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Post by MichyM on Jun 23, 2021 19:02:02 GMT
Crazy spring/early summer in the PNW. Yes, this is a whine, but I'm also looking for any suggestions y'all have - I have another day before the real heat returns and can run out and buy what I need. Very very few homes are air-conditioned here.
Last weekend was unseasonably hot here, and beginning this Friday the temps in Seattle are predicted to be from 95-102 for 3-4 or so days. I live in a 100YO converted school. Wall of windows (not even close to airtight) facing east and south, so by 8am (with the blinds closed) my place is up to 84-85, and just continues to get hotter. I'd imagine my place (completey open first floor) will be around 90-93 degrees from about 1pm until well after bedtime :/ Yeah, it's miserable.
I have one portable AC upstairs (gawd it is ridiculously loud) upstairs in my bedroom. I move it down the hall to my office as needed. It gets the temp in the room its in down to about 80 or so. Bearable, just barely. We cannot use window units in my building, and my main floor windows open outwards from the side, so cannot use a portable AC in there at all. Plus I have 12-14" high ceilings so it wouldn't cool that large volume of air anyhow.
Other than hiding out in the room with the AC (with my 2 cats), is there anything else y'all can suggest I try? I have 3 fans, two really great Rowenta brand on stands and one hurricane box fan that sounds like an airplane taking off.
Do you have any suggestions for me (and the rest of our PNW girls) that work. And/or for my 2 cats? I know I can go it in a theater or go to a mall for a while, but honestly I worry about leaving the cats. I know to drink a lot of cool water and eat small, light meals. Thanks so much! <3
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Post by busy on Jun 23, 2021 19:10:48 GMT
I'm right there with you. We have A/C at home, but we are on vacation tomorrow through next Thursday and where we'll be the second half is forecasting highs above 100, no A/C, and our whole reason for going to the area was to hike, etc. and that doesn't sound fun in that kind of heat  |
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Post by Skellinton on Jun 23, 2021 19:15:11 GMT
It sounds crazy and insane but before we got central air I would wash my top sheet in the washing machine right before bed and sleep under the wet sheet. The Egyptians used to do that and it made sleeping so much better. I am not a fan of heat at all and get so damn cranky. I am cranky just thinking about how hot it is going to be this weekend I am not leaving my house Saturday or Sunday. I would also freeze pie pans of water and put them behind the fan. It gave the cats cooled water to drink and made the fan work more effectively.
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Post by kellapea on Jun 23, 2021 19:17:07 GMT
I haven't tried it, but I saw on TikTok to put a bowl of ice in front of a fan.
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Post by MichyM on Jun 23, 2021 19:25:58 GMT
It sounds crazy and insane but before we got central air I would wash my top sheet in the washing machine right before bed and sleep under the wet sheet. The Egyptians used to do that and it made sleeping so much better. I am not a fan of heat at all and get so damn cranky. I am cranky just thinking about how hot it is going to be this weekend I am not leaving my house Saturday or Sunday. I would also freeze pie pans of water and put them behind the fan. It gave the cats cooled water to drink and made the fan work more effectively. I am totally going to try the damp sheet, and will go freeze some big pieces of ice right now, thank you. Just a FYI, Monday and Tuesday are supposed to be about 100 as well <tears>. |
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Post by ~summer~ on Jun 23, 2021 19:26:23 GMT
We have no AC. The most important thing is to cool house down at night so walls cool off (open windows, fans etc) then close house up when day starts to warm up. Our house will actually feel air conditioned during summer bc we manage it so well
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Post by MichyM on Jun 23, 2021 19:27:55 GMT
I'm right there with you. We have A/C at home, but we are on vacation tomorrow through next Thursday and where we'll be the second half is forecasting highs above 100, no A/C, and our whole reason for going to the area was to hike, etc. and that doesn't sound fun in that kind of heat Oh, that is a total bummer. I suppose if y'all are die-hards, you could head out at about 4:30am and return by about 9-10am? Is there AC where you're staying? |
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Post by MichyM on Jun 23, 2021 19:29:20 GMT
We have no AC. The most important thing is to cool house down at night so walls cool off (open windows, fans etc) then close house up when day starts to warm up. Our house will actually feel air conditioned during summer bc we manage it so well Oh, I do. Unfortunately, as I said, by 8am it will still get to 84-ish inside. I'm glad that works for you! |
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Post by PolarGreen12 on Jun 23, 2021 19:34:25 GMT
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Jun 23, 2021 19:34:55 GMT
I have air conditioning. But in an effort to keep the bill lower. Keep lights off. Oscillating fan. Blinds or curtains closed. There are neck wraps/things (long and skinny) that you keep frozen or in the fridge that help cool you. A cooling pillow, that can be placed behind ones back while sitting wherever. I have tried several cooling pillows over the years and my favorite is the "Columbia Ice Fiber Side Sleeper Down-Alternative Pillow"(I learned about it here on this message board). I do have to filp it back and forth though. Ice cream and homemade smoothies!  |
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Post by workingclassdog on Jun 23, 2021 19:36:36 GMT
How thick are the blinds? If they are thin, I would cover the windows with a blanket or something heavy that will totally block that sun and heat until the direct sun is away from the window.
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Belle
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,309 
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Post by Belle on Jun 23, 2021 19:38:42 GMT
Great question! I think we are going to go to the movies on Sunday!  Wish we had A/C and a pool..... For your cats, what about freezing some washcloths (maybe lightly dampen them first) and pulling one out occasionally to drape over them? |
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Post by Skellinton on Jun 23, 2021 19:42:27 GMT
It sounds crazy and insane but before we got central air I would wash my top sheet in the washing machine right before bed and sleep under the wet sheet. The Egyptians used to do that and it made sleeping so much better. I am not a fan of heat at all and get so damn cranky. I am cranky just thinking about how hot it is going to be this weekend I am not leaving my house Saturday or Sunday. I would also freeze pie pans of water and put them behind the fan. It gave the cats cooled water to drink and made the fan work more effectively. I am totally going to try the damp sheet, and will go freeze some big pieces of ice right now, thank you. Just a FYI, Monday and Tuesday are supposed to be about 100 as well <tears>. Yep, sadly I have to work, so I will have to leave the house those days. |
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Post by bc2ca on Jun 23, 2021 19:42:33 GMT
We have no AC. The most important thing is to cool house down at night so walls cool off (open windows, fans etc) then close house up when day starts to warm up. Our house will actually feel air conditioned during summer bc we manage it so well  Although we do have AC, we use these techniques to manage the house heat and avoid using it. Can you get a cross breeze going, MichyM? When we lived in a condo, the only way to get a cross breeze and cool the place was to prop the front door open. It made a massive difference to get the cooler evening air through the place and we'd wait as late as possible before closing & locking for the night. I also take a cool shower before bed when facing a heat wave. I might be ordering something like this cooling blanket to sleep on or these cooling towels for my neck. |
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Montannie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,486
Location: Big Sky Country
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Post by Montannie on Jun 23, 2021 19:45:01 GMT
You can buy "portable air conditioners." No personal experience, but I had a boss who had a tiny unit on his desk at work; he said it worked well enough.
There are "room-sized" available at places like Kohls or Target.
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Post by MichyM on Jun 23, 2021 19:52:12 GMT
That is a cool idea! Unfortunately I don't have a hose bib on my terrace - which also means I schlep gallons and gallons of water out there every morning to water all my plants...major pain. Hooking something like that up to a kitchen or bathroom sink makes me a bit nervous, but I'll look into the options. Thanks! |
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Post by MichyM on Jun 23, 2021 19:54:59 GMT
How thick are the blinds? If they are thin, I would cover the windows with a blanket or something heavy that will totally block that sun and heat until the direct sun is away from the window. My blinds are thin. I can't reach the top of my windows (even on a 6' ladder), but I'm going to try covering them as high as I CAN reach. Thanks for the suggestion!  |
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Post by christine58 on Jun 23, 2021 19:59:35 GMT
How thick are the blinds? If they are thin, I would cover the windows with a blanket or something heavy that will totally block that sun and heat until the direct sun is away from the window. My blinds are thin. I can't reach the top of my windows (even on a 6' ladder), but I'm going to try covering them as high as I CAN reach. Thanks for the suggestion! If you can find a handyman, install room darkening shades |
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Post by MichyM on Jun 23, 2021 20:02:08 GMT
We have no AC. The most important thing is to cool house down at night so walls cool off (open windows, fans etc) then close house up when day starts to warm up. Our house will actually feel air conditioned during summer bc we manage it so well Although we do have AC, we use these techniques to manage the house heat and avoid using it. Can you get a cross breeze going, MichyM ? When we lived in a condo, the only way to get a cross breeze and cool the place was to prop the front door open. It made a massive difference to get the cooler evening air through the place and we'd wait as late as possible before closing & locking for the night. I also take a cool shower before bed when facing a heat wave. I might be ordering something like this cooling blanket to sleep on or these cooling towels for my neck. I can upstairs. In the mornings I put my box fan in the window on bedroom (shady west) side of the condo. Whenever the outside temp equals or exceeds the inside temp, I turn it off. Unfortunately I don't downstairs, our front doors are inside, and it's just as hot in the common hallway. I'm going to check out your links, thank you. I had a cooling neck thing for a couple of trips several years ago, but found they didn't really work for me. Perhaps these will work better. |
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J u l e e
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,531
Location: Cincinnati
Jun 28, 2014 2:50:47 GMT
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Post by J u l e e on Jun 23, 2021 20:04:12 GMT
We have no AC. The most important thing is to cool house down at night so walls cool off (open windows, fans etc) then close house up when day starts to warm up. Our house will actually feel air conditioned during summer bc we manage it so well Although we do have AC, we use these techniques to manage the house heat and avoid using it. Can you get a cross breeze going, MichyM ? When we lived in a condo, the only way to get a cross breeze and cool the place was to prop the front door open. It made a massive difference to get the cooler evening air through the place and we'd wait as late as possible before closing & locking for the night. I also take a cool shower before bed when facing a heat wave. I might be ordering something like this cooling blanket to sleep on or these cooling towels for my neck. Thank you for the cooling blanket link! Night sweats are going to be the death of me. |
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Post by PolarGreen12 on Jun 23, 2021 20:04:55 GMT
That is a cool idea! Unfortunately I don't have a hose bib on my terrace - which also means I schlep gallons and gallons of water out there every morning to water all my plants...major pain. Hooking something like that up to a kitchen or bathroom sink makes me a bit nervous, but I'll look into the options. Thanks! I know I've also seen one that it attached to a large tub with a lid that you filled with ice water and it drew the mist from that, i think that one was online at lowes. |
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Post by Clair on Jun 23, 2021 20:14:55 GMT
I have a couple windows that have no coverings and on the hottest days tend to make the house hot.
It’s not pretty but I’ve taken the folding silver insulated car windshield shades and cut them to size. On the hottest days I set them in the windows for a few hours. Fortunately - they are back windows.
It wouldn’t be pretty but could use a few large truck size to block the windows. They are lightweight so you could possibly figure out a way to use some double sided tape, a broom stick and a ladder to get them up high.
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Post by freecharlie on Jun 23, 2021 20:20:32 GMT
Although we do have AC, we use these techniques to manage the house heat and avoid using it. Can you get a cross breeze going, MichyM ? When we lived in a condo, the only way to get a cross breeze and cool the place was to prop the front door open. It made a massive difference to get the cooler evening air through the place and we'd wait as late as possible before closing & locking for the night. I also take a cool shower before bed when facing a heat wave. I might be ordering something like this cooling blanket to sleep on or these cooling towels for my neck. I can upstairs. In the mornings I put my box fan in the window on bedroom (shady west) side of the condo. Whenever the outside temp equals or exceeds the inside temp, I turn it off. Unfortunately I don't downstairs, our front doors are inside, and it's just as hot in the common hallway. I'm going to check out your links, thank you. I had a cooling neck thing for a couple of trips several years ago, but found they didn't really work for me. Perhaps these will work better. I'd turn the fan off when the temp outside is 5-10 degrees cooler. If you wait too long you are heating your house. |
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carhoch
Pearl Clutcher
Be yourself everybody else is already taken
Posts: 3,115
Location: We’re RV’s so It change all the time .
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Post by carhoch on Jun 23, 2021 20:23:07 GMT
You could go to Home Depot or Lowe’s and get a roll of reflextic its a double bubble reflective foil insulation and put it against your window this is what we do in our motorhome in the big windshield it make a huge difference.
I would cover all the window facing south , you don’t have to glue it a little piece of tape in the corner will keep it in place . It will be pitch black but you should gain at least 10°
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Post by mom on Jun 23, 2021 20:31:12 GMT
My advice is to only try and cool one room. And then stay in it the entire time. So I'd pick whatever room you can get cool and do all I could to keep it cool. Keep doors/windows shut. Use a fan, cover your windows.
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 20:12:36 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2021 20:33:57 GMT
I agree about cooling your place as much as possible during the night to try and get rid of any residual heat. What I also do is use two fans and put them on the window ledges of opposite sides of my home. One faces in to suck in the cool air and the other faces out to suck out the warm air.
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Post by cadoodlebug on Jun 23, 2021 20:40:14 GMT
I have several cooling cloths that I soak in cold water, wring out and wear around my neck. Usually for hiking, golfing, walking etc. They work well to keep my body temp down.
Even though we have A/C, we don't run it overnight. We had a QuietCool whole house fan installed and turn it on as soon as the outside temp is a tad below the inside temp. We run it all night so we start the day very comfortably. By about 3 or 4 PM we turn the A/C on 79 or 80.
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Post by MichyM on Jun 23, 2021 21:28:38 GMT
Thank you all SO much! I’m out and about but still reading, and will reply more when I’m home later.
I think I need to mention that I live in a condo with ridiculously stringent rules. Our rules and regulations alone (no other docs) are 30 pages long. Yes, thirty. And yes, the board and management actually ARE crazy, and I’ve received nasty grams from them twice since I bought my place 4 years ago for ridiculously silly things that could have been brought to my attention by a 45 second conversation or one paragraph email.
All window coverings must appear white from the outside. Also, the top of my main floor windows (a wall of windows facing East and the only windows downstairs) are about 12’ off the ground and difficult for my short self to reach on my 6’ ladder. My point is that options for covering them is very limited.
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Post by maryland on Jun 23, 2021 22:08:07 GMT
We have no AC. The most important thing is to cool house down at night so walls cool off (open windows, fans etc) then close house up when day starts to warm up. Our house will actually feel air conditioned during summer bc we manage it so well Although we do have AC, we use these techniques to manage the house heat and avoid using it. Can you get a cross breeze going, MichyM ? When we lived in a condo, the only way to get a cross breeze and cool the place was to prop the front door open. It made a massive difference to get the cooler evening air through the place and we'd wait as late as possible before closing & locking for the night. I also take a cool shower before bed when facing a heat wave. I might be ordering something like this cooling blanket to sleep on or these cooling towels for my neck. My husband may need the cooling blanket. Our house has air condition, but it gets so hot upstairs. Our electric bill is high because we have to keep it so cold to feel cool upstairs. And if my daughter's college dorm is not air conditioned, she may need one also. |
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stittsygirl
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Post by stittsygirl on Jun 23, 2021 22:22:53 GMT
We’re getting ready down here near Olympia too. It looks like it could be record-breaking heat. Another thing I am prepping for is the possibility we might lose power for a while if the grids get overwhelmed or fail for any reason. I’m going out in a bit to find some smaller battery-powered fans just in case.
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Although we do have AC, we use these techniques to manage the house heat and avoid using it.
