Some like it hot. Some like it as cold as ice. But if you’re living without air conditioning and stuck sweating it out in a hot house or trying to get some sleep in a sweltering apartment, then chances are you’re feeling a little too hot to handle these days. Various zones around the world are experiencing a heat wave of sorts this summer. My home province, British Columbia, is currently roasting at 38 degrees Celsius, that’s just over 100F. I’m sure my American friends in Texas and Las Vegas are thinking me a lightweight. But if you’re not acclimatized to dang hot weather and don’t have air conditioning, then coming home after work feels like getting out of the frying pan and into the fire. Since I’d rather be as cool as a cucumber at night, I’ve found some hot ways to stay cool on the cheap. These DIY cooling tactics won’t replace central air or an air conditioner, but you just might feel more comfortable in the heat. Here are 6 cheap ways to stay cool without air conditioning:

I’m not talking about becoming a Squawkfox fan on Facebook, but rather investing a little cold cash into a simple fan. There are many types of fans on the market these days and they vary in cost, power usage, and placement. Here are a few of the more popular types: Running the blower (or fan) for your centreal heating system will move air around your home and give you some heat relief. Turning on the blower won’t keep you chilled like air conditioning, but you’ll take the stuffy out of upper floors and move stale air from main floors. The blower will also move cool air from the basement to the rest of the house. If your home is blazing hot and you can’t handle the heat upstairs, try sleeping in the basement to cool your costs. Setting up a bed and sleeping below ground is free and can help you catch some ZZZs when the weather is unbearable. I’ve spent most of this summer slumbering in my basement and I think it’s an awesome use for an often unloved space. If you’ve got kiddlets then make it a game and lay out some sleeping bags and pretend you’re camping.

You may just have some frugal fun while you’re at it. Planting trees on the south side of your home can help reduce summer cooling costs. Deciduous trees, which lose their leaves in the fall, provide ample shade in the summer, keeping your home cooler while letting more warming light through in the winter. window ac units cheapPlanting trees around your home can have the added bonus of increasing your property value too. what ac unit for house sizeA smaller deciduous tree costs around $50 and can pay for itself in energy savings and increased property value.ac cost per month Your existing drapes and blinds can be closed to shut out the heat during the day and opened to keep you cooler at night. Drapes tend to shield you from sizzling summer heat by shading your home from the hot afternoon sunlight.

So don’t forget to shut the blinds before heading for work and open them at night to chill a room out. Finding a friend with air conditioning may be a cool move if you’re living without drapes, don’t have a basement, or prefer to live fan-free. Cool friends boasting a place to “chill-out” might just prove golden for the hottest of summer nights. So if you can’t handle the heat, then be sure to bring your besty a bottle of summer spirits for helping you out in a hot situation. ‘Cause that’s what friends are for. Got any cool tips for keeping your place chill in the hot summer months? Air conditioners provide cool air through two forms of delivery: ducted or ductless systems. The majority of homes in the U.S. are built with air ducts made from sheet metal that run from the main air conditioning unit to each room in the house. The ducts are hidden in walls and air is delivered to each room through vents. In ductless systems, the refrigerant from the outdoor condensing unit is sent directly to an air handler located on the wall or ceiling of a particular room.

While a ductless system can have several benefits, many homeowners with existing ductwork will be better off from a financial and comfort perspective by using a ducted system. The benefits and concerns of a ductless system are: Easy for a contractor to install (no ductwork) Some flexibility in location of air handler Ability to cool the home by specific zones Reduced overall indoor air circulation and increased humidity can lead to comfort and air quality problems Appearance of the air handler on a wall or ceiling in each room Higher cost of ownership for a whole-home solution if your home already has central AC External refrigerant lines which could cause energy losses and aesthetic concerns Serviceability and ease of repairs could be a problem as the unit gets older While we don’t recommend a ductless system for most homes, there are several situations where a ductless system should be considered over a traditional ducted one. Room additions or adding cooling to a garage or work space

Cooling smaller, older homes without existing ductwork When space is at a premium and ducts won’t fit When replacing a less efficient window/room air conditioner Your comfort, humidity and long-term reliability should all be factors in making a smart decision. As with any important HVAC question, it makes sense to talk with a professional. Contact a reputable licensed contractor who can explain the many options and variables when it comes to selecting the best solutions for your needs. If you’re considering a ductless system, what are some of the reasons it appeals to you?1 Product must be certified using the final ENERGY STAR Test Method for Room Air Conditioners to Validate Demand Response (TBD) to use the allowance. 2 Calculated allowance shall be rounded down to the nearest tenth before being applied in Equation 1. *See ENERGY STAR Version 4.0 Room Air Conditioners for additional information on certification criteria. **See ENERGY STAR Version 4.0 Room Air Conditioners for additional information on connected product criteria

Features that help room air conditioners achieve this efficiency include: An air conditioner transfers heat — from the inside of a building, where it is not wanted, to the outside. The compressor sends cooled refrigerant through the coils. The refrigerant draws heat from the air as it is forced over the coils. A fan blows outside air over the hot coil, transferring heat from the refrigerant to the outdoor air. Because the heat is removed from the indoor air, the indoor area is cooled. By using advanced heat transfer technologies, ENERGY STAR qualified room air conditioners transfer more heat from the air into the coils than conventional models transfer, saving the energy required to compress the refrigerant. ENERGY STAR room air conditioners will also have intelligent, energy-saving features including: Energy Saver Mode – In this mode, an air conditioner will operate more efficiency by limiting fan operation when the compressor turns off. While this will be the default mode when the unit is turned on, consumers can override this setting, if they wish.