9 air conditioning alternatives Monday, May 2 nd 2016 It's a safe bet that you have an air conditioner -- according to the U.S. Department of Energy, two-thirds of homes have air conditioning units, and we spend more than $11 billion each year to run them. In fact, a full five percent of all electricity in the United States goes to keeping us cool. That number won't surprise homeowners, who are accustomed to seeing their utility bills go up the moment they turn on the air conditioner. What if you could get some of that money back this summer? Read more: 4 essential home maintenance jobs for spring How to live without air conditioning Life without air conditioning is entirely possible, and can be quite comfortable. It's a matter of planning ahead, using the natural resources you have at your disposal and getting creative when things heat up. Here are a few great ways to keep your cool and save serious cash as summer ramps up.It sounds simple, but the idea of funneling cool air through your home requires a bit more thought than just throwing open a window or two.

Start by paying attention to the direction the wind is blowing, and open up a window that will take a direct hit of that cool air. Then open another window on the opposite side of the room to create that funnel effect. Opening it up can create a 'chimney effect' that pulls air up and out, resulting in a constant breeze.heating air conditioning units wallTo get more of that air in the house, use a window fan. 5 ton ac unit pricingAn oscillating fan near the window will work as well. parts of window type air-conditioning unitCeiling fans are great if you have them; make sure they are turning counterclockwise during the summer for the greatest benefit.When the sun beats down, close the curtains to prevent the heat from radiating into your home and increasing the temperature.

Follow the sun through the day and close the curtains of windows that take a direct hit, and open up the others to provide more indirect light with less heat. For even more savings, invest in heavy drapes.Summer is the perfect time to use the slow cooker instead of the oven, or head outside to grill rather than using the stove burners. Not only do these appliances help prevent heat buildup, they force you to get more creative with meals -- a win-win situation for anyone who loves to cook. Buy (or create) an evaporative cooler. If you live in an area of low humidity, look into an evaporative cooler -- they cost about half of what a typical air conditioning unit does, and use only a quarter of the energy. Still too rich for your budget? Make a simple 'swamp cooler' by placing a block of ice in a bowl and positioning the bowl in front of a fan. It's a temporary set-up for those impossibly hot days. Plan for the future. For serious money savings, install awnings on the windows that take on the most sun, invest in UV-fighting coatings on the windows, and plant trees that will eventually tower over your home and block the sun.

Cooling the house down is great, but cooling down the body can make you even more comfortable. Here's how to make that happen without spending too much cash. Cool from the inside out. Cooling the individual might be more helpful than cooling the room. Have plenty of water and ice on hand at all times, and let the kids (and adults!) indulge in popsicles, frozen juice bars and the like. Stay cool at night. Most people enjoy sleeping in a room that is a little on the cool side; that's almost impossible when you are choosing not to use the air conditioning. However, there are a few tricks to try. Start by putting your sheets and pillowcases in the refrigerator for an hour or so before bed -- you will slip into cool sheets. You can also use the old pulse point trick: wrap an ice pack in a washcloth and place it against your wrist, the side of your neck or the bend of your knee. It will make your whole body feel cooler. Play in the water. When things get too hot to stand, head outside.

Wash the car, fill up the kiddie pool, get out the slip-and-slide and splash to your heart's content. If you choose to stay inside, take a cool shower to lower your body temperature and make the heat more tolerable. These ideas can help a great deal, but you might not want to part with your air conditioning unit just yet. Instead, make sure it's quite energy-efficient and always up-to-date on maintenance. Take the time to seal up the house with good weather-stripping, too. When you do break down and turn on the air conditioning, you can rest assured that it's using as little energy as possible to create that blissfully cool breeze. Read more: 19 spring home improvements on a shoestring In the days leading up to and through Memorial Day at P.C. Richard & Son in Danbury, it had shaped up as among the busiest seasons manager Chris Ramsey has seen for air conditioner sales. The store cleared through its existing stock in four days and received a new truckload on Wednesday as temperatures hovered around 80.

One model you won’t find center stage in the P.C. Richard & Son showroom is a newfangled ductless, “mini split” unit that attaches to the wall rather than getting installed in the window. The store sells mini splits, but like many local and national retailers, it orders individual units as they are sold because most homeowners require a contractor to install them. Ductless air conditioners are installed with an outside compressor and condenser unit that sucks in air, cools it, and channels it via an exterior conduit through the wall to an opposing interior unit attached to the wall of a room. A remote control allows air to be cooled to the needed temperature and either fanned throughout the room or directed to a specific zone. Many mini split models are designed to produce warm air in winter weather, as well; the ability to situate mini splits in remote corners of a building — for instance, in small doctor’s office suites or finished basements in homes — gives them added appeal.

In addition to Friedrich, major mini split manufacturers include Mitsubishi Electric, Fujitsu, Daikin, Gree and LG, as well as the Carrier subsidiary of Farmington-based United Technologies (NYSE: UTX). General Electric sold a competing product under the Quiet-Aire brand but no longer does so, with GE in the process of selling off its Louisville, Ky.-based GE Appliances division to China-based Haier. Mini splits are not cheap — prices range between $1,000 and $5,000, not including installation costs — but in theory they add to the value of a home or office. Manufacturers have reduced the profile of the interior units over time to make them less obtrusive, and have developed versions that can be installed in drop-ceilings to stay out of sight. And unlike traditional air conditioners, mini splits do not occupy window space, allowing for more light to enter a room and on ground floors eliminating any security concerns of building owners or tenants. Ductless ACs are considered less expensive to operate, and for small areas are more efficient than central air conditioning systems that by some accounts leak air at a rate resulting in a 30 percent loss of energy efficiency.