Methods to insulate/cool a room or house

[sprintcyclist]

This arose on anther thread.

I have used a pedestal fan with great success. In a different way most people use them.
For a bedroom, put the fan in the doorway sucking hot air from the bedroom and blowing it into the hallway.
Open the window that is on the opposite wall of the bedroom to the doorway and fan .
The fan sucks in the cool air from outside into your hot bedroom.
Air moves by vacuum, not by pressure.
Humans cool by evaporation and by excess heat being plucked off your skin.

It takes hours to cool a bedroom down by this method, but is very good.
A 45 cm fan works best, about $80.
The 40cm fans are nowhere as near effective. Almost useless - about $30

[Texan]

Before air conditioning we used attic fans. The fan pulled air from the house into the attic. Windows were strategically cracked open to control air flow. Usually this air came from the coolest side of the house. This took advantage of the fact that heat rises. Attic air is vented outside.

[sprintcyclist]

Before air conditioning we used attic fans. The fan pulled air from the house into the attic. Windows were strategically cracked open to control air flow. Usually this air came from the coolest side of the house. This took advantage of the fact that heat rises. Attic air is vented outside.

Ah, have felt that system, worked very well. Thanks.

In a hollie rental a few years ago some of the windows let in huge amounts of light at night.
No or poor curtains.
A woman gave me the idea of taping alfoil onto it inside.
perfect light blockout

[Texan]

My first house was in New Mexico. It was very dry. Instead of air conditioning we had an evaporative cooler on the roof. It maintained a pool of water in the base with a common toilet float valve. Water was pumped to the top of all sides and trickled down through a filter media. Air was pulled down into the house with a squirrel cage fan. It could lower temperatures 20C in the right conditions. The drawback was it drew in too much moisture on humid days. With no compressor they were very cheap to run. Here is an example of a window unit. They are very simple to work on.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Frigiking-5 ... /204700100

[Texan]

Before air conditioning we used attic fans. The fan pulled air from the house into the attic. Windows were strategically cracked open to control air flow. Usually this air came from the coolest side of the house. This took advantage of the fact that heat rises. Attic air is vented outside.

Ah, have felt that system, worked very well. Thanks.

In a hollie rental a few years ago some of the windows let in huge amounts of light at night.
No or poor curtains.
A woman gave me the idea of taping alfoil onto it inside.
perfect light blockout

I work nights often and sleep in the day. To facilitate this, I painted my bedroom walls gray and have dark curtains. My wife decorated with bright green and turquoise accents so that it doesn't look like a cave.

How do Underworlders typically cool their homes? We have refrigerated air conditioning in the warm South and I think they still use attic fans mostly up North. I've never lived up there, so this is heresay. They use evaporative coolers in desert areas. El Paso is trying to steer residents away from evaporative coolers to conserve water, but you will pay 3-4 times the amount to run a refrigerated air conditioner.

[Valkie]

My first house was in New Mexico. It was very dry. Instead of air conditioning we had an evaporative cooler on the roof. It maintained a pool of water in the base with a common toilet float valve. Water was pumped to the top of all sides and trickled down through a filter media. Air was pulled down into the house with a squirrel cage fan. It could lower temperatures 20C in the right conditions. The drawback was it drew in too much moisture on humid days. With no compressor they were very cheap to run. Here is an example of a window unit. They are very simple to work on.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Frigiking-5 ... /204700100

These work well in low humidity environments.

But on the coast where I live, they have little effect.

Only a true compressor air conditioner is effective.

Best thing I ever bought.

[Texan]

My first house was in New Mexico. It was very dry. Instead of air conditioning we had an evaporative cooler on the roof. It maintained a pool of water in the base with a common toilet float valve. Water was pumped to the top of all sides and trickled down through a filter media. Air was pulled down into the house with a squirrel cage fan. It could lower temperatures 20C in the right conditions. The drawback was it drew in too much moisture on humid days. With no compressor they were very cheap to run. Here is an example of a window unit. They are very simple to work on.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Frigiking-5 ... /204700100

These work well in low humidity environments.

But on the coast where I live, they have little effect.

Only a true compressor air conditioner is effective.

Best thing I ever bought.

I've always wanted to circulate the house air through the ground to preheat or precool it and minimize the need for refrigerated air. It would work really well if you already had a basement.

The standard system in the US is a large single unit for the entire house with duct work ran through the attic to each room and a return air vent to recirculate back to the evaporator unit in the attic or in an AC closet. The condenser unit sits outside and works in conjunction with the evaporator inside. Most houses have about 13-15 SEER efficiency ratings.

Mitsubishi has a mini split system that gets 18-22 SEER rating. They work like a standard AC system, but they are smaller systems and not intended to duct all over the house. They run quietly and are built in a clean room to very tight tolerances. I like the idea of having multiple systems so that if one breaks you aren't completely without AC.

[Black Orchid]

Most Aussie houses don't have attics or basements. I wish we did as I like the idea of both.

[Texan]

Most Aussie houses don't have attics or basements. I wish we did as I like the idea of both.

Do you typically use window mounted air conditioning units? They have their advantages but aren't very efficient.

[Black Orchid]

Some houses have a ducted system but I think the majority of Aussies use a split system reverse cycle unit similar to this ...



And the condenser sits outside ...