Hi there, time to share ways to keep your home cool during hot times

So ok, usual ways I use:

  • open everything during night
  • close everything during day
  • external sheets on windows without shutters
  • some curtains to prevent heat from going upstairs

I was also wondering if plants could also help inside, any ideas ?

Share your advices !

  • RodgeGrabTheCat@sh.itjust.works
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    5 hours ago

    Years ago I was watching Doomsday Preppers and one fella dug a long trench, 100 foot if I’m not mistaken.

    In the trench he laid a large PVC pipe and filled in the trench. At the far end of the pipe there was an air inlet. He ran the pipe into his basement and up inside a wall with an inline fan. Cool air, as well as fresh air.

    Didn’t do anything for the humidity, I suspect.

    He claimed it worked, I can not confirm.

    It does make since as it’s about 4c/39f four feet/1.2m underground.

    • CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org
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      4 hours ago

      So DIY ground source heating/cooling, basically.

      I suspect that’s not long and deep enough, but if it is, it will produce air at the local year-round average temperature, at all times. (Whatever that happens to be)

      • Bytemeister@lemmy.world
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        3 hours ago

        Thats basically how earthships are cooled. You can also run the pipe through an evaporative cooler to cool the air even more.

        • CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org
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          3 hours ago

          You can also run the pipe through an evaporative cooler to cool the air even more.

          At some point there, you’ve just reinvented AC.

          • Bytemeister@lemmy.world
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            3 hours ago

            Only if you use a better working fluid and add compression and expansion steps, but a long pipe in a ditch filled with water isn’t what I would call AC quite yet.

            • CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org
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              1 hour ago

              Aren’t there AC systems that just evapourate water from municipal supplies to the atmosphere?

              I mean, yes, I’d agree that blowing air over a standing water body isn’t AC, but we’re getting close.

              • Bytemeister@lemmy.world
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                1 hour ago

                I think on a purely technical note, Air Conditioning goes beyond just cooling the air and involves reduction of humidity. Personally, I wouldn’t consider it AC because you’d have to keep refilling the evaporator resivor, instead of just powering the device, but that is a nitpicky item that isn’t technically a requirement.