I'm looking to make the best of a bad situation and was hoping to hear advice from creative experts.

Here is the situation.

I live in a two room apartment on the fifth floor of a twelve story 1905 brick building.

My front room has two large five foot high windows that slide open horizontally.

They open out onto what is essentially a cauldron-like chimney tube about 20 x 20 wide.

Who knows? Perhaps in the old days they burned logs down below and it helped heat the apartments?

Anyway, it's intolerable in the summer here and even though there is a forty pound air conditioner in each room that vents out, they really only bring the temperature down from about 98 degrees to maybe 94 degree-and at a significant cost.

Are there other ways to cool the apartment?

Since I notice in the winter that I can feel cold air coming in from around the window area, that there is significant airflow even with the windows shut.

Should I try to line the windows with tin foil? Would that help?

Perhaps I should station a de-humidifier somewhere in the unit as well?

Thanks,