tips for keeping cool without AC

sayanora

Silver
Feb 22, 2012
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Since I just got out of a 2 bedroom apartment where I was paying 350$ a month in electricity due to 2 air conditioners and water heaters going constantly, I am planning on not using AC in my new house. Anyone have tips for keeping cool using just fans in the DR heat? Thanks!
 
Feb 7, 2007
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Check into the inverter type AC (search for recent thread) looks like those units are very energy efficient and do make difference when it comes to your monthly electric bill.
 

pularvik

Active member
Jan 2, 2011
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If you have been living in AC constantly you are in for a period of adjustment. Hopefully your new house was designed to capture cross breezes and has efficient fans. Moving air is your friend. Ditch the hot water,save even more money- cool showers will work for a little while by lowering your skin temperature.
Walk slow, work slow enjoy life while you are hot!!!
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
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Speaking of moving air

Lasko brand fans for the floor and KDK fans for the ceiling. One left at Supermercado Yanet in Cabarete for $RD 2,100:

1010945178.jpg


Welcome to Welcome to KDK Fans (M) Sdn Bhd

Available at Ferreteria Linares in Cabarete (and most other hardware stores).
 

bronzeallspice

Live everyday like it's your last
Mar 26, 2012
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I decided not to install a hot water heater,what for? It's too damn hot as it is! I welcome
the cool water from the showers I take.:)
 

yapask1

New member
Jul 23, 2012
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If you have been living in AC constantly you are in for a period of adjustment. Hopefully your new house was designed to capture cross breezes and has efficient fans. Moving air is your friend. Ditch the hot water,save even more money- cool showers will work for a little while by lowering your skin temperature.
Walk slow, work slow enjoy life while you are hot!!!

Line roof interior with aluminium foil - cooking or propietary such as radientguard.

Reflective aluminum foil insulation products have many uses

Sleep under very econonomical fan such as o2cool. Use on desk or when watching TV.

Home | O2 Cool | Portable Fan, Portable Rechargeable Cooling Fan, Portable Cooling Fan

Use a misting fan.

Use evaporative cooler. Cheaper than a/c.
Amazon.com: evaporative cooler

Install a large fishtank - this will stabilize temporature.

Use thermal curtains - close some during the day on brightly lit windows.

Amazon.com: evaporative cooler

Use white paint outside on walls.

Wear wet tea shirt.

Go for a dip in the pool.

Use wall fan inlet from shaded outside area.

Create a veg store using wet cloth over simple veg. box.

Turn off the refrigerator - use icemaker instead vented to outside to give lots of ice for iced drinks.

Refrigerators warm room and large ones cost $$$ to run.


Amazon.com: NewAir AI-100R Countertop Portable Ice Maker, Red: Appliances

Icemakers from $100.

Install a water feature e.g. water curtain.

Indoor Water Features - Garden Water Features 2 Go UK

Install reflective white surfaces - e.g. floor tiles or lay white vinyl to avoid absorbtion of heat.

Grow climbing plants up walls receiving direct sunlight or grow bushes etc. to protect walls from direct sunlight.

Use a stick on reflective film on windows.

Amazon.com: window reflective film: Tools & Home Improvement

Install shade awning on exterior above windows or use simple shade outside windows - $20 or so.

Amazon.com: Idirectmart Square Sun Shade Sail 11 Feet 5 Inches: Patio, Lawn & Garden

You can go outside and keep cool.

Other people will have more ideas!

yapask1
 

jrhartley

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Sep 10, 2008
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look at your window openings to catch a breeze - low windows near the oncoming wind and higher where it goes out of the building
 
Feb 7, 2007
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evaporative air cooler.... hmmm... from Amazon: The unit works well in dry climates; not very effective in areas with high humidity as the unit utilizes water to cool.
 

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
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Santiago
Santiago is cooler than the coast because we are up at 600 ft above sea level and plus it's a little drier. Still, we have about a month or so where it is kind of muggy.

What I would recommend is keeping the windows closed (at least on the West side) of the house from 11 am until 5 or 6 or until the sun is started going down - this will keep your house cooler than the ambient(air) temp outside believe it or not.

I personally prefer floor fans and a couple of cold showers during the hottest months of the year. I've been here 6 years and never had AC and I don't need it. Of course I grew up in the SE US where it gets a lot hotter.
 

yapask1

New member
Jul 23, 2012
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Install turbine roof vent(s) - or more expensive solar assisted units. From $20 each.

yapask1.
 

yb1

New member
Oct 6, 2008
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If the power goes out or if it's really hot at night I often sleep with a frozen medium sized Igloo Maxcold Freezer Block - works a bit like a reverse hot water bottle. Hold it against say your neck or wrists to cool your blood flow. You may laugh but it actually works and brings your body temperature down nicely :)
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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I have read about misting the sheets before going to sleep...same principle as the wet t-shirt, I suppose. For many years I slept on a cot with a mosquito net. No fans no a/c. But that was in Mao where it really cools off at night.

HB
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
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South Coast
If the power goes out or if it's really hot at night I often sleep with a frozen medium sized Igloo Maxcold Freezer Block - works a bit like a reverse hot water bottle. Hold it against say your neck or wrists to cool your blood flow. You may laugh but it actually works and brings your body temperature down nicely :)

Now that's something I never thought of, and sounds like it would work well! I'll give it a try.
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
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If security is not an issue, using ceiling fans and window fans, especially at night will bring in cooler air from outside and the inside temperature will be more comfortable in your house. If you don't have screen in your windows you should consider this also.

LTSteve
 

curious29

New member
Sep 20, 2012
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if this is "cooler" i don't want to know what is HOT in DR...;-) I am usually dying here from heat...good that it's raining here last days
Santiago is cooler than the coast because we are up at 600 ft above sea level and plus it's a little drier. Still, we have about a month or so where it is kind of muggy.