What is the cheapest way to cool your air? It is so brutally hot these days and it can be hard to function if you are suffering in sweltering heat. Unfortunately, cool air can be very pricey. Here are some options so you can keep your cool. 1. Take an ice chest and fill it with ice. Set up a fan which blows over the ice and onto you. This method requires, obviously, an ice chest, access to ice and a fan.
2. Craigslist and attic sales. You can often pick up a window unit air conditioner at an attic sale or off of Craigslist for around $50 to $100.
If you need to cool off a large open space, remember that chilled air sinks, so cool your place from the top down. A typical 10,000 btu unit will run off of standard electricity, instead of 220 volts, so you can use it in any room.
3. Evaporative Coolers. Evaporative coolers work on the scientific cooling principal that the evaporation of water requires heat. In fact, in a normal air conditioner, it is the same principle at work with freon. Freon evaporates from a liquid to a gas and then is compressed back into a liquid in a never ending cycle. Well, theoretically never ending until your freon leaks out.
Evaporative coolers are around $100 brand new. The problem, though, is that if you are in a humid environment, then it is harder to make the evaporation happen and you get less cool. Where it is humid you will also get a lot of water running out as condensation.
4. Window Units With No Windows - A window unit can be used in a room with no windows. You will need to make sure it is set upon a steady surface. Then you must deal with two issues. The unit is going to drip water, as there is unavoidable condensation. You much set up a catch for the water. The other issue is to direct the warm air coming out of the back away from you. You can set up baffles to direct this away. The best scenario is if you can direct the warm air outside. This may not be pretty, but it will work. Even a brand new window air conditioner can be less expensive than a portable air conditioner.
5. Portable Air Conditioners - Portable air conditioners are a great solution if you are in a situation where you need temporary cooling. They come with a water catch system and usually a hose to direct the warm exhaust somewhere else. They are expensive, though, if you goal is to stay as inexpensive as possible. Again, you may score one on Craigslist. Widen your search from just your home town.
All the powered units typically have thermostats. The better ones are less noisy and have efficient systems to direct water condensation and hot air exhaust.
There is no reason to continue to suffer in the heat, because there are excellent cooling solutions out there. It is amazing how cheaply some people will sell a used unit. AC units will run for years, so as long as it is cooling well when you buy it, the odds are good that it will continue to cool for an extended time into the future. So you can keep your cool, your sanity and most of your money.
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