I dont want to use the air conditioning...

**rachelMcK** · 06-05-2008, 12:39 PM

We have a window unit but its so old and inefficient, bad for the environment and pocket book. I'm also afraid of legionnaires disease (I'm a little paranoid...lol). Anyway, I'm not going to use it this summer. So I'm trying to heat-proof my apartment, however this may be slightly more difficult than other places I've lived in since the entire west wall (the largest wall too) is floor to ceiling windows. Awesome for the view, not so good for the heat. I've covered them with old dark sheets that I had, but is there anything else I do?

What are you doing instead of air-conditioning???

TIA

**leezza** · 06-05-2008, 01:56 PM

I would suggest that you change those sheets to white ones.....dark colors soak up the heat.

You might want to price those paper blinds that I saw recently on the HGTV channell.

Pick up some cheap fans to get the breeze you do have moving thoughtout your place.

Good Luck,
leezza

**shoiji** · 06-05-2008, 02:54 PM

I hung up emergency blankets, they are silver, in the windows and sliding glass door. I have blinds so you can't tell from the outside. They are supposed to reflect the heat back outside, like the films you can buy. Just much cheaper. I also have fans. I want to use the AC as little as possible. Will see what happens over the weekend. Supposed to go up to the 90's and humid. Hope you find a way to stay cool.

**peanut** · 06-05-2008, 05:42 PM

The best way to stay cool in T.O. is to be able to get a cross-breeze of some kind in your apt....either by using a fan and opening a window, or by just opening the windows.

I agree about changing those black sheets to white. I don't know the size of these windows, but if they're like sliding door size, I'd definitely be looking at the insulating blinds with air pockets between the layers...to trap heat and cold.

Also be prepared to keep the drapes/blinds closed while the sun is on that side of the building (of course), and open the windows for a breeze as soon as the sun goes down.

The truth is, TO gets pretty hot in summer, and kudos to you if you make it through without the A/C. Put up lots of lemonade (or make your own lemon squash), and buy some cool clothing at the thrift store!

Jean

**YankeeMom** · 06-05-2008, 06:22 PM

I keep my blinds closed ALL day. Upstairs and down. The only window I don't do this with is one of the ones that leads out to my covered front porch. It stays shaded all day. That is where my box fan sits drawing the cool air into the house.

Upstairs when it gets REALLY hot, we put the fans in backward...blowing out, to suck the hot air out of the house and outside.

Right now we only have one window unit and like the OPs it's an old one. It's not even installed in the window yet. We may end up breaking down and putting it in this week as it's supposed to be hot & humid and once this house heats up, there's no relief.

In two weeks the kids will each have a small window unit in their bedrooms that will be used at bedtime. It gets in the triple digits up there in the summer time. There's just no getting around it. Our house is taller than all the others in the neighborhood...our second floor is about even with the ROOFS of the other houses, so we get no shade for the upstairs.

Cross breezes are wonderful if you can create them. This house is so big and doesn't have a very open floor plan so it's virtually impossible to create one. None of the windows are directly across from each other. It's a LOOOONG way from my front door to my back door and they aren't directly across either...walls are blocking what would be an awesome cross breeze.

**freyadog** · 06-05-2008, 08:03 PM

I dont use a drier so my clothes are dried on lines inside. dh to outside line down with a roll of goat wire that got away from him and the tractor. anyway I close my blinds when the day starts to heat up but leave the windows open. then I wash a load of clothes and hang them inside and turn the fans on to blow on the clothes. the temperature in the house drops to a nice level.

**nuisance26** · 06-05-2008, 08:13 PM

~You can also freeze sheets of ice in baking dishes and set them in front of the fans in your home. Old fashioned air-conditioning!~

**ErikM02** · 06-05-2008, 08:19 PM

drink lots of water!

I am going to do my best in my apartment and in my car without it. Only time I really need it is when I try to sleep. I can't sleep at all if it's too hot!

**qtkitty** · 06-06-2008, 02:19 AM

You can put up insulated blankets .. just make them into curtains and hang them... they are thick so it will block the light and insulate to keep the cool air in.