With this hot weather and working in an air-conditioned office, I've been
dreaming of trying to get our house's temperature down to something more
comfortable.

Obviously, buying an air-conditioning unit would probably be the best way -
though I think these are quite pricey (I think anything more than £150 would
be out). Also the cheaper ones are very noisy aren't they? Plus, ideally
I'd want a split unit... anyway

I've heard about these evaporative coolers - and I've also heard how people
think they're snake-oil, and I understand how they're physics are doomed to
failure - however I do know of people who claim they work. I guess the
difference is between the temperature we feel and the actual temperature.

Please correct me if I'm wrong. High humidity when its hot means that my
sweat doesn't evaporate as quickly/easily so I feel hot. Surely then
reducing the humidity is the way to go as this will allow my sweat to
evaporate more easily.

So - would a dehumidifier help to reduce how hot I feel? I've never seen
them advertised as being able to do this - whereas things which humidify
(evaporative coolers) seem to claim they do.

Basically I'm confused about it and just want a (reasonably) cheap option
(also preferable movable between living room + bedroom) to cool us down.
Fans may be the best option (price wise) I know - but I'm trying to think of
other options too.

Incidentally, what's the sort of price I should expect for a reasonable
split air-conditioner? I'd love to be able to permanently install one for
the living room - however it then seems a waste as I can't use it in the
bedroom (unless it managed to cool the whole house down!).

Thanks

D

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address.

"David Hearn" wrote in message
...
With this hot weather and working in an air-conditioned office, I've been
dreaming of trying to get our house's temperature down to something more
comfortable.

Obviously, buying an air-conditioning unit would probably be the best
way -
though I think these are quite pricey (I think anything more than £150
would
be out). Also the cheaper ones are very noisy aren't they? Plus, ideally
I'd want a split unit... anyway

I've heard about these evaporative coolers - and I've also heard how
people
think they're snake-oil, and I understand how they're physics are doomed
to
failure - however I do know of people who claim they work. I guess the
difference is between the temperature we feel and the actual temperature.

Please correct me if I'm wrong. High humidity when its hot means that my
sweat doesn't evaporate as quickly/easily so I feel hot. Surely then
reducing the humidity is the way to go as this will allow my sweat to
evaporate more easily.

So - would a dehumidifier help to reduce how hot I feel? I've never seen
them advertised as being able to do this - whereas things which humidify
(evaporative coolers) seem to claim they do.

Basically I'm confused about it and just want a (reasonably) cheap option
(also preferable movable between living room + bedroom) to cool us down.
Fans may be the best option (price wise) I know - but I'm trying to think
of
other options too.

Incidentally, what's the sort of price I should expect for a reasonable
split air-conditioner? I'd love to be able to permanently install one for
the living room - however it then seems a waste as I can't use it in the
bedroom (unless it managed to cool the whole house down!).

Don't bother with a./c units in the UK climate. Just enjoy the nice weather
as it comes along, so infrequently.

To cool a room, not freeze it, have some sort of forced ventilation bring in
cooler air from the north side. Heavily insulate the loft. use radiant
barrier in the loft to as this reflects heat back out from the tiles.


---
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Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date: 04/08/2003

On Thu, 7 Aug 2003 16:17:53 +0100, "IMM" wrote:

snip

Don't bother with a./c units in the UK climate. Just enjoy the nice weather
as it comes along, so infrequently.

I'm sure that it'll come as a surprise to you, but just as there some
(many) people who regard Milton Keynes as one of the inner circles of
Dante's hell, there are those for whom 30C/90F temperatures are
anything but "nice".

To cool a room, not freeze it, have some sort of forced ventilation bring in
cooler air from the north side. Heavily insulate the loft. use radiant
barrier in the loft to as this reflects heat back out from the tiles.

.... and the relative costs of these options are ...?

Julian


--
Julian Fowler
julian (at) bellevue-barn (dot) org (dot) uk

"Julian Fowler" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 7 Aug 2003 16:17:53 +0100, "IMM" wrote:

snip

Don't bother with a./c units in the UK climate. Just enjoy the nice
weather
as it comes along, so infrequently.

I'm sure that it'll come as a surprise to you, but just as there some
(many) people who regard Milton Keynes as one of the inner circles of
Dante's hell, there are those for whom 30C/90F temperatures are
anything but "nice".

There is something in what you say. I regard south London a hell. All
those sink estates.

To cool a room, not freeze it, have some sort of forced ventilation bring
in
cooler air from the north side. Heavily insulate the loft. use radiant
barrier in the loft to as this reflects heat back out from the tiles.

... and the relative costs of these options are ...?

I lot cheaper than an a/c that will be used a few days a year, and buttons
to run.


---
--

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date: 04/08/2003

"IMM" wrote in message
...

snip

Don't bother with a./c units in the UK climate. Just enjoy the nice
weather
as it comes along, so infrequently.

To cool a room, not freeze it, have some sort of forced ventilation bring
in
cooler air from the north side. Heavily insulate the loft. use radiant
barrier in the loft to as this reflects heat back out from the tiles.

Your last suggestion sounds quite a good idea actually. Our roof is unlined
and very dusty (I think due to it being unlined). I've wondered about
whether we could put something on the underside of the roof to stop all the
dust etc coming from the tiles (which is where it seems to be coming from).
If we put something reflective (on both sides?) onto the underside of the
roof this may both stop the heat coming into the loft, and also stop some of
the dust (so we may be able to use it for storage!).

Now - what would you suggest to put on the underside of the roof? I
wouldn't want to put anything which may cause problems (damp etc) and I'd
not want to do anything which a surveyor in the future may take issue with
(though they'll probably take issue with anything!)

Any suggestions?

Thanks

D

David Hearn wrote:

Your last suggestion sounds quite a good idea actually.

Until you actually stop and think about it.


Our roof is unlined
and very dusty (I think due to it being unlined). I've wondered about
whether we could put something on the underside of the roof to stop all the
dust etc coming from the tiles (which is where it seems to be coming from).
If we put something reflective (on both sides?) onto the underside of the
roof this may both stop the heat coming into the loft, and also stop some of
the dust (so we may be able to use it for storage!).

Dust yes, but heat? No, the only way to reduce heat input from
the tiles is to put thermal insulation under the tiles.

--
Grunff

"Grunff" wrote in message
...
David Hearn wrote:

Your last suggestion sounds quite a good idea actually.

Until you actually stop and think about it.

But it needs a thinker to think about it. And you fail in this respect.


---
--

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date: 04/08/2003

"David Hearn" wrote in message
...

"IMM" wrote in message
...

snip

Don't bother with a./c units in the UK climate. Just enjoy the nice
weather
as it comes along, so infrequently.

To cool a room, not freeze it, have some sort of forced ventilation
bring
in
cooler air from the north side. Heavily insulate the loft. use radiant
barrier in the loft to as this reflects heat back out from the tiles.

Your last suggestion sounds quite a good idea actually. Our roof is
unlined
and very dusty (I think due to it being unlined). I've wondered about
whether we could put something on the underside of the roof to stop all
the
dust etc coming from the tiles (which is where it seems to be coming
from).
If we put something reflective (on both sides?) onto the underside of the
roof this may both stop the heat coming into the loft, and also stop some
of
the dust (so we may be able to use it for storage!).

Now - what would you suggest to put on the underside of the roof? I
wouldn't want to put anything which may cause problems (damp etc) and I'd
not want to do anything which a surveyor in the future may take issue with
(though they'll probably take issue with anything!)

Heavy dust on radiant barrier reduces its effectiveness. Plug the holes
first.


---
--

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.507 / Virus Database: 304 - Release Date: 04/08/2003

IMM wrote:

Heavy dust on radiant barrier reduces its effectiveness. Plug the holes
first.

Exactly how much heat radiation are you expecting to get off the under
side of a hot tile?

The only way a radiation reflective layer is going to have a major
effect is if you put it on the outside of your tiles..... go wrap your
house in tin foil!


--
Cheers,

John.

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he has got a point (!) Tiles will absorb radient energy from the sun and
re-radiate some of that down into the attic space. Lining the inside of the
roof with tinfoil would reflect some of this back, and reduce convection
currents.

Whether it would make a noticable difference to the rest of the house is
another matter!

Since I am sick of renovating my kitchen I might try an experiment this
weekend

"David Hearn" wrote in message
...
With this hot weather and working in an air-conditioned office, I've been
dreaming of trying to get our house's temperature down to something more
comfortable.

Our dining room faces due south and there's a large bay windo which lets all
the sun in. It's horrible.

The answer is to draw the curtains on the south side of the house. The rest
of the house isn't a problem.

We open windows of course to catch whatever breath of moving air there is.
But covering windows seems to be the most effective solution and costs
nothing. If you have curtains ... in the caravan we lower the venetian
blinds.

Mary

David Hearn wrote:

Obviously, buying an air-conditioning unit would probably be the best way -
though I think these are quite pricey (I think anything more than ?150 would
be out). Also the cheaper ones are very noisy aren't they? Plus, ideally
I'd want a split unit... anyway

Depends on what you mean by noisy... the mono block units are noisy as
in the noise of a fridge freezer combined with a large fan - i.e.
irritation if you are trying to watch TV or sleep - but not as loud as a
vacuum cleaner!

I've heard about these evaporative coolers - and I've also heard how people
think they're snake-oil, and I understand how they're physics are doomed to
failure - however I do know of people who claim they work. I guess the
difference is between the temperature we feel and the actual temperature.

Some people find that the small "personal" evaporative coolers do work a
bit - the evaporation effect will cool the air they blow out at you a
little bit - and the amount of moisture they contribute to a room is
relatively small once it has a chance to diffuse within the room (they
only consume a cup of water a day). The larger "room sized" evaporative
coolers are on a hiding to nothing in our climate however.

Please correct me if I'm wrong. High humidity when its hot means that my
sweat doesn't evaporate as quickly/easily so I feel hot. Surely then
reducing the humidity is the way to go as this will allow my sweat to
evaporate more easily.

This is correct.

So - would a dehumidifier help to reduce how hot I feel? I've never seen

Chances are it would help your bodies natural cooling mechanism to work
more effectively. There would also be a side effect benefit in that they
presumably include a fan to move air through them which would help keep
the air moving in the room a bit.

In scientific terms however the de-humidifier is likely to raise the
room temperature by an amount equal to its power dissipation. This will
offset or even counteract the benefits.

them advertised as being able to do this - whereas things which humidify
(evaporative coolers) seem to claim they do.

They can claim to reduce the temperature since if you measure the air
output temp it will be colder since you have extracted some heat from it
to help vaporise the water. Alas its a bit like wind chill - the
thermometer does not tell the whole story!

Basically I'm confused about it and just want a (reasonably) cheap option
(also preferable movable between living room + bedroom) to cool us down.
Fans may be the best option (price wise) I know - but I'm trying to think of
other options too.

All the usual things... insulation, increasing shade - plants, trees,
creepers etc. Reducing solar radiation absorbtion with blinds or solar
window film, forced air ventilation (fans etc). Turning off heat sources.

Incidentally, what's the sort of price I should expect for a reasonable
split air-conditioner? I'd love to be able to permanently install one for
the living room - however it then seems a waste as I can't use it in the
bedroom (unless it managed to cool the whole house down!).

You can get portable split units - you hang the condenser outside the
window and its connected to the air handler inside via an "umbilical".
Not that cheap mind:

http://www.coolbuys.co.uk/mall/AirCo...uct-752461.stm




--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/