If you think power outages have grown more frequent in recent years, that idea’s probably not your imagination. For instance, Climate Central reported that 83% of US power outages in the past 20 years stemmed from weather-related events, increased demands, and aging infrastructure. This summer, it’s important for families to have a backup plan for staying cool, which should include some DIY air cooling ideas.
7 DIY Air Cooling Ideas for When the AC’s Out
The alternative room cooling ideas that you can use will depend upon whether you lack electricity or simply lack AC. For instance, you may still have power if your air conditioning goes out, which gives you more non-AC cooling options.
Do You Have a Power Station?
Even a modest power station can generally run a fan. We tested one small fan that only drew 4 watts of power from our home power station. You should keep home power stations proactively charged, and most of them accept AC, DC, and solar panels as power input.
A home power station may also let you run such other useful cooling devices as a car or mini fridge, a countertop ice maker, or a small evaporation cooler. For example, this VTOMAN power station with a solar panel is on sale at the time of this writing with a $100-off coupon at the time of this writing.
You would need a large generator to run your central AC, a smaller window unit, or a full-size fridge for any length of time. If you only have a few hundred dollars to invest in a home power station, you’ll need to consider cooling ideas that don’t use so much power and ideally, can run intermittently as needed to prevent excessive heat and keep your home reasonably comfortable.
Power But No Air Conditioning
Sometimes, home AC units will fail at the worst time. Of course, that makes sense. When people experience wet bulb temperatures a lot, they’re likely to strain their AC system the most. Of course, when everybody in the community does the same, that also puts strain on the grid and makes power failures more likely. Thus, it helps to look into some home cooling solutions that require power but not home AC.
1. Ice Fan Cooler
- Materials Needed: Fan, ice, shallow pan or bowl
- Instructions:
- Fill a shallow pan or bowl with ice.
- Place the pan or bowl in front of the fan.
- As the fan blows air over the ice, it will create a cool breeze.
2. Styrofoam Cooler Air Conditioner
- Materials Needed: Styrofoam cooler, PVC pipes, small fan, ice packs
- Instructions:
- Cut two holes on the lid of the cooler to fit the PVC pipes.
- Cut another hole for the fan.
- Insert the PVC pipes into the holes.
- Place ice packs inside the cooler.
- Put the fan on top of the cooler, blowing air into it.
- Cool air will come out through the PVC pipes.
3. Copper Coil Air Conditioner
- Materials Needed: Copper coil, small fan, ice water, tubing, small pump
- Instructions:
- Attach the copper coil to the front of the fan.
- Connect the tubing to the copper coil.
- Use a pump to circulate ice water from a cooler through the tubing and coil.
- As the fan blows air over the cold coil, it will cool the air.
4. DIY Evaporative Cooler
- Materials Needed: Fan, water, sponge or absorbent cloth
- Instructions:
- Dampen the sponge or cloth with water.
- Attach the wet sponge or cloth to the back of the fan.
- As the fan blows air through the damp material, it will create a cooling effect through evaporation.
5. Frozen Bottle Fan
- Materials Needed: Plastic bottles, water, freezer, fan
- Instructions:
- Fill plastic bottles with water and freeze them.
- Place the frozen bottles in front of the fan.
- The fan will blow air over the frozen bottles, cooling it down.
6. Bucket Air Conditioner
- Materials Needed: 5-gallon bucket, styrofoam liner, PVC pipes, small fan, ice packs
- Instructions:
- Line the inside of the bucket with styrofoam for insulation.
- Cut three holes near the top of the bucket for the PVC pipes.
- Insert the PVC pipes into the holes.
- Place ice packs inside the bucket.
- Place the fan on top of the bucket, blowing air into it.
- Cool air will come out through the PVC pipes.
7. Wet Towel and Fan Method
- Materials Needed: Towel, water, fan
- Instructions:
- Soak a towel in cold water and wring it out so it’s damp but not dripping.
- Hang the towel in front of an open window or in front of a fan.
- The moving air will cool down as it passes through the damp towel.
These DIY air conditioning methods can help you stay cool during power outages or when conventional air conditioning is unavailable. Remember, that anything that consumes power will also generate some heat. At the same time, fans generally only work to make occupants of the room feel cooler, so running them in occupied rooms can make the overall problem worse.
No Power and No Air Conditioning
In the section above, we demonstrated that you can improve your environment a lot with little more than a fan and access to ice or water. The lack of electricity will limit options considerably, which is why we suggested investing in a power station for emergency backup power. Even so, you can find several sensitive ways to keep your home cooler than outside.
1. Block the Sun
- Close Blinds and Curtains: Use blackout curtains or shades to block out sunlight, which can help reduce the temperature inside the room.
- Reflective Window Film: Apply reflective window film to windows to reflect sunlight away from the room.
2. Create Airflow
- Cross-Ventilation: Open windows on opposite sides of the room or house to create a cross-breeze that can help cool the space.
- Use Natural Wind: If there’s a breeze outside, position windows to catch the wind and help circulate cooler air inside.
3. Evaporative Cooling
- Damp Cloths: Hang damp sheets or towels in front of open windows. As the air passes through the damp cloths, it will cool down.
- Misting: Lightly mist the air with water using a spray bottle to create a cooling effect as the water evaporates.
4. Optimize Your Environment
- Stay Low: Hot air rises, so stay on lower floors or sit on the ground where it is cooler.
- Avoid Heat-Generating Activities: Limit activities that generate heat, such as cooking or using electronics.
5. Use Natural Insulation
- Shade Trees and Plants: Plant trees or tall shrubs outside windows to provide natural shade and reduce indoor temperatures.
- Roof and Wall Insulation: Ensure your home is well-insulated to keep the heat out and maintain a cooler indoor environment.
6. Cool Your Body
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of cold water to keep your body temperature down.
- Wear Light Clothing: Dress in lightweight, loose-fitting, and breathable fabrics.
- Cool Compresses: Place cool, damp cloths on pulse points like your wrists, neck, and forehead to help cool your body.
7. Utilize Basements or Lower Levels
- Cooler Areas: Spend time in the basement or lower levels of your home, which are typically cooler than upper floors.
8. Ice Packs and Cold Water
- Ice Packs: Use ice packs or frozen water bottles to cool down. Place them in front of a fan or hold them against your body.
- Cold Baths: Take a cold shower or bath to lower your body temperature.
9. Night Cooling
- Ventilate at Night: Open windows and doors at night when temperatures drop to let in cooler air and ventilate the house.
These methods can help maintain a cooler environment and make it more comfortable during a power outage.
Proactive Planning Will Help Keep Your Home Cooler
As you parents probably always said, a failure to plan is like a plan to fail. Decide which methods of staying cool without AC will work better for your family, depending upon your supplies and needs. Then plan to have supplies on hand, such as emergency power, a fan, ice, water, and cooling towels.