How do you live without AC?

Rappel

Thu, May 23 2019, 9:02 pm

Alright, here goes:

We're living right now in a small, concrete rental without much insulation. We don't have any a.c. in the bedrooms - just a big clunker in the living room.

The fan in our bedroom broke, and I'm awake now because it's just TOO DANG HOT. I put wet towels on the kids, and each has a fan and a water bottle.

But this is a ridiculous heat wave. Under normal circumstances, this house gets great breezes, but it's pretty deadly right now!

What do you DO to keep cool at night without a.c.?

Rappel

Thu, May 23 2019, 9:11 pm

amother [ Pumpkin ] wrote:

Oy! I would drag my blanket into the living room and camp out there.

You caught me Smile

I'm rehydrating out here as I type. The a.c. isn't strong enough to reach the bedrooms, though. I just put damp hand towels on my kids legs - hopefully that and their fan will keep them comfortable

Mommyg8

Thu, May 23 2019, 9:16 pm

When I was a kid there were two air conditioners in the house - my parents bedroom and the living room. When it was really hot we would camp out in the living room. My husband remembers the same.

Rappel

Thu, May 23 2019, 9:16 pm

amother [ Linen ] wrote:

Please put your kids to sleep in the living room. They don't have to suffer.

They don't appear to be suffering. Neither was sweaty when I checked, and both have been sleeping peacefully. But on the theory of "I'm cold, put on a sweater," I'm looking for more ideas to keep them cool.

amother

Bisque

Thu, May 23 2019, 9:18 pm

yup. in our house there was ac in in the dining room which also had a couch, computer... and my mother's room. I remember sleeping on the dining room couch in the summer.

ectomorph

Thu, May 23 2019, 9:20 pm

I used to put my kids to sleep with only a diaper. That and a fan and they were fineat night.

I'm able to tolerate heat, but my husband used to really suffer. We got ac the first chance we could, lol.

amother

Magenta

Thu, May 23 2019, 9:26 pm

I'm another who grew up in a house without central air. Open windows at night, when it's cooler, with strategically-placed fans to move the air. There were nights when it was just too hot, and we would all move to a room with an air conditioner. If you have a basement, it's probably much more comfortable down there. And if you are able to install ceiling fans, they're worth it.

amother

Jetblack

Thu, May 23 2019, 9:32 pm

No advice.
Just, thank you for reminding me how lucky I am with ac and the weather is beautiful these days. ( I guess there's 1advantage of not living in eretz)

Please put children in the cool room. If you have to put damp towels on them then it must be bad.

Rappel

Thu, May 23 2019, 9:32 pm

amother [ Magenta ] wrote:

I wish. My dream home will be loaded with ceiling fans. I hate the feeling of a.c., but even I'm wishing for it now in the heat wave.

We didn't install any mazganim when we moved here, because it costs a lot to drill into concrete, and this rental is a very temporary stepping stone. But now the summer is shaping up to be a blazer. I don't know whether to invest here for these last few months, or stick it out and save.

amother

Pumpkin

Thu, May 23 2019, 9:36 pm

It's only may. I would look for an affordable option to get you through the inevitable heat waves. There's always a market for used appliances if you aren't going to take it with you.

Rappel

Thu, May 23 2019, 9:37 pm

amother [ Jetblack ] wrote:

Please put children in the cool room. If you have to put damp towels on them then it must be bad.

"Cool"is a relative term right now LOL

I'm pretty sure the towels and fans are doing them more good than not. My FIL is sleeping in their room right now, or I'd go join them. I can't believe the fan in our room broke.

The a.c. in the living room is a dinosaur left here from renters a decade ago, and is more "decorative" then anything.

So back to the original question: how do you keep cool at night with no a.c.?

FranticFrummie

Thu, May 23 2019, 9:37 pm

I am highly prone to heat stroke.

By me, an air conditioner is not a luxury, it's more like a medical device.

It's 4:30am here, and it's still in the 80's outside (down from a high of 109!)

amother

Pumpkin

Thu, May 23 2019, 9:52 pm

Rappel wrote:

So I guess the answer here is...no one knows how to live without an A.C. anymore.

Got it. Thanks!

You're doing what there is to be done right now. Fans, wet towels. If you had another fan I would say to hang a wet sheet and have the fan facing it, to generate some cooler air. It's really unfortunate that your fan broke during the heat wave Sad

amother

Beige

Thu, May 23 2019, 9:53 pm

Rappel wrote:

So I guess the answer here is...no one knows how to live without an A.C. anymore.

Got it. Thanks!

I don't know if experience from the past would help, as it's never been this hot... Global warming and all...
Wink

salamanca

Thu, May 23 2019, 10:36 pm

I know someone who when she lived in the attic growing up without a/c about 50 years ago, would wet a top/flat sheet and sleep in it.
Me: I'd rather sit up in the living room with the a/c rather than be in a bedroom without. I don't understand why everyone is not in the living room.