Life hacks: You've probably seen them. One of the internet's newest fads, their purpose is to show people, "hey, make your life easier by doing this one simple thing you otherwise would never have thought of." Often, the "hack" uses an ordinary household item in place of what could be a pricey novelty gadget; for instance, using a fork to balance tortilla shells instead of a taco holder. But have you ever found yourself wondering if these "simple everyday solutions" are legit? Do they really work? Well, look no further. Our first Does It Work involves a video posted to YouTube in August 2013. In it, user desertsun02 claims that with seven simple and affordable parts, anyone can turn a five gallon hardware store bucket into a homemade air cooler. With traditional air conditioning units starting around $100 and then adding significant $$$ to energy bills to keep them running, cheap alternatives appeal to just about anyone. But does a 5 gallon bucket, a large block of ice, and a desk fan provide comparable cooling to an actual AC unit?

To find out, I'd have to build my own and put it to the test. First, I needed a generic five gallon bucket, which can be found at a major chain hardware store. I then drilled three holes into the side of the bucket using a 2 1/4" hole saw bit for the air vents. Next, I needed a styrofoam insert cooler to drop into the bucket. After sliding the cooler into the bucket, I used the holes I previously drilled as guides for drilling 3 holes into the styrofoam (using a 2 1/8" hole saw bit). do i need two hvac unitsI then inserted a 1 1/2" PVC coupler (found in the plumbing section) into each hole, to function as air vents. cover for outside ac unitFinally, I took an ordinary 6" clip-on fan and used it to measure for holes in the lids of both the styrofoam cooler and bucket and cut those out with a utility knife. auto upholstery repair tempe az

I dropped a frozen gallon of water inside, put the lids in place, sat the fan over the hole up top, and ¡voila! Total build time: about an hour. The room I used to test the cooler was enclosed and insulated from external temperature changes, and measured 7'x10'. Using an infrared thermometer, I measured the room temperature of the test room in three locations as well as the coldest point within each of the three air vents on the cooler, every half hour for six hours. I completed the test twice to establish consistency. The air cooler created slightly colder air than an average desk fan would, as evidenced by stable temperatures throughout both tests. The air coming out of the cooler mostly stayed within a range of 57-61 degrees. This was notably higher than the reading of 45 degrees in the video, but significantly cooler than the temperature of the room, which ranged from 77-81 degrees. Peak outdoor temperatures for the test days were 81 (Day 1) and 82 (Day 2) degrees. The temperature within the room dropped about a degree and a half at first, but never fell any lower.

And the decrease was not duplicated on the second test at all. In either test, the room temperature never fell below 77 degrees. In both tests, the gallon jugs split from being frozen, eliminating one of desertsun02's claims of being able to refreeze the water and reuse the ice repeatedly. So back to the original question: Does It Work? The 5-gallon air conditioner, while novel in concept, doesn't produce a significant change in room temperature, nor does it warrant replacing a conventional air conditioner with it. You would be better served sitting in front of an average house fan or biting the bullet and springing for the air conditioner. Know of any DIY home / life hacks that we should test? Published: June 30, 2014 — 4:59 PM EDTUpdated: July 1, 2014 — 2:57 AM EDTA split air conditioner is a suitable alternative to wall, window, or centralized air conditioner systems. Often called mini-split, ductless split, or duct-free air conditioning, this system can adequately cool a standard-sized house without requiring extensive installation costs and efforts.

Split air conditioners are home appliances that do not require ductwork, which reduces energy expenditures. Still, many homeowners shy away from a split air conditioner system because they do not know how it works or why it is a viable option for cooling down. The following information will fill you in on the function and installation of split air conditioner systems. They are uncommon, but not through any fault or flaw. You may discover that a split system sounds ideal for your own home needs. A split air conditioner is made up of two primary parts that a very familiar: the evaporator and the compressor. Both of these elements exist is more common central air units and wall air conditioners. The difference with a mini-split system is that they are separated into two different, distant components, one being outdoors and one being indoors. The outdoor section is a compressor that initiates the cooling process, while the indoor component consists of an evaporator and fan. The two sections are connected with a set of electrical wires and tubing, also called lines, used to transport air between the two sections.

It's these lines that allow the split AC to be considered ductless, and the fact that the wires and tubing are so small and discreet compared to large ducts is where the "mini" split name comes from. The compressor is controlled by an internal thermostat. As the thermostat detects warm air, it activates the outdoor compressor. The compressor circulates a refrigerant gas, increasing the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant as it compresses it through a series of pipes. The refrigerant then moves to the condenser for further processing. In the condenser, a cooling system removes heat from the high-pressure gas and the gas changes phase and becomes a liquid. This chilled liquid is pushed through tubing indoors until it reaches the evaporator system. Inside the home, the evaporator fan collects warm air and passes it through a chamber containing the chilled liquid refrigerant. The fan system blows this air, which has now been cooled, back into the room, lowering the overall temperature of the space.

If the thermostat still detects air that is warmer than desirable, the process continues, and the refrigerant and any excess heat that remains in the system are passed back outdoors to the compressor in order to begin the cycle again. A Split air conditioner is compact and isolated between two localized component sections, so there is very little opportunity for heat and other energy to escape the system. Centralized air conditioning systems waste enormous amounts of energy due to heat exchange in the air conditioner duct system. However, this problem is virtually eliminated in a split air conditioner system. Split air conditioner systems are preferable to window and wall air conditioning units as well. Although the latter are small and easy to install, they do not provide reliable cooling to a large space or to multiple rooms. Even with thoroughly sealed windows and walls, these air conditioner units allow for heat to enter the space, partially negating the effects of the system.