Popular Mechanics - USA (2018-07 & 2018-08)

0 JULY/AUGUST _ 201 POPULARMECHANICS.COM

ILLUSTRATIONS BY GEORGE RETSECK

Okay, maybe it’s not

technically an air con-

ditioner, since a true

a/c both cools and

removes moisture.

This won’t do the lat-

ter. But a bunch of ice

is much cheaper than

a refrigerant loop.

1. / Pick up a Styro-
   foam cooler from your
   local convenience
   store. The lid must
   be large enough for
   you to cut out a hole
   the size of your fan.
   (A standard loor fan
   separated from its
   post will work.)


2. / Tr a ce you r fa n’s
   outline on the cooler
   lid. Cut out the hole.


3. / Trace and cut a
   couple holes for air
   outlets. You want to
   be able to insert some
   kind of pipe or tube to
   direct the air. Toilet-
   paper rolls will work,
   but elbow ittings are
   best, because they can
   be rotated in the hole
   to redirect output.
   . / Fill the cooler with
   ice. (Note: Block takes
   the longest to melt.)
   Put the lid in place,
   insert the fan face-
   down, and turn it on.

Open the lowest windows on the

coolest exterior wall of the house.

Then open the highest windows in the

house. Hot air goes out the top win-

dows, creating a vacuum that pulls in

cool air from the downstairs windows.

That cooler air absorbs warmth, rises,

and continues the cycle. This can also

cool an attic. Install soit vents for

intake, and exhaust vents at the high

point of the roof. A vented attic is gen-

erally about 30 degrees cooler than an

unvented attic, and losing that hot air

will cool upper loors.

METHOD 2: The Thermal Chimney

METHOD : The Cross Breeze

If there’s a breeze, open a window on the
side of the house receiving the breeze,
and another on the opposite side. Using a
smaller opening on the breeze (intake) side
and a larger opening on the exhaust side will
increase the airspeed through the house.
Strategically open and close doors to force
air through the rooms you want to cool. If
there isn’t a breeze, you can use fans to cre-
ate one. The intake window should be on
the home’s coolest external wall; put a fan in
the window facing into the room to suck in
cool air. A fan facing out an open window on
another external wall exhausts warm air.

Using two principles and a little ingenuity, you can cool your house

for not much more than the cost of a couple of box fans.

OTHER MEANS of

STAYING COOL

(IN INCREASING ORDER

OF EFFECTIVENESS)

Muscle

tee

Cold

shower

Dressing

like this

Canadian

vacation

Cryotherapy

(SEE PAGE 78

Best for:

MULTIPLE

FLOORS

Best for:

SINGLE

FLOOR