We live in an 85-year-old, two-story home. Our house is heated through radiant heat, which means there is no duct work in the house. Which means we have no central AC.
The first summer we lived in the house we only used fans to stay cool. “Cool” being a very relative term. The second story (where all of the bedrooms are!) often hits a roasty-toasty 95* and there’s only so much a fan can do to combat that kind of heat. Fortunately, by year two in our house we installed a handful of window air conditioner units. However, we’ve found that there are many other options to stay cool without central air.First – fans. We definitely love our collection of fans and I’m amazed at the difference they can make in keeping a room comfortable. Ceiling fans are especially energy efficient, so if you just need to knock a couple of degrees off fans are without a doubt the way to go. Second to ceiling fans, our favorites are the tower fans. In our experience they seem to pack a little more punch than the regular round fans. As an added perk, fans are much cheaper than any of the other options.
But sometimes a fan just isn’t going to cut it. Window units can still be a great option. They’re fairly affordable ($100-$200, depending on the model) and they’re starting to become more energy efficient. There are even programmable models so you can come home to a cool house without leaving the unit running all day. They are still loud and something of an eyesore, but at least you’re staying cool!
Portable air conditioners can be another great option. They need to be vented to the outside, but they sit on the floor instead of being mounted to a window, so they aren’t as much of an eyesore as a window unit.
If you’re in a permanent home (you own it and aren’t planning on moving anytime soon), ductless mini splits can be a great option. The ductless systems use an outdoor compressor (just like a central air unit) and an indoor air handling unit. The indoor units can be mounted to a wall or hung from the ceiling, and the systems can handle up to four rooms. The bummer? They’re expensive. They run about 30% more than a standard central air system, but for those of use without duct work in our walls, central air isn’t really a viable option anyway!
So there are some ways we’ve found to stay cool during steamy summer months. How do you keep your cool when the temps keep rising?
Ductless splits are the best way to get AC without existing ductwork. Portable units are very inefficient. Window units are quite efficient if they are newer and are used only in occupied rooms.
Beyond AC, stopping heat will make the biggest difference. Replacement windows, windows shading or low solar gain window film reduce heat coming through windows. Attic insulation and radiant barriers help keep attic heat from warming you home.
Whole house fans work well at night, particularly in climates with cool nights. Ceiling fans make the room you are in feel a few degrees cooler.