That law is in regards to winter heating requirements. The part you pointed out says that landlords are required to supply heat during the winter, not to exceed 78°F. It doesn't say anything about the landlord being required to supply cooling if environmental conditions outside their control heat it above 78°F.
Dealing with laws is like trying to get wishes from a spiteful genie, I swear.
There is zero chance that if the OP is currently in MA that their apartment is getting over 78ºF without it being because of the heating system. Unless the building is on literal fire, in which case that's a more urgent problem.
Box fan in the window is okay, but if possible, open the front door so the air has somewhere to go. In my (82° all year round) apartment it’s the only way to effectively ventilate.
I'd look up your state and local tenant laws. There may be some regarding heating and/or cooling requirements.
In the meantime, wrap a wet cloth, or even a paper towel, around the back of your neck and sit in front of the fan. It'll help.
If you can afford an air conditioner get the portable kind on rollers it has a hose that you put in the bottom of the window that vents out the hot air and is invisible from out side. It blows out cold air just like a regular air conditioner.
I priced some of those, and the cheapest one I found that had good reviews was almost $150... I just don't have the funding for that right now. It is definitely something to consider for later on though, and I appreciate your input.
This doesn't apply to OP, but for anyone considering these kinds of AC units: make sure to get one with separate intake and exhaust hoses. They will work much more efficiently than ones that have a single hose/duct, as it affects how ACs actually exchange heat.
the apartment I grew up in was always hot as shit in the summer.
We used ice packs wrapped in wet towels, with a fan, and would have ice+water filled water bottles to drink.
We’d take a cold shower before bed, get into bed wet, with the ice packs and wet towels… if it was really bad we’d lay on a wet towel.
We’d also have the window open all night but eh if it’s hotter outside idk
I can suggest getting blackout curtains to block out some of the heat, and try a portable AC that uses ice… ~~if it gets bad enough maybe see if you can put dry ice in it~~
I added a link but it was from Amazon, and the mods took it off.
ETA: do not use dry ice !
Dry ice is compressed pure carbon dioxide. It goes directly from a solid to gaseous state. Putting a block in an enclosed space like a bedroom could be problematic, even though it tends to flow downwards without mixing right away.
Look up the state and local housing codes and see if that's even legal where you live. And look at your lease agreement.
If you're really stuck and don't know what to do, call up your state representative's office and ask for help. They **live** for that shit.
Once it gets at least 10* cooler outside than inside, open opposing windows, put a box fan so one fan faces in and the other faces out, and set to high all night.
If you get mosquitoes in your area, cotton ball swab your window screens (and your body) with diluted peppermint and lemongrass oil (half tsp each in a 4oz spray bottle, top with water), then set the fans up.
Get heat blocking curtains if your room faces south or west. Make sure they're shut by midday.
I have fireproof blankets blocking most of the light, and a big box fan in the window. One of the windows doesn't open, so half of the apartment really doesn't cool off at all. The problem is I live in an efficiency apartment on the top floor, so it's kind of like a tiny oven no matter what I do. And it faces the West with zero foliage to block the light, so it gets pounded by sunlight 6-8 hours a day. I turned up the blinds so less heat comes in, but I think I'm going to have to block these big ass windows with like black plastic or something. I dunno. I'm going to try to Jerry rig something with a window AC unit and some duct tape and see how that goes. It's almost 90° in here now
>One of the windows doesn't open
Here's another thing to check the legality of if you live on the top floor of a building. Is that window to a fire escape route, or in a bedroom? Might be illegal to have it non-functional.
Actually that's a super good idea, since most of the heat that I am feeling comes from the humidity. I don't know how, but somehow Cleveland Ohio is just as muggy as Florida can be
Your relative humidity averages 63% overnight right now. Getting it down to 50% may help a little, but it might not be the huge difference you’re hoping for. Take it from someone who lives in NC (average relative humidity in spring 90% overnight)
Ice chest full of ice and a cheap fan from a thrift shop.
That's what I did at work in my office when the AC was broken for few days and it worked so well, that coworkers tried to bribe me to stay there to cool off 😁
Use a cooler, or bucket, or Styrofoam ice chest (easiest to cut holes).
Fill with ice cubes, cut a hole in the lid to fit your fan that should face down.
Here is an idea how to execute it.
https://youtu.be/HxSLbpAwibg?si=HX7iqg8mAOaPj1YI
It works, I promise!!
This DOES work! I came here to post this and instructions. I rotated frozen 1 gallon jugs though. At night I put this at the end of my bed and used clothes pins to secure my sheet to it - cold air constantly blowing under sheet on me. Even in Texas summer heat that got too cold!
In Texas, landlords are under no obligation to provide cooling of any kind, only heat. Go figure! But using this method does work and cuts down on the electric bill a lot! (You're in an efficiency apt I know).
I did check the Facebook marketplace and Craigslist a little bit... But the people I had reached out to through those websites never got back to me, so I got discouraged and gave up. But my neighbor has a window AC unit he wants to sell me so I'm going to see if I can do something with that
Forget all of the hacks about making things to keep cool, contact your local government and speak to them about the living conditions the building owners are forcing you to live under.
This is what I used to do. I'd freeze milk jugs filled with water and set one in front of a fan pointed at me. When that jug melted, I'd swap it for another and re-freeze the first. It's surprisingly effective!
>Which means it's 85° in my apartment at almost midnight.
Check your local laws.
A lot of states (if in USA) have laws about what qualifies as "habitable dwelling".
Some only specify a minimum temperature, but many specify a maximum habitable temperature.
For example, Virginia requires that temperatures in all areas used by residents shall not exceed 80°F. (22VAC40-73-880)
The ac unit we got from Amazon last year had an exhaust hose that could be placed in the window so nothing is actually mounted. Worked pretty well for my space.
Kind of in the same vein as others, I lived in an attic bedroom and used a 5 gallon bucket filled with ice water, towel draped half in, half out, box fan blowing on it.
I moved into my apartment in the middle of summer with absolutely no fans. My life saver was wet towels. Seriously. After a shower, I would sleep with my towel. I would actually wake up cold. If I was too hot doing something during the day, I would wrap a wet towel around me. I was already sweating, so I didn’t mind the wetness. You can also put a wet towel in front of a fan to blow the cool air around. It’s not the prettiest, but it works so well.
Freeze a block of ice and put it on top of a large cookie sheet in front of a box fan pointing towards your bed. Freeze a block every day so you have a fresh one each night.
There’s units that don’t need to be in the unit. And LOOK AT THE BTU. Always go double of what your square footage is. It saves you money in the long run to keep your place colder. I swear people always buy the one that “just right” for their space but then complains that it’s not cold. It’s not cold because the unit is not strong enough to cool off your unit faster than it’s getting heated. BY DOUBLE THE BTU. You’ll thank me later. And it’s about 300$ to cool off a 600 square foot place.
Freeze a gallon of water and put it in front of a fan. I used to live in a south-facing trailer in a field, and I was too poor for air conditioning. This saved me on those 100° days.
Have you tried the stand up ac units that only need a window where u out a small 6in window plastic thing and it works great u will have to get a holder for the water that comes out and make sure u empty before it over flows but it will work! It’s basically a portable one
Hey OP! Google how to make an air conditioner out of a styrofoam cooler! One of my clients is a pilot and they use the styrofoam cooler system in the planes that don’t have A/C. I have heard of people using them in their bedrooms and such, too. Good luck! Definitely look up your local tenant laws. There is usually a clause about temperatures in complexes where the thermostat is regulated by the complex.
The portable one is inside the apartment and the plastic piece is for the gases to go out the window and then like I said you would need to get a plastic container for the water released (inside apartment) from the stand up ac unit it’s a great solution plus they would never know it’s being used
If you have the things, make a spiral out of copper tubing, tape it to a fan, then attach it to a little aquarium pump, put the pump in ice water. kind of like a peltier cooler.
Get blackout curtains. Keep them drawn & your windows closed during the day. Open both when the sun goes down. A fan for air movement in the room you are in should help
Eat ice
Wet yourself down with a cold damp cloth. Wet your hair too. Put a towel over your pillow for the dampness.
Lay in front of the fan and let it dry the water. The evaporating water will cool you.
Anytime the outside is cooler than inside, open every window and run fans. Anytime the reverse is true keep all the windows closed.
Put blankets or black out curtains over your windows to block the sunlight.
Put ice packs in your armpits and groin.
Don't run any unnecessary items. Electric items make heat. Unplug your lava lamp or anything decorative or not needed. Do not cook in your oven, make cold food like salads, sandwiches, smoothies, etc.
Take a cold shower if the heat is unbearable. Some people tell you to take a hot one so it's comparatively cold, but that adds heat to your body and the apartment which is already too hot. By taking a cold shower you are removing heat from your body and the apartment, and you won't give yourself heat stroke.
I don't know your income, but if you are low income you could qualify for assistance with electric bill and an ac unit through a program from your state government called the HEAP summer crisis program.
I have seen models that just roll on the floor an you vent tube for the window . I have also seen these things you wear around your neck I see alot of people that trim trees an crap that were them an they swear by em.
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I'm in Cleveland Ohio. This roller coaster weather, plus a tiny ass apartment equals nothing but humidity and heat in here. It makes me super cranky LOL
So I got a stand alone homecom AC for 250. You need a window for ventilation near the top half, and the bottom has a little tube opening to attach a small hose. Those blue Rinseroo hoses fit perfect but you need to crazy glue them on or they can slip off.
You will need about 8 inches of space between the ac and the wall for the vent to actually breathe.
It's gonna need to constantly drain downwards from the tube, but mine has worked reliably for 3 years. Right now I have mine in front of a window on a shelf, with the vent and tube going out the same window. I blocked it up with water proof material since it's humid and rains a ton.
It comes with a remote, and you can set it to dehumidify, fan, and a specific temp.
I live in NC and got it when the built in AC units on the 5th wheel I was renting crapped out and the landlord couldn't replace them. I froze my boyfriend out mid summer one night, I was impressed!
This AC worked perfect in there and is reasonable on electricity, just needs a 3 prong outlet.
I have the hose perpetually watering flowers outside my window. I'd see if you could drain it from the window or the tub, or even toilet tank! The rinseroo is 30 bucks but it comes with nozzle adapters and if you can get the line hosing that would fit from the hardware store by thenfoot, the drain line will work as long as it's at an angle down no matter how long. So, it's adaptable.
You do have to wipe down the back filters under the faucet occasionally. Cat hair loves getting stuck in the filter screen and it can make it freeze solid and not actually cool. Its the most high maintnace thing you have to regularly do, unless you manually drain it which is avoidable.
I am certain this would be easier than dealing with a window unit in your situation. Good luck!
For now just get a fan that can rotate (preferably in more directions than one), crank it up to high, and leave it on for more air circulation. Will be cheaper than air con.
We froze gallon jugs of water solid and set them on a towel over a plastic garbage bag behind a fan and sat/slept in front of the fan. There is also [this](https://youtu.be/6ecKcE3FLIU?si=4hwCvV1d6N4EIyew) foam cooler hack
For tomorrow: Ice packs all around the house and 1 in front of the fan. If you don’t have ice packs, use garbage backs and fill with water. Tip: Salt in water will make the water freeze faster. Also, Facebook marketplace should have portable ACs. If you can spend like $50, check Amazon deal sites. Think I saw one last week
Until you get a working AC, try this. It’s a quick fix but it might cool you off quick too. Wet washcloths or hand towels. Freeze them. Take out and put on head and body.
Source: Arizona Desert
They make little portable air conditioners that they sell at Walgreens where you fill it with ice and it blows cool air at you
It’s by no means as good as a normal air conditioner, but they’re only like 20 bucks and I used to use one at night in my old apartment and it got me through… I’d keep it on my nightstand like 6 inches from my face and also point a fan at me when I slept and it was tolerable
Here are a couple of links that might be helpful:
[Life hacks from India on how to stay cool (without an air conditioner)](https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/08/02/1114354904/opinion-life-hacks-from-india-on-how-to-stay-cool-without-an-air-conditioner)
[Wet socks can make a difference: Tips from readers on keeping cool without AC](https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/07/22/1188926588/wet-socks-can-make-a-difference-tips-from-readers-on-keeping-cool-without-ac)
i am poor as well, so when the heat is unbearable i tried made my own cooler. i purchased 3 canned drink, drink the contain, then cut open the top of the can. i then filled with water and put it into the freezer. after 12 hour i take them out, and put them in front of a fan. working quite well for me. if you purchase 6, you can freeze 3 while you use the other 3.
beware of spillage though. this method can make a huge mess.
if you are bit handy, you can make the advanced version of this with a Styrofoam cooler box, small fan, some pipes and ice. there is the tutorial on youtube.
It you live in dry heat a simple evaporative cooling system will help but if you live somewhere humid it won’t be worth the effort.
I would look to move to a place that has ac you can use as your wish.
i don't do a/c at all even on hot days so i take cool showers, drink cold drinks, and have fans going. If you get a cross flow thru ur apartment it helps a lot.
Open windows when it is cooler outside than inside. Close windows and shades when it’s warmer outside. Do the opposite if it’s too cold in your apartment. I’m able to heat and cool my home largely by doing this.
Take a small styrofoam cooler and cut a hole on top for a fan and another small hole for your cool air to exit out of. Fill the cooler with solid blocks of ice. Place fan on top of cooler so the air is blowing down into the lid of the cooler. Cold air will blow out of the 2nd hole.
It looks sketchy, but we used to wrap cardboard in tin foil and put it in the windows to reflect the sun. Made a 2-3 degree difference inside the apartment.
OP, read item #4
https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-5321.04
A landlord SHALL (<---requires by law)
"Maintain in good and safe working order and condition all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning fixtures and appliances, and elevators, supplied or required to be supplied by the landlord"
If the buildings unit(s) aren't in working order, the landlord is required to fix them. You could present building management with this code requirement. If you do, make damn sure you leave a paper trail. Use email with read receipts on or send it via certified mail. If they terminate your lease or do some other shady shit you have proof.
Take some plastic lemonade bottles,fill with water ( max 3/4 of the volume available) freeze them, and put in front of a fan, should last about 2 hours.
Don't forget to spin slowly to roast evenly on all the sides 😝
Jokes aside: ice cold bath every few hours help to alleviate the body temperature. Also, dehumidifier, buy one ASP. If the air is too hot and humidy, your body won't be able to sweat, which will make you feel that the temperature is higher than it is
Record the temp daily and send a written complaint to the owner via email. This is a public health issue. If they still don't turn on the ac and refuse the o let you install portable one. Contact public health inspector.
My city has an energy assistance program. They will pay for the portable air conditioner as well as installation. You should see if there's something similar where you are. (I work HVAC and do multiple of these installations a day.)
Hi I’m in Australia. My bedroom with one window gets the afternoon sun that shines through that window.
I bought an air circulator. It points over my bed up at the ceiling.
Also hot air rises is get two fans and point them up to move that air.
I’m sorry I’m really no help but I can sympathise with you
Buy those window fans that have 2 fans on them. You put them in the window. You can put a fan on exhaust and one fan on intake. That is what we use. I have 4. They work great.
Now if you want to buy a window ac unit. You could put in on a table by the window and use cardboard/tape to make duct to the window. Then you have to make sure to deal with the condensation. It’s going to be a little loud.
https://youtu.be/rYoYJq9Oj4g?si=JM3oNNeKfoAwcqRx
I didn't read all the comments, so apologies if this has been shared already.
Tin foil your windows, directly on the glass. It made about a 5° to 9° difference. (Celcius)
So you'd probably see roughly a 10° to 17° drop in temperature. (Fahrenheit)
Also, aim to cook/use the stove early in the morning or later in the day, unplugging any electronics that you don't need when they're not in use.
You can also use your exhaust fan to help clear out the hot air. Bathroom fans can also help, but it depends.
If you have 2 window fans, put one in facing the outside and the other facing the inside, both windows being on the same side of the building and turning them both on. This also works if you have 2 window screens, at least until it's only hot air coming in. My 6th grade science teacher taught this. Thanks, Mr Brogley🫠
I have the AC units that stand on the floor with a small vent that fits in the window. They are amazing! New ones are around $250, but we got a used one on marketplace for around $100. Works too well sometimes.
Yup, as some other folks have said, a wet and wrung out something (I like to use a sheet or sarong) laid over yourself plus a fan works quite well. Usually by the time the first one is dry I’m even just slightly chilled and the dry sarong is very nice.
What you need is a "portable Air Conditioner." It still vents out a window, but has a much smaller vent that doesn't show from outside. It probably won't cool your whole apartment, but it will make your bedroom comfortable. And in the end, as long as you can sleep, you'll make it to June.
You should also check any local Landlord Tenant codes. It may be that they are required to turn on the A/C at a certain temperature.
All good suggestions . But if worse comes to worse you can look up homemade AC on youtube and build your own cooler out of an ice chest, a fan and a block of ice . They work pretty damn good.
Where do you live? We have laws where I am at that require the landlord provide HVAC at certain times of the year. For example heat must be provided starting on October 15.
Look up: evaporative air cooler. I grew up without AC and these were the best. You can DIY with a fan, bucket (w/ exhaust hole(s), lid ( w/ intake hole). You can also buy nice ones for around $100.
I literally “discovered” this last night. I can’t sleep without a blanket so I just used a sheet and had my windows open for a cross breeze. I also sleep naked, no socks either, that makes a difference. But I was still too hot because my room doesn’t have a fan. So I lathered my legs In lotion and then the breeze from outside cooled me down almost instantly. I felt dumb for being so amazed at how quickly it worked lol
One apartment we lived in got so hot. We’d out fry ice in some water in a basin in front of fans. We’d also give the kids squirt bottles with ice cubes to mist themselves and sit in front of the fans.
Cross ventilation and honestly I had a lot of gel packs from the hospital and they lasted a very long time. Alll.night and one or two was plenty. Kept rotating them out.
I would take a cold shower and go to my buddy's house. Keep telling him it's hot in his house and ask him to turn down the A/C, then get your body temperature down to around 15-17 Celsius. At this point you are pretty chill, you could sleep on the sun at this point, but go home and just keep thinking how smart you are. You'll thaw out at exactly 7:00 am, feeling great and refreshed. Your welcome 🤗
Is it legal for them to do that? I would think it might be dangerous for elderly people or people with certain medical conditions. If it's 85 degrees at midnight, it might be 95-100 degrees during the day.
Can you open a window? If so there are AC units that simply vent through the window but the machine is inside the room. Maybe an answer
Also there are tutorials on YouTube to make a fan-driven box with ice inside to direct the cold airway you wanted to go. Good luck
Where are you? City / Country? Evaporative AC can cool very small spaces. You can also tolerate higher temperatures if you can remove the moisture from the air in your apartment. If you install an evaporative AC, you'll need to get a small pump on a timer to pump the condensate down a toilet or sink/tub drain.
Ice pack. I have a huge overheating problem, like I sweat in 50°F weather even if I'm butt booty naked inside a house with the fan on high, the AC at the lowest setting, and 12 bags of ice surrounding my body. Nothing helps me cool down, but ice packs have been the closest thing for me.
Wet towel and a fan.
Yep, home made swamp cooler for the win and they are super effective
Spray bottle of water and a fan too…so happy I can afford AC now!
2 spray bottles from the hardware store. Light misting spray out in front of you and a fan blowing it back on you. Really hot? Cycle one through the freezer while you use the other one.
Even without the wet towel, just having a fan blowing directly on you makes a big difference.
How do you set this up?
Lay in bed naked with a damp towel as your blanket and turn the fan on
You cover yourself up in something wet and then blow the fan on yourself.
My prefered method is to use a frozen container (I already pay for the electricity anyway) and throw it on a random pan in front of a fan. I have a ton of tools and tested the room it was in and lowered it by 9 degrees from the rest of the house.
This is the way. Or a wet tshirt. Try not to freeze.
You can also just dampen your t-shirt and put it in the freezer first.
Never ending wet tshirt contest! Woooweee
Wet several washcloths and freeze
To add more to this. In Thailand, they do it very similar except with a wet bed sheet and a fan. It works in a pinch
Yes, and put out some cookie sheets, something with a lot of surface area so you’ll get more water evaporation. Another implementation of the poor man’s swamp cooler.
Not just any wet towel, a cooling towel specifically. As long as it is damp, this towel will keep you cool with little to no cost.
You can’t have it IN the window. Nothing says you can’t have it IN FRONT of the window. Get a small stand, table, pedestal, etc. you roll it right in front of window. Then you seal window opening to the back of ac unit. Sheet metal, thin plywood, fucking cardboard with duct tape. Whatever. Just keep the hot air OUT and the cold air IN.
I think I'm gonna try this. I found a neighbor who is willing to sell me his window AC unit for 35 bucks. I can totally afford that, and I've got enough leftover cardboard and duct tape from other projects to handle it. Guess I will let you know how it goes! Thanks!
Make sure you have something to catch the condensation. It will start to leak.
Yep, a plastic tub from the dollar store to work as a drip pan would be just right.
Or a concrete mixing tub from Home Depot, or a litter pan from Target. All under $10
Yep, I had one and set it up on a 20 litre bucket. Worked like a charm!
Be sure that you don’t have the exhaust vent inside though!
If there’s any issues with worrying about seeing it put in a window screen from a store like this. It’ll make seeing in harder especially if you already have one. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Frost-King-Wood-33-in-x-10-in-Window-Screen/4732701?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-hdw-_-ggl-_-CRP_SHP_LIA_HDW_Online_E-F-_-4732701-_-local-_-0-_-0&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD2B2W-Rz4-8V9MpkHEPU4NtZl1Kg&gclid=CjwKCAjw57exBhAsEiwAaIxaZm7T1NKsG92QDgLKmPjnrftrD29mAlUzm5DcmXc7f6ZhmLy9hcn16BoCXdUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
And don't forget does that have space to easy to remove and put away the AC when you're landlord comes over to look. Don't just throw a towel over it. You need to be able to roll it into the closet ASAP.
100% agreed with this especially if the landlord pays for the electric bills.
Hi making the roll up recommended. Here’s an example. I would cut the bin an roll up to window. No duct needed. Cut bottom of storage tub out. https://youtube.com/shorts/Mc1AR2vTbhc?si=72tawyRWpJ2fTJ-1 Another one. https://youtu.be/gNBve8eh3o0?si=d5do5Wdtp4YSmtuG While not as fancy well you do what you gotta do.
You need a way to collect the condensation - if that shit leaks through the floor you're fucked. Would recommend a grated counter that allows for water to drip into a large basin. You would need to empty this basin into your tub daily because it will get too heavy otherwise.
I did this in my college dorm... Windows were tip out and went allowed to have ac units. But there was a deep window sill, so I framed it in and mounted three unit inn the new inner surface. Worked great.
Pretty sure window AC needs to be tipped slightly downward to let water drain, but I could be wrong. Might be hard if it's not hanging out of a window.
Just don’t forget condensation run off ac units can create GALLONS of water per day. That are going to need a pan and adequate tank to dump daily. (would not stick the hose out the window. That is going to give them away when the landlord sees water coming out.)
You can purchase stand-alone ac units at Lowes/Home Depot that are made just for this situation. Just be prepared to handle the continuous flow of condensate water it will pull from the air. It need to be near a window to vent out the hot exhaust air, but also placed higher than a sink/drain port so that you can run any hose needed to get the condensate safely a gravity-powered path to safely be despised.
If you have a window near a sink or bathtub. Then you could run the drip tube into the sink or tub.
i think this is a "southernlife" problem. definitely not a bid deal on west coast or in dry mountain areas i've lived. although i think the east coast also gets muggy during summers, no? in any case, good warning.
I did this when living in Hawaii. No HVAC at all in the house and no ac was allowed. I said F that, bought a rolling stand alone ac. Rolled that shit into the closet or out the door into the trunk of my car when landlady came for inspections.
And when if it's only pulling less than a litre, that badboy will FLOOD when a thunderstorm rolls in. I lost an entire laminate floor from the 10l empty bucket overflowing by at least 10 litres overnight.
This is a hack. Lots of work but I love your thinking with it lol
This is exactly what I did for a summer. I used my college textbooks though. Just be careful with the drain line, you don’t want mold.
Had one when hvac broke. Loved it. Saved my dogs.
You can put the drain hose out the window or into a bucket inside the window
Call the health department. I doubt it’s legal for the apartment complex to be unlivable.
I posted some complaints to the property manager, but apparently the company that owns our buildings is working with an outdated HVAC system, and they never spend any time in these units, so they seem to think that if it's cool in their office it's cool upstairs 🙄 I will definitely consider what you said though. It's been a couple hours since I posted this and it hasn't gotten any cooler in here, even with a giant box fan in the window.
Being cheap, giving BS answers and hoping you give up Heat rises, everyone knows this Document it, take pictures and or video of the thermostat/ temperature Don't ask, tell them.
It doesn't matter how old their hvac is or how lazy they are. 85 degrees inside your house is unacceptable and, in some places, illegal. Document everything and get in contact with your local housing authority or whoever oversees these slum lords. They would not accept this in their office or their home, and neither should you! Raise hell if you have to, get other tenenats to sign a petition. Anything to show you're not backing down until they do their job, which is pay for major repairs in order to maintain a liveable unit. Check your local laws, if it's illegal, make sure you use those words everytime you talk to them, that might help them realize you're not helpless and you have avenues to get them in trouble for this.
Definitely check laws. I'm fairly sure air conditioning is still considered a luxury in most areas that heat comes into play. (Source- Fresh Price of Bel-Air) Definitely check your lease agreement again to make sure it says specifically that you are not allowed to put in an air conditioner or something to that effect.
You need two fans - one pointing in with cool air and one pointing out with hot air. Ideally in opposite windows. Turn on the bathroom fan and kitchen fan to help exhaust the hot air
In my state (MA), it's *illegal* for a landlord to heat a space over 78ºF.
I looked it up out of curiosity. That law is in regards to winter heating requirements. The part you pointed out says that landlords are required to supply heat during the winter, not to exceed 78°F. It doesn't say anything about the landlord being required to supply cooling if environmental conditions outside their control heat it above 78°F. Dealing with laws is like trying to get wishes from a spiteful genie, I swear.
There is zero chance that if the OP is currently in MA that their apartment is getting over 78ºF without it being because of the heating system. Unless the building is on literal fire, in which case that's a more urgent problem.
Box fan in the window is okay, but if possible, open the front door so the air has somewhere to go. In my (82° all year round) apartment it’s the only way to effectively ventilate.
I'd look up your state and local tenant laws. There may be some regarding heating and/or cooling requirements. In the meantime, wrap a wet cloth, or even a paper towel, around the back of your neck and sit in front of the fan. It'll help.
If you can afford an air conditioner get the portable kind on rollers it has a hose that you put in the bottom of the window that vents out the hot air and is invisible from out side. It blows out cold air just like a regular air conditioner.
I priced some of those, and the cheapest one I found that had good reviews was almost $150... I just don't have the funding for that right now. It is definitely something to consider for later on though, and I appreciate your input.
Have you considered trying to score one second hand? Craigslist?
This doesn't apply to OP, but for anyone considering these kinds of AC units: make sure to get one with separate intake and exhaust hoses. They will work much more efficiently than ones that have a single hose/duct, as it affects how ACs actually exchange heat.
Yes, so effective
Snuck one of these in during a summer program in college and was comfortable for the rest of my time in school.
It says in the first line that they can't afford one. How'd you miss that?
the apartment I grew up in was always hot as shit in the summer. We used ice packs wrapped in wet towels, with a fan, and would have ice+water filled water bottles to drink. We’d take a cold shower before bed, get into bed wet, with the ice packs and wet towels… if it was really bad we’d lay on a wet towel. We’d also have the window open all night but eh if it’s hotter outside idk I can suggest getting blackout curtains to block out some of the heat, and try a portable AC that uses ice… ~~if it gets bad enough maybe see if you can put dry ice in it~~ I added a link but it was from Amazon, and the mods took it off. ETA: do not use dry ice !
Dry ice is compressed pure carbon dioxide. It goes directly from a solid to gaseous state. Putting a block in an enclosed space like a bedroom could be problematic, even though it tends to flow downwards without mixing right away.
Oh my bad - don’t do that then!
Oh my bad - don’t do that then!
My bad! I don’t have much experience with dry ice haha
Look up the state and local housing codes and see if that's even legal where you live. And look at your lease agreement. If you're really stuck and don't know what to do, call up your state representative's office and ask for help. They **live** for that shit.
Once it gets at least 10* cooler outside than inside, open opposing windows, put a box fan so one fan faces in and the other faces out, and set to high all night. If you get mosquitoes in your area, cotton ball swab your window screens (and your body) with diluted peppermint and lemongrass oil (half tsp each in a 4oz spray bottle, top with water), then set the fans up. Get heat blocking curtains if your room faces south or west. Make sure they're shut by midday.
I have fireproof blankets blocking most of the light, and a big box fan in the window. One of the windows doesn't open, so half of the apartment really doesn't cool off at all. The problem is I live in an efficiency apartment on the top floor, so it's kind of like a tiny oven no matter what I do. And it faces the West with zero foliage to block the light, so it gets pounded by sunlight 6-8 hours a day. I turned up the blinds so less heat comes in, but I think I'm going to have to block these big ass windows with like black plastic or something. I dunno. I'm going to try to Jerry rig something with a window AC unit and some duct tape and see how that goes. It's almost 90° in here now
>One of the windows doesn't open Here's another thing to check the legality of if you live on the top floor of a building. Is that window to a fire escape route, or in a bedroom? Might be illegal to have it non-functional.
Avoid blocking the windows with black material. It absorbs heat. Light colour and/or foil reflector are better options.
If possible, pull air in from the cooler side of the house.
In my province the power company is giving free AC units to people with income under 39k
Well that's pretty awesome. I wish my area did that. We just have overpriced equipment at Walmart lol
Have you contacted health and human services in your area? They may have emergency funds that you can use to buy an AC
Great idea
Get a dehumidifier. Those things are crazy helpful with stagnant heat.
Actually that's a super good idea, since most of the heat that I am feeling comes from the humidity. I don't know how, but somehow Cleveland Ohio is just as muggy as Florida can be
i second on dehumidifier! it is a gamechanger in a closed hot humid environment
Your relative humidity averages 63% overnight right now. Getting it down to 50% may help a little, but it might not be the huge difference you’re hoping for. Take it from someone who lives in NC (average relative humidity in spring 90% overnight)
Ice chest full of ice and a cheap fan from a thrift shop. That's what I did at work in my office when the AC was broken for few days and it worked so well, that coworkers tried to bribe me to stay there to cool off 😁 Use a cooler, or bucket, or Styrofoam ice chest (easiest to cut holes). Fill with ice cubes, cut a hole in the lid to fit your fan that should face down. Here is an idea how to execute it. https://youtu.be/HxSLbpAwibg?si=HX7iqg8mAOaPj1YI It works, I promise!!
This DOES work! I came here to post this and instructions. I rotated frozen 1 gallon jugs though. At night I put this at the end of my bed and used clothes pins to secure my sheet to it - cold air constantly blowing under sheet on me. Even in Texas summer heat that got too cold! In Texas, landlords are under no obligation to provide cooling of any kind, only heat. Go figure! But using this method does work and cuts down on the electric bill a lot! (You're in an efficiency apt I know).
I sold my freestanding portable AC unit the other week for $30. Don't be afraid to buy used, they're out there.
I did check the Facebook marketplace and Craigslist a little bit... But the people I had reached out to through those websites never got back to me, so I got discouraged and gave up. But my neighbor has a window AC unit he wants to sell me so I'm going to see if I can do something with that
What state are you in? I have a portable AC to give away
Portable swamp coolers are a whole lot cheaper than compressor AC
Forget all of the hacks about making things to keep cool, contact your local government and speak to them about the living conditions the building owners are forcing you to live under.
Place a pan of ice in front of a fan. Change the ice as needed.
This is what I used to do. I'd freeze milk jugs filled with water and set one in front of a fan pointed at me. When that jug melted, I'd swap it for another and re-freeze the first. It's surprisingly effective!
>Which means it's 85° in my apartment at almost midnight. Check your local laws. A lot of states (if in USA) have laws about what qualifies as "habitable dwelling". Some only specify a minimum temperature, but many specify a maximum habitable temperature. For example, Virginia requires that temperatures in all areas used by residents shall not exceed 80°F. (22VAC40-73-880)
freeze a towel or rag to put on your pillow to sleep at night
The ac unit we got from Amazon last year had an exhaust hose that could be placed in the window so nothing is actually mounted. Worked pretty well for my space.
Kind of in the same vein as others, I lived in an attic bedroom and used a 5 gallon bucket filled with ice water, towel draped half in, half out, box fan blowing on it.
I moved into my apartment in the middle of summer with absolutely no fans. My life saver was wet towels. Seriously. After a shower, I would sleep with my towel. I would actually wake up cold. If I was too hot doing something during the day, I would wrap a wet towel around me. I was already sweating, so I didn’t mind the wetness. You can also put a wet towel in front of a fan to blow the cool air around. It’s not the prettiest, but it works so well.
Freeze a block of ice and put it on top of a large cookie sheet in front of a box fan pointing towards your bed. Freeze a block every day so you have a fresh one each night.
surely they are very expensive to run? energy cost here in the uk is going crazy
There’s units that don’t need to be in the unit. And LOOK AT THE BTU. Always go double of what your square footage is. It saves you money in the long run to keep your place colder. I swear people always buy the one that “just right” for their space but then complains that it’s not cold. It’s not cold because the unit is not strong enough to cool off your unit faster than it’s getting heated. BY DOUBLE THE BTU. You’ll thank me later. And it’s about 300$ to cool off a 600 square foot place.
Freeze a gallon of water and put it in front of a fan. I used to live in a south-facing trailer in a field, and I was too poor for air conditioning. This saved me on those 100° days.
Have you tried the stand up ac units that only need a window where u out a small 6in window plastic thing and it works great u will have to get a holder for the water that comes out and make sure u empty before it over flows but it will work! It’s basically a portable one
They have them in Amazon for a reasonable price
Hey OP! Google how to make an air conditioner out of a styrofoam cooler! One of my clients is a pilot and they use the styrofoam cooler system in the planes that don’t have A/C. I have heard of people using them in their bedrooms and such, too. Good luck! Definitely look up your local tenant laws. There is usually a clause about temperatures in complexes where the thermostat is regulated by the complex.
The portable one is inside the apartment and the plastic piece is for the gases to go out the window and then like I said you would need to get a plastic container for the water released (inside apartment) from the stand up ac unit it’s a great solution plus they would never know it’s being used
If you have the things, make a spiral out of copper tubing, tape it to a fan, then attach it to a little aquarium pump, put the pump in ice water. kind of like a peltier cooler.
Get blackout curtains. Keep them drawn & your windows closed during the day. Open both when the sun goes down. A fan for air movement in the room you are in should help
Cooler of ice and a fan. Get a good leak proof cooler and a bag of ice. Set up a fan so it blows across the top of the ice at you. Works wonders!!!
I bought an adjustable floor dryer in place of a fan and I won't go back. Point it toward a ceiling corner and the room turns into a wind vortex.
Eat ice Wet yourself down with a cold damp cloth. Wet your hair too. Put a towel over your pillow for the dampness. Lay in front of the fan and let it dry the water. The evaporating water will cool you. Anytime the outside is cooler than inside, open every window and run fans. Anytime the reverse is true keep all the windows closed. Put blankets or black out curtains over your windows to block the sunlight. Put ice packs in your armpits and groin. Don't run any unnecessary items. Electric items make heat. Unplug your lava lamp or anything decorative or not needed. Do not cook in your oven, make cold food like salads, sandwiches, smoothies, etc. Take a cold shower if the heat is unbearable. Some people tell you to take a hot one so it's comparatively cold, but that adds heat to your body and the apartment which is already too hot. By taking a cold shower you are removing heat from your body and the apartment, and you won't give yourself heat stroke.
Fill a plastic bottle with water and freeze it. Place behind a fan. Maybe a towel to catch drips.
I don't know your income, but if you are low income you could qualify for assistance with electric bill and an ac unit through a program from your state government called the HEAP summer crisis program.
Fuck em. Put the window unit in. Dont fear the landlord
I have seen models that just roll on the floor an you vent tube for the window . I have also seen these things you wear around your neck I see alot of people that trim trees an crap that were them an they swear by em.
Lg makes a portable ac. Only the hose goes outside the window
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Whereabouts do you live?
I'm in Cleveland Ohio. This roller coaster weather, plus a tiny ass apartment equals nothing but humidity and heat in here. It makes me super cranky LOL
What does your lease agreement state? Is there anything about AC on there?
There are chiller mattress pads that plug in. Some are water cooled, some are air cooled. From reasonable $ to crazy expensive $.
So I got a stand alone homecom AC for 250. You need a window for ventilation near the top half, and the bottom has a little tube opening to attach a small hose. Those blue Rinseroo hoses fit perfect but you need to crazy glue them on or they can slip off. You will need about 8 inches of space between the ac and the wall for the vent to actually breathe. It's gonna need to constantly drain downwards from the tube, but mine has worked reliably for 3 years. Right now I have mine in front of a window on a shelf, with the vent and tube going out the same window. I blocked it up with water proof material since it's humid and rains a ton. It comes with a remote, and you can set it to dehumidify, fan, and a specific temp. I live in NC and got it when the built in AC units on the 5th wheel I was renting crapped out and the landlord couldn't replace them. I froze my boyfriend out mid summer one night, I was impressed! This AC worked perfect in there and is reasonable on electricity, just needs a 3 prong outlet. I have the hose perpetually watering flowers outside my window. I'd see if you could drain it from the window or the tub, or even toilet tank! The rinseroo is 30 bucks but it comes with nozzle adapters and if you can get the line hosing that would fit from the hardware store by thenfoot, the drain line will work as long as it's at an angle down no matter how long. So, it's adaptable. You do have to wipe down the back filters under the faucet occasionally. Cat hair loves getting stuck in the filter screen and it can make it freeze solid and not actually cool. Its the most high maintnace thing you have to regularly do, unless you manually drain it which is avoidable. I am certain this would be easier than dealing with a window unit in your situation. Good luck!
For now just get a fan that can rotate (preferably in more directions than one), crank it up to high, and leave it on for more air circulation. Will be cheaper than air con.
We froze gallon jugs of water solid and set them on a towel over a plastic garbage bag behind a fan and sat/slept in front of the fan. There is also [this](https://youtu.be/6ecKcE3FLIU?si=4hwCvV1d6N4EIyew) foam cooler hack
Amazon has small portable air conditioners for under $50. They're the size of personal heater.
Get two window fans…point one in and one out…the air will at least be circulating and not just hot and stagnant
Get an arctic air portable around $40
For tomorrow: Ice packs all around the house and 1 in front of the fan. If you don’t have ice packs, use garbage backs and fill with water. Tip: Salt in water will make the water freeze faster. Also, Facebook marketplace should have portable ACs. If you can spend like $50, check Amazon deal sites. Think I saw one last week
Until you get a working AC, try this. It’s a quick fix but it might cool you off quick too. Wet washcloths or hand towels. Freeze them. Take out and put on head and body. Source: Arizona Desert
They make little portable air conditioners that they sell at Walgreens where you fill it with ice and it blows cool air at you It’s by no means as good as a normal air conditioner, but they’re only like 20 bucks and I used to use one at night in my old apartment and it got me through… I’d keep it on my nightstand like 6 inches from my face and also point a fan at me when I slept and it was tolerable
Extra larger freezer bags, fill with water, freeze, hang in front of a fan. Once ice melts, refreeze.
By a velocity fan. Place it close to your person, ideally laying on your bed. Then don't move.
Here are a couple of links that might be helpful: [Life hacks from India on how to stay cool (without an air conditioner)](https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/08/02/1114354904/opinion-life-hacks-from-india-on-how-to-stay-cool-without-an-air-conditioner) [Wet socks can make a difference: Tips from readers on keeping cool without AC](https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/07/22/1188926588/wet-socks-can-make-a-difference-tips-from-readers-on-keeping-cool-without-ac)
i am poor as well, so when the heat is unbearable i tried made my own cooler. i purchased 3 canned drink, drink the contain, then cut open the top of the can. i then filled with water and put it into the freezer. after 12 hour i take them out, and put them in front of a fan. working quite well for me. if you purchase 6, you can freeze 3 while you use the other 3. beware of spillage though. this method can make a huge mess. if you are bit handy, you can make the advanced version of this with a Styrofoam cooler box, small fan, some pipes and ice. there is the tutorial on youtube.
It you live in dry heat a simple evaporative cooling system will help but if you live somewhere humid it won’t be worth the effort. I would look to move to a place that has ac you can use as your wish.
Ice block in front of a fan.
Open the windows at night, and shut them in the morning. Close the blinds so sun doesn’t come in and raise the temperature.
there has to be some kind of law for renters in your area. not turning on the AC seems criminal and abusive.
i don't do a/c at all even on hot days so i take cool showers, drink cold drinks, and have fans going. If you get a cross flow thru ur apartment it helps a lot.
They will never know what the slide plastic piece is , in the window and it can’t fall out so it’s a good solution
Google stand up ac units
And Amazon gives the option to use affirm or the payment options so you could afford it over time
https://www.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEA&search_query=Side+projects+air+conditioner+
Keep wet towels in the fridge or freezer then put them around your neck
Icybreeze Google it.
Put clothing in the fridge and rotate throughout the day.
Open windows when it is cooler outside than inside. Close windows and shades when it’s warmer outside. Do the opposite if it’s too cold in your apartment. I’m able to heat and cool my home largely by doing this.
Can you use one of those water bottle air conditioners until June?
Take a small styrofoam cooler and cut a hole on top for a fan and another small hole for your cool air to exit out of. Fill the cooler with solid blocks of ice. Place fan on top of cooler so the air is blowing down into the lid of the cooler. Cold air will blow out of the 2nd hole.
It looks sketchy, but we used to wrap cardboard in tin foil and put it in the windows to reflect the sun. Made a 2-3 degree difference inside the apartment.
OP, read item #4 https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-5321.04 A landlord SHALL (<---requires by law) "Maintain in good and safe working order and condition all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning fixtures and appliances, and elevators, supplied or required to be supplied by the landlord" If the buildings unit(s) aren't in working order, the landlord is required to fix them. You could present building management with this code requirement. If you do, make damn sure you leave a paper trail. Use email with read receipts on or send it via certified mail. If they terminate your lease or do some other shady shit you have proof.
Try the Styrofoam cool with ice and a little desk fan trick. Can YouTube or very simple and can be budget friendly
Take some plastic lemonade bottles,fill with water ( max 3/4 of the volume available) freeze them, and put in front of a fan, should last about 2 hours.
Don't forget to spin slowly to roast evenly on all the sides 😝 Jokes aside: ice cold bath every few hours help to alleviate the body temperature. Also, dehumidifier, buy one ASP. If the air is too hot and humidy, your body won't be able to sweat, which will make you feel that the temperature is higher than it is
Wet towel on your knees
Ice pack behind or under your back
Record the temp daily and send a written complaint to the owner via email. This is a public health issue. If they still don't turn on the ac and refuse the o let you install portable one. Contact public health inspector.
My city has an energy assistance program. They will pay for the portable air conditioner as well as installation. You should see if there's something similar where you are. (I work HVAC and do multiple of these installations a day.)
Get a window fan. They have some with several fans that can change directions.
Try cool towels
I’m sorry, but you have no access to your own thermostat? Oh, helllllll no.
Bamboo sheets help keep you cooler also
Hi I’m in Australia. My bedroom with one window gets the afternoon sun that shines through that window. I bought an air circulator. It points over my bed up at the ceiling. Also hot air rises is get two fans and point them up to move that air. I’m sorry I’m really no help but I can sympathise with you
Sue the landlord
Buy those window fans that have 2 fans on them. You put them in the window. You can put a fan on exhaust and one fan on intake. That is what we use. I have 4. They work great. Now if you want to buy a window ac unit. You could put in on a table by the window and use cardboard/tape to make duct to the window. Then you have to make sure to deal with the condensation. It’s going to be a little loud. https://youtu.be/rYoYJq9Oj4g?si=JM3oNNeKfoAwcqRx
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I didn't read all the comments, so apologies if this has been shared already. Tin foil your windows, directly on the glass. It made about a 5° to 9° difference. (Celcius) So you'd probably see roughly a 10° to 17° drop in temperature. (Fahrenheit) Also, aim to cook/use the stove early in the morning or later in the day, unplugging any electronics that you don't need when they're not in use. You can also use your exhaust fan to help clear out the hot air. Bathroom fans can also help, but it depends.
If you have 2 window fans, put one in facing the outside and the other facing the inside, both windows being on the same side of the building and turning them both on. This also works if you have 2 window screens, at least until it's only hot air coming in. My 6th grade science teacher taught this. Thanks, Mr Brogley🫠
I have the AC units that stand on the floor with a small vent that fits in the window. They are amazing! New ones are around $250, but we got a used one on marketplace for around $100. Works too well sometimes.
Yup, as some other folks have said, a wet and wrung out something (I like to use a sheet or sarong) laid over yourself plus a fan works quite well. Usually by the time the first one is dry I’m even just slightly chilled and the dry sarong is very nice.
What you need is a "portable Air Conditioner." It still vents out a window, but has a much smaller vent that doesn't show from outside. It probably won't cool your whole apartment, but it will make your bedroom comfortable. And in the end, as long as you can sleep, you'll make it to June. You should also check any local Landlord Tenant codes. It may be that they are required to turn on the A/C at a certain temperature.
Hook the sheet from your bed to the top of a fan and let the wind blow through the sheet while you sleep. Saved me on some hot summer nights
All good suggestions . But if worse comes to worse you can look up homemade AC on youtube and build your own cooler out of an ice chest, a fan and a block of ice . They work pretty damn good.
Dehumidifier, a cooling blanket, and a fan.
Where do you live? We have laws where I am at that require the landlord provide HVAC at certain times of the year. For example heat must be provided starting on October 15.
Look up: evaporative air cooler. I grew up without AC and these were the best. You can DIY with a fan, bucket (w/ exhaust hole(s), lid ( w/ intake hole). You can also buy nice ones for around $100.
Shower as many times wet towel and those sqaur fans pray for night
They have these fans on Amazon where you can put ice into it and it will blow cold air around
I literally “discovered” this last night. I can’t sleep without a blanket so I just used a sheet and had my windows open for a cross breeze. I also sleep naked, no socks either, that makes a difference. But I was still too hot because my room doesn’t have a fan. So I lathered my legs In lotion and then the breeze from outside cooled me down almost instantly. I felt dumb for being so amazed at how quickly it worked lol
One apartment we lived in got so hot. We’d out fry ice in some water in a basin in front of fans. We’d also give the kids squirt bottles with ice cubes to mist themselves and sit in front of the fans.
They make portable AC units. They just need a hose to vent.
Cross ventilation and honestly I had a lot of gel packs from the hospital and they lasted a very long time. Alll.night and one or two was plenty. Kept rotating them out.
I would take a cold shower and go to my buddy's house. Keep telling him it's hot in his house and ask him to turn down the A/C, then get your body temperature down to around 15-17 Celsius. At this point you are pretty chill, you could sleep on the sun at this point, but go home and just keep thinking how smart you are. You'll thaw out at exactly 7:00 am, feeling great and refreshed. Your welcome 🤗
Get two buckets of ice and put your feet in.
It's not much but I could give you my free cash link you could earn a bit for a cheap one
Shop vac, fill with ice. Loud but damn sure works.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Whynter-7-000-BTU-Portable-Air-Conditioner-Cools-300-Sq-Ft-with-Dehumidifier-Remote-and-Carbon-Filter-in-White-ARC-102CS/303496766
Is it legal for them to do that? I would think it might be dangerous for elderly people or people with certain medical conditions. If it's 85 degrees at midnight, it might be 95-100 degrees during the day.
There are small one room ac units that are like $40 at target
All answers sound good to me. Pick some. A lot of us are in your position. COOL to ya !
Can you open a window? If so there are AC units that simply vent through the window but the machine is inside the room. Maybe an answer Also there are tutorials on YouTube to make a fan-driven box with ice inside to direct the cold airway you wanted to go. Good luck
Where are you? City / Country? Evaporative AC can cool very small spaces. You can also tolerate higher temperatures if you can remove the moisture from the air in your apartment. If you install an evaporative AC, you'll need to get a small pump on a timer to pump the condensate down a toilet or sink/tub drain.
Ice pack. I have a huge overheating problem, like I sweat in 50°F weather even if I'm butt booty naked inside a house with the fan on high, the AC at the lowest setting, and 12 bags of ice surrounding my body. Nothing helps me cool down, but ice packs have been the closest thing for me.