Keeping Cool without A/C

This is an updated post from last Summer titled No Air Conditioning? No Problem. Since we’re currently in the Dog Days of Summer, I thought our newer readers might appreciate a re-post on the subject.

Hot, Humid, High Summer

We’re just past high summer. August. Statistically the second  hottest month of the year. Just far enough past the Summer Solstice that the warmth from the close up sun is now affecting us. We’ve also had plenty of rain in the last week. We’re pleased about the rain since it means there’s no drought. But the rain, of course, leads to humidity.

Subsidized Electricity and the Rise of Air Conditioning

Believe it or not, it is only the last 20 years or so that cheap, subsidized electricity has created the opportunity for cheap air conditioning. But with a solar power system and a limited budget, we don’t have it. And neither of us grew up with air conditioning.

How is it that we manage to live without air conditioning?

We manage rather well by utilizing some simple equipment, techniques, and planning. Here’s how we do it:

Design with Passive Solar principles.

An overhanging front porch on the south side of the house shades us from the summer sun. Minimal west windows reduce the heat gain in the afternoon. A concrete slab filled with earth stays cool in Summer and holds heat in Winter.

For more on Passive Solar Cooling, visit Build It Solar, a site with information on do-it-yourself solar and energy saving projects.

Plentiful windows provide much needed fresh air and ventilation.

Our windows are closed just before the heat of the day begins (around 1 or 2 in the afternoon) to prevent further heating, particularly on the west side of the house. They are reopened in the evening to allow our earth-filled concrete slab to release any heat and cool with the night air. This technique works even if you have a conventional house.

A strategically placed awning provides shade where none exists.

Windows also provide natural lighting and minimize the need for artificial lights that may generate additional heat.

Fans move air and keep us cool.

We have ceiling fans installed in our home. These fans provide air movement that makes the room feel cool. Box and oscillating fans can be moved to different areas where additional cooling is required.

Move the air to feel cool.

Use of heat generating appliances is minimized.

The kitchen oven is not used. Instead, we focus our summertime meals on those requiring no cooking or stove-top cooking. We have switched to flat breads like Tortillas and Naam as they can be cooked on the stove. Oven baked breads are reserved for cool weather.

The use of the clothes dryer is minimized. Not only does the clothes dryer create heat, it also pulls in air from the outside. In the warmth of the day, the dry is pulling in warm air. Instead of using the clothes dryer, laundry is hung outdoors to utilize free solar energy.

Plants cool the air.

Roads, driveways, nearby buildings and sidewalks can absorb heat. This is why cities are generally warmer than rural areas.

Trees, grassy lawns, and gardens around your home all provide additional cooling benefits. Part of this is due to shading. But plants provide this cooling benefit through a process called transpiration.

Grow your own shade.

This year, the children planted annual plants around our front porch to provide shading and transpiration. Not only have these plants provided cool shade, they have provided food for butterflies, bees, and the occasional humming bird!

Work when it is cool.

We try and schedule work in the cool morning or evening and rest in the heat of the day. An afternoon siesta under a ceiling fan or on the front porch swing is always pleasant.

Allow your body to adapt.

There is evidence that the human body is able to adapt to very warm weather by utilization of heat shock proteins. NPR ran an article on the subject in 2007 during record heat waves across the country. Most people today go from air conditioned homes to air conditioned autos, to air conditioned workplaces or stores. Their bodies forget how to adapt.

Often times thermostats are set lower in the summer, around 65 degrees, and higher in the winter, around 75. Changing these settings to 80 in the summer and 70 in the winter would go a long way to reducing your energy usage and helping your body to cope with the changing temperatures.

Speaking from personal experience, our bodies are very able to adapt and even thrive in warm weather. Sleeping is easier. And our health is better as toxins are released from our bodies due to perspiration.

Turn off the Air Conditioning

So don’t rule out solar power and independence just because you think you need air conditioning. Turn yours off, open the windows, and take it easy this afternoon in front of a fan or under a tree and see how you manage!

We have heard from many friends who have turned off the a/c over the last year to save money. Have you done it? Please share with us your Summer cooling tips! We’d love to hear them!

August 3rd, 2009