How to cool a room

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E3xtc

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#159961 18-Dec-2014 12:59

Our son's (10months old) room is on the corner of the house and has a window on 2 of the walls (which have opening windows). Some afternoons, if the weather is still and the sun is out in full, the room heats up something shocking - around 30...eeek!

We have block out curtains (to keep the room dark for his day time sleeps), and also the windows are tinted. Opening the windows usually makes no difference (as generally this is really bad when there is no breeze at all).

We have a heat pump downstairs; however using that to cool the room (which is upstairs) doesn't make a lot of sense. A simple fan just looks to move the air around and doesn't really help a hell of a lot (if anything adding slightly to the room due to the extra electrical device churning away). Considered the wonders of a Dyson Heat and Cool fan; however that just appears to be marketing hype as it has no cooling thingys to actually cool air (just moves it; just like a $20 fan from briscoes).

Does anyone have any thoughts? I have a funny feeling that installing a heat pump in the upstairs part of the house is the only real alternative.

Thanks

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#1199921 18-Dec-2014 13:20

Is the room well insulated?

Shade, external louvers etc, might help. You'll have to shut the curtains, with the windows open right from first contact with the sun. (we're in the exact same boat with one of our rooms).

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#1199924 18-Dec-2014 13:24

+1 for some kind of external shade. Putting up curtains inside will still retain heat from the sun. Try covering the windows up temporarily from outside to see if it helps first (like, tape up some newspaper or similar with masking tape)

KShips

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#1199927 18-Dec-2014 13:30

Shades would probably be best to stop the heat in first place.

I've heard that Ice coolers work really well, something along the lines (I've seen some with just a container of Ice in front of a fan). I knew someone with a commercial one, very affordable around the $100 mark if memory right but did a good job at dropping temp of room. http://www.instructables.com/id/Ice-box-air-conditioner/ Comments mention using Ice packs instead.

Hammerer

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#1199928 18-Dec-2014 13:33

There's quite a lot of ideas if you search for "how to cool a house" e.g. 23 [North American] tips for keeping the house cool

I would also look at external shades, awnings or barriers. Remember that if you uses shading you can create two adjacent zones with different temperatures so convection currents will form providing you with air movement that can also help with cooling.

heylinb4nz

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#1199965 18-Dec-2014 14:00

2 summers ago we got desperate with the 32 degree high humidity days and ended up getting a portable aircon\heatpump\dehumidifer in one. Cost about $1100 from Heatcoates\100% (Olympia Splendid).

Best decision ever

During summer you can close up a room and make a nice cool safe zone (5x5 lounge can get down to 20 degrees) smaller rooms as low as 16. Winter time the heat pump feature saves us a bomb on gas heating.. can heat 50 square meters in under 30 minutes to a nice warm 25 deg C.

Meanwhile it dehumidifies so it makes room easier to heat \ cool.

Fan noise is great for babies, helps them sleep.

gjm

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#1199969 18-Dec-2014 14:03

we moved house....seemed to do the trick.

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E3xtc

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#1199970 18-Dec-2014 14:03

thanks all.

@Jaxson - yeah the room is insulated; new house (well 4 years old) so insulation and double glazing etc.

Hmm external shades - hadn't thought of that actually...would be a mission to install as it's a 3+ story drop from the roof line to the ground :\ Might try the icebox and a fan in the first instance :D it's an idea I suppose :)

tdgeek

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#1199972 18-Dec-2014 14:16

Its upstairs, is the heat coming from below as heat rises? If so, insulation will help hold in the free heat. Or is the upper level floor also insulated?

E3xtc

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#1199979 18-Dec-2014 14:30

The heat is coming from outside/walls/windows as the rooms below are cool.

E3xtc

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#1199993 18-Dec-2014 14:48

gjm: we moved house....seemed to do the trick.

Troll - but still; Gold! :D

timmmay

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#1199995 18-Dec-2014 14:53

Is the heat coming from windows or walls? If it's windows you could try putting thick white card in them to reflect the heat - I use foam core in my office windows mostly for reducing light (they're behind blinds). If it's coming through the walls then external shade or an air conditioners are your best bets.

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E3xtc

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#1200001 18-Dec-2014 15:15

heylinb4nz: 2 summers ago we got desperate with the 32 degree high humidity days and ended up getting a portable aircon\heatpump\dehumidifer in one. Cost about $1100 from Heatcoates\100% (Olympia Splendid).

Best decision ever

During summer you can close up a room and make a nice cool safe zone (5x5 lounge can get down to 20 degrees) smaller rooms as low as 16. Winter time the heat pump feature saves us a bomb on gas heating.. can heat 50 square meters in under 30 minutes to a nice warm 25 deg C.

Meanwhile it dehumidifies so it makes room easier to heat \ cool.

Fan noise is great for babies, helps them sleep.

hmm might look into the portable thingy you got....seems interesting!! :)

E3xtc

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#1200002 18-Dec-2014 15:17

timmmay: Is the heat coming from windows or walls? If it's windows you could try putting thick white card in them to reflect the heat - I use foam core in my office windows mostly for reducing light (they're behind blinds). If it's coming through the walls then external shade or an air conditioners are your best bets.

In via the windows - as the walls are not warm at all. I think the black out blind is absorbing the heat and then releasing it into the room. The idea of card or something between the window and the blind might work though! Thanks!

Jeeves

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#1200006 18-Dec-2014 15:29

What is the temperature like in the hallway/area outside his bedroom?
I would think about putting an extraction fan at the point furthest away from the door, and highest point you can make it. While it runs it'll create a vacuum in the room, bringing in cooler air from outside his bedroom, under the door and into his room, and then extracting the hot air.

Only problem then might be noise.

wellygary

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#1200017 18-Dec-2014 15:40

E3xtc:
timmmay: Is the heat coming from windows or walls? If it's windows you could try putting thick white card in them to reflect the heat - I use foam core in my office windows mostly for reducing light (they're behind blinds). If it's coming through the walls then external shade or an air conditioners are your best bets.

In via the windows - as the walls are not warm at all. I think the black out blind is absorbing the heat and then releasing it into the room. The idea of card or something between the window and the blind might work though! Thanks!

fashion aside a good old fashioned venetian blind (or a rollar blind) will probably help,

You want to reflect the solar energy away from the window, with little mass to heat up and radiate back into the room,

Heavy blackout curtains have lots of mass that can warm up and radiate out,

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