Need AC solution for fairly open space in rental
July 6, 2016 7:21 PM Subscribe
I'm getting desperate for AC solutions to a fairly open first floor in our rental. I'm in my last month of pregnancy and I'm not excited for the next few weeks or to spend hot days at home with a new baby in August while I'm on maternity leave. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
The first floor is 600+ square feet total but with one larger kitchen/dining space that has windows on three sides. There is a small open doorway (framed in but no door jam) between that space and a smaller living room (maybe 250 sf), which has one window. The landlord has requested that we don't use window units on that side of the house, eliminating the living room window and adjacent window in the kitchen/dining room. There is also an open stairway to 2nd floor from the entryway/kitchen so it's also hard to close off the space from that side.
We've tried a few things so far including lots of fans (window fans, the kitchen has a ceiling fan, free standing fans) and a 9,000 btu portable AC unit (a hand me down) in the living room. Even though that space is smaller the portable AC seemed to have to work so hard to cool it (probably because we couldn't seal the space - curtains didn't seem to help) that it ran constantly and was extremely noisy. Now we use that in our bedroom which works okay, and have moved our smaller but effective window unit into the nursery.
We are considering purchasing a larger (12,000 + btu) window unit for use on the first floor, which if placed in the window opposite the living room opening (and possibly in tandem with fans) seems like it might be able to cool the space. If we owned the home, we would probably invest in a wall-mounted system instead for both rooms, but that's not an option here. So before spending $ on a unit and the utility expenses for something that may not solve the problem (especially knowing we have lots of baby things we could spend the money on instead) we wanted to ask what has worked for others.
The first floor is 600+ square feet total but with one larger kitchen/dining space that has windows on three sides. There is a small open doorway (framed in but no door jam) between that space and a smaller living room (maybe 250 sf), which has one window. The landlord has requested that we don't use window units on that side of the house, eliminating the living room window and adjacent window in the kitchen/dining room. There is also an open stairway to 2nd floor from the entryway/kitchen so it's also hard to close off the space from that side.
We've tried a few things so far including lots of fans (window fans, the kitchen has a ceiling fan, free standing fans) and a 9,000 btu portable AC unit (a hand me down) in the living room. Even though that space is smaller the portable AC seemed to have to work so hard to cool it (probably because we couldn't seal the space - curtains didn't seem to help) that it ran constantly and was extremely noisy. Now we use that in our bedroom which works okay, and have moved our smaller but effective window unit into the nursery.
We are considering purchasing a larger (12,000 + btu) window unit for use on the first floor, which if placed in the window opposite the living room opening (and possibly in tandem with fans) seems like it might be able to cool the space. If we owned the home, we would probably invest in a wall-mounted system instead for both rooms, but that's not an option here. So before spending $ on a unit and the utility expenses for something that may not solve the problem (especially knowing we have lots of baby things we could spend the money on instead) we wanted to ask what has worked for others.
I hang a heavy weight IKEA drape between the rooms so I only cool down my living room and one front bedroom. It really works well at keeping the cool air in and the hot air in the other room. I don't know if that would work in your situation.
posted by cairnoflore at 9:28 PM on July 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by cairnoflore at 9:28 PM on July 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
Sizing A/C is a technical art with lots of contributing factors but as the roughest rule of thumb you need 1 ton of cooling per 600 sq ft. 1 ton is 12,000 btu. So in theory a large window unit would do the trick. Cold air on the first floor generally won't migrate upwards so your upstairs won't add any load.
However it sounds like you have a lot of glazed area. Is any of the glazing in a south or west wall? If yes then 1 ton probably isn't enough. However you can claw you way back up to sufficient by reducing the insolation from those windows. Heavy curtains will help or shades of some sort on the exterior (those bamboo roll up shades are good and moderately cheap if you can figure out a way to hang them).
Most window units are quieter than the portables but they aren't "quiet". I need to wear ear plugs when I'm sleeping and our window A/C is on.
PS: if you are in this place next year planting something like pole beans on a trellis in front of the South and West windows and to a lesser extent walls will significantly reduce how much solar heat you pick up. And a package of seeds is cheap though the support structure can be expensive.
posted by Mitheral at 10:58 PM on July 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
However it sounds like you have a lot of glazed area. Is any of the glazing in a south or west wall? If yes then 1 ton probably isn't enough. However you can claw you way back up to sufficient by reducing the insolation from those windows. Heavy curtains will help or shades of some sort on the exterior (those bamboo roll up shades are good and moderately cheap if you can figure out a way to hang them).
Most window units are quieter than the portables but they aren't "quiet". I need to wear ear plugs when I'm sleeping and our window A/C is on.
PS: if you are in this place next year planting something like pole beans on a trellis in front of the South and West windows and to a lesser extent walls will significantly reduce how much solar heat you pick up. And a package of seeds is cheap though the support structure can be expensive.
posted by Mitheral at 10:58 PM on July 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for the feedback. Should have added that we don't plan to be here next year, so another factor for us is knowing this will only likely be an issue for about 2 months.
posted by moshimosh at 3:57 AM on July 7, 2016
posted by moshimosh at 3:57 AM on July 7, 2016
Since it's only short term and money is an issue, can you make the air conditioned bedrooms more pleasant to hang out in for a few months? Give yourself license to just relax, put a comfortable chair in there, and enjoy the coolth. I only have a/c in my bedroom and that's what I do.
In addition, or if that won't work, I assume you've tried keeping the downstairs cooler by opening windows at night, closing windows and curtains during the day?
posted by metasarah at 4:51 AM on July 7, 2016
In addition, or if that won't work, I assume you've tried keeping the downstairs cooler by opening windows at night, closing windows and curtains during the day?
posted by metasarah at 4:51 AM on July 7, 2016
Response by poster: Also yes, the window restrictions are listed in the lease.
My original plan was to hide out in the bedrooms when it gets bad. This has worked for us thus far, but largely because we're only home in the evenings/weekends. I'll be working from home more as my due date approaches and then once the baby arrives i'll be home with the baby full time in August/September when its typically very hot in our area, so i don't think staying exclusively in the bedrooms will work without me going crazy :) Also my family isn't local, and we'll be getting plenty of visitors at that time.
We do need to up our game on window coverings that would increase efficiency. We have cheap vinyl blinds in all the windows, and upstairs we have west facing bedroom windows which have vinyl blinds in addition to heavy/dark curtains. The two east facing windows (where we're not allowed to use window units) could definitely use more sun-blocking coverings, which we're looking into.
posted by moshimosh at 6:47 AM on July 7, 2016
My original plan was to hide out in the bedrooms when it gets bad. This has worked for us thus far, but largely because we're only home in the evenings/weekends. I'll be working from home more as my due date approaches and then once the baby arrives i'll be home with the baby full time in August/September when its typically very hot in our area, so i don't think staying exclusively in the bedrooms will work without me going crazy :) Also my family isn't local, and we'll be getting plenty of visitors at that time.
We do need to up our game on window coverings that would increase efficiency. We have cheap vinyl blinds in all the windows, and upstairs we have west facing bedroom windows which have vinyl blinds in addition to heavy/dark curtains. The two east facing windows (where we're not allowed to use window units) could definitely use more sun-blocking coverings, which we're looking into.
posted by moshimosh at 6:47 AM on July 7, 2016
Tape aluminum foil onto windows facing the sun.
9000 btu of portable is probably only worth 4500 btu of window A/C unless it has two tubes going to the window. So if it was almost working, then a window A/C unit of 10k+ should be decent provided you put something reflective in the windows.
posted by flimflam at 9:26 AM on July 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
9000 btu of portable is probably only worth 4500 btu of window A/C unless it has two tubes going to the window. So if it was almost working, then a window A/C unit of 10k+ should be decent provided you put something reflective in the windows.
posted by flimflam at 9:26 AM on July 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
We used two 12,000 BTU portable air conditioners in a 600sqft open-plan space with a cathedral ceiling. They worked hard, but they worked.
At night, we'd move one of them into the master bedroom.
posted by homodachi at 2:57 PM on July 7, 2016
At night, we'd move one of them into the master bedroom.
posted by homodachi at 2:57 PM on July 7, 2016
You leaving soon is another reason to give fewer fucks about what your landlord thinks if that's an option.
posted by Aizkolari at 4:47 PM on July 7, 2016
posted by Aizkolari at 4:47 PM on July 7, 2016
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Unless this is in your lease and you signed it, make your pregnant life and this problem heaps easier by giving zero fucks about what your landlord would "like" you to do and just pop a window unit in that spot for the next couple months. If landlord gives you static, ask him to come up with a working solution. You should not have to sit and sweat and be miserable in your own home.
posted by phunniemee at 8:00 PM on July 6, 2016 [10 favorites]