How do you keep cool without AC?

[Vargulf the Happy Husky]

get a spray bottle, fill it with water, spray your face and chest, then turn on the fan

[izayoi80]

All I do is look in the mirror and then BAM!

...I realise just how cool I am.

[Armakus]

I live somewhere with AC until mine is fixed.

[Mormolyce]

We used to put out shirts and underwear in the freezer when I was a kid :P

Plastic bucket (eg icecream container) full of water and ice, soak a flannel in it and put it on your face.

A wet cloth over a fan supposedly works.

- - - Updated - - -

I live somewhere with AC until mine is fixed.

This is by far the best solution.

Fuck the heat.

[Kraenen]

Portable fan, cool washcloth on neck, drink lots of water.

If you need to go without for a long period of time, like a month, your body will eventually get used to it

Source: my time in @Belize in the middle of a jungle living in a tent

Doesn't the humidity increase the heat trapping effect?

[Kokolums]

Control airflow.

Keep windows open at night. In daytime, close all windows. Erect barriers to prevent air from circulating from where the windows are to where they are not, and stay within the areas where there aren't windows. Back in the day I experimented with this. I found that keeping the windows shut during the day, and then hanging large sheets of cheap brown wrapping paper bought at a dollar store from the ceiling to floor by the windows to cordon off all airflow from the window area actually kept the rest of the place perfectly cool.

If I had to guess from my experience, what happens is the sun heats up the air by the window, and then the air slowly circulates the entire apartment which heats up all the air inside. By controlling the airflow, the air heated by the window never escapes, so it never heats up the rest of the place.

As easier method is to restrict your activites to an area with no windows and no airflow from the rest of apartment / house.

[Puupi]

What I find odd is that in our house, when it's 25 C and sunny outside like today - it was 25 C downstairs and upstairs in the middle of day. After the sun sets, it's still 25 C downstairs....but 30 C upstairs....and 15 C outside....

And no, heating isn't on.

[Blood Raven]

A mist is fine, just don't spray a supersoaker at the fan.

Pretty much this.

[Devilock]

Those little portable AC units that look like R2D2s are cheap and will get the room cold fast.
I bought one a few years in July when my AC was broken and they couldn't fix it for two weeks. It's amazing.

[Halicia]

cold shower before work. cold shower after work. short swim after the cold shower. cold shower after the swim. then bedtime and repeat.

[hellosaltygoodness]

my smooth personality is what keeps me cool.

[Donald Hellscream]

What I find odd is that in our house, when it's 25 C and sunny outside like today - it was 25 C downstairs and upstairs in the middle of day. After the sun sets, it's still 25 C downstairs....but 30 C upstairs....and 15 C outside....

And no, heating isn't on.

hot air moves upwards, so I guess that is the reason for it being hotter upstairs, also depending how well insulated your house is it may be very efficient at keeping heat in.

[Orangetai420]

I pretend to be Aes Sedai and through sheer force of will I remain cool. (and stay hydrated)

[Unholyground]

40 Celsius here in New Brunswick Canada the last few days. We just have 2 AC units. One upstairs and one downstairs, and we use the one we are closest too.

[Puupi]

hot air moves upwards, so I guess that is the reason for it being hotter upstairs, also depending how well insulated your house is it may be very efficient at keeping heat in.

House is insulated well yea, but there are at least two windows open 24/7, one upstairs and one downstairs.

I know that heat moves upwards, but it's weird that the heat doesn't move upwards during day.... :d

[Freighter]

I take a t-shirt and dip it in cold water then make sure water won't drip from it and then put it on.

[Gutler]

You could dry this (but use normal ice instead of dry ice unless you want your house to be a gas chamber)

[Saphyron]

18 celsius in denmark right now which is warm.
And then again not we had 25 celsius 3 days ago.
But considering the time its actually warm here.

In june july we usually get between 20-30 celsius.
how I handle it without AC is going outside. or making airflow through the apartment by having 2 windows open one in each end.
(don't leave any papers laying around and make sure to block the doors else they will slam.)

[Deleted]

I have a tower fan next to the computer, between me and the window. Still I think I should go get the AC unit from the basement soon.

[Fencers]

I don't. Air Conditioning is one of the most essential modern comforts for me personally.

I am always hot. My body is like a furnace 24/7. I wear as little clothing as possible or none at all in the winter. Come 'spring' (we don't really have spring anymore), when the temp hits 55 or so I break out the vertical fans.

What I do:

HOME
1x Ceiling fan in the living room
1x Ceiling fan in the dinging room
3x Ceiling fans in the bedrooms
2x Lasko tower fan in the kitchen
1x window fan in the kitchen (my kitchen is REALLY HOT)
1x tower fan in the living room
I have central air that kicks in when the temperature gets to 70+.

WORK
1x Dyson fan opposite my desk
Central A/C in my office

TRAVEL
Chicago buses and trains are climate controlled
Our cars have A/C


The heat is totally intolerable to me. I fucking hate it. I will not be long anywhere without air conditioning. Not acceptable.