[MCaver]

Here's my first draft of a Redneck Portable Air Conditioner [TM]: Shopping list: * window unit air conditioner * dryer hose * cardboard box * portable fan * rolling table/tray * utility knife * large flat piece of styrofoam * ducktape, duh Instructions: Set the A/C unit on the rolling table. Tape the card box to the back of the unit and cut a hole in the bottom to the shape of the dryer hose. Tape one end of the dryer hose to the hole in the cardboard box and the other end to the intake side of the portable fan. Cut the styrofoam to the size of the needed window opening, and cut a hole in it the size of the exhaust side of the fan. Use excessive amounts of tape to make sure it's air tight. Put the foam in the window, turn on the fan and turn on the A/C. Yeehaw! You have a RPAC! To move it to another room, just take the fan & foam out of the window and roll that baby into the next room.

[Alan Bauer]

Don't forget the popcorn and TV remote!!!!!! Can you edit photos while working in this enviroment condition as well?

[MCaver]

[mb]

hmmm... the fan needs to be pretty powerful (giant computer fan? real squirrel cage fan? expensive power-vent system?). also don't forget about the condensed water. where's it going to go?

[MCaver]

[Slugman]

The 9,000 Btu is plenty. It cools 500 sq ft, so they say, and I believe them. Tanja bought it when we lived in Queen Anne in the Vintage building at 1903 10 ave w. It would be 100+ inside when we got home on a hot day, and the air conditioner was a godsend. The ability to roll it into the bedroom later was indispensable. Some require bucket-emptying, but ours blows the hot exhaust over the reservior before sending it out the window, so no buckets to empty ever.

[MCaver]

I'm wondering if I should just wait it out, since it's so late in the season, especially since I'm probably moving in October and will definitely pick a place that allows window units. But then, it's easy to say that when it's finally down to 75 in here.

[Karen]

I don't do well in heat either but can't afford to do much about cooling off the dwelling. What I find works for me is to take a cold bath (you don't need to use a lot of water, just enough to sit down in) then splash and don't dry off with a towel (unless you have neighbors that spy on you). I do all the household chores in the morning, including grocery shopping, so I don't have to go anywhere in the heat (unless I'm on my way to/from a hike). I don't like to use the air conditioner in the car -- almost never use it. But I did use it yesterday to and from the grocery store. I also draw the shades (pencil, not pen) as the sunlight pours over the trees across the street into the windows. It makes it dark and funky but it does make a difference by a couple of degrees. I also go barefoot (in the house). If all else fails, I'll head out in the evening to a park or to the waterfront where I can get a cooling breeze. Trying to sleep is what bothers me the most about heat -- I have sinus trouble and the heat seems to make it much worse. Sometimes I sleep downstairs on the couch and am considering sleeping in the basement tonight which is even cooler than downstairs. Only problem with THAT is that I have to cover the windows with something and that makes me work up a sweat ... well, you get the idea. A lot of little fixes -- none of these are 100 percent effective but taken together it gets me through it and I don't end up spending money on a cooling system that I'd only truly need a few days out of the year. Karen

[Stefan]

Hey MCaver, think about it some more and wait till Thursday to make your decision. http://www.komotv.com/weather/ The answer will then come to you magically on Thursday! I bet it will be to just buy a fan.

[MCaver]

Yeah, I've been thinking I'll just wait out the rest of the season and revisit the issue next year. Maybe then I'll be in a cooler downstairs apartment or -- better yet -- renting a house. My current system works pretty well until the temperature reaches 85 or so. I have a massive amount of fans creating a constant stream of air coming in the window in the living room and out the window in the bedroom. Massive floor fans propel the air along the apartment, and smaller desktop fans create side streams off the main river into different rooms and areas. Usually this keeps the apartment only a few degrees warmer than outside. Once outside gets really hot, I usually close everything off and make a cave until it cools down, when I let loose the river again.

[catwoman]

Me too! I can't accomplish anything in this heat. I'm miserable. Checked around for a/c's yesterday and everyone's sold out.