Cooling down a room

[Enzo]

maybe face one of the fans out of the window to push the hot air from the kitchen away from the room?

some people swear by it.

[mrfridge]

Probably not much use as it's outside your budget but this could work:

https://chilisleep.co.uk/products/ooler-sleep-system?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIi9Tx28HP9wIV5GDmCh2v9Q-7EAAYAiAAEgKpLfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Chilly bed. Sounds lovely. I'm constantly too hot in bed, so I'm seriously considering one of these. Second hand prices on eBay are a bit better but the thought of sleeping on someone else's sweat encrusted cooling mat doesn't appeal somehow.

[Small Man Big Horse]

I can't find the exact one but like this : https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8873600?clickPR=plp:1:14

Mine has a remote and a timer function which is very handy. You will need to exhaust out the hot air however. I have had some success in venting this into the landing, using a towel in the doorgap. I'd rather have one cool room and the rest baking than the alternative. These days I do vent it out the window as I have that opportunity.

You can probably get them second hand for much cheaper. If you do have a way to get the hot air outside they are the best way to go. The air out of mine is really chilly, and having it on for 20 mins is enough to take the edge off the uncomfortableness the heat gives. I tried the other non air con units, the humidifiers make everything damp and don't do anything in the muggy days when the humidity is already high.

May sound daft, but I've also had some success putting my pillow in the fridge. Another thing that's quite effective is putting your whole lower arms (elbow and below) in cold water. It does give some reasonable heat transfer from your body.

Thanks for all of that, its enormously appreciated that you went in to such detail, and I'll definitely look for a second hand unit once I get paid next month and could afford such a thing.

What do you do when other housemates are using the kitchen and you're in the bedroom? I can think of five distinct possibilities:

1. Shut the curtains
2. Nonchalantly carry on with what you're doing and pretend they're not there
3. Give them a big thumbs up and cheeky grin to ease the awkwardness
4. Wank
5. All of  the above

Apart from no.3 it's basically that and fortunately the sound proofing is decent so they can't hear what I get up to when the window's closed.

Have you tried a different type of duvet/mattress cover? I have felt cooler and comfortable with brushed cotton sheets. A little more expensive, but definitely worth it for me. Like you, I go for the lowest tog of duvet available all year round.

I haven't, but it's something I'll look in to as anything that helps in the short term would be great.

Quies wax earplugs, cheap and you can't hear a thing.

Ah, I just wouldn't feel safe to be honest, last year one of the housemates moved out in the middle of the night stealing all the furniture in his room (including a double bed, chest of drawers, two giant cupboards and a large table) which I somehow managed to sleep through, I like most of the people in the house but there's two who have moved in recently who seem a bit dodgy.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

I've not read this thread, has anyone posted " Talking Heads consider rewrite" yet?

[Dex Sawash]

Probably wouldn't hurt to give the arse finger to any problem areas in your flat

[Zetetic]

Freeze bottles of water. Half-filled, large plastic bottles.

Add tap water when you get them out of the freezer. Drink cold water.

Use a fan to run air past a defrosting bottle, if you like.

[Small Man Big Horse]

maybe face one of the fans out of the window to push the hot air from the kitchen away from the room?

some people swear by it.

Right now I'm prepared to give anything a go, so will see it it makes any difference.

Probably not much use as it's outside your budget but this could work:

https://chilisleep.co.uk/products/ooler-sleep-system?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIi9Tx28HP9wIV5GDmCh2v9Q-7EAAYAiAAEgKpLfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Chilly bed. Sounds lovely. I'm constantly too hot in bed, so I'm seriously considering one of these. Second hand prices on eBay are a bit better but the thought of sleeping on someone else's sweat encrusted cooling mat doesn't appeal somehow.

Oh man, I'd love that, but yeah, price wise it's just way too much sadly.

Freeze bottles of water. Half-filled, large plastic bottles.

Add tap water when you get them out of the freezer. Drink cold water.

Use a fan to run air past a defrosting bottle, if you like.

Thanks for that, will give it a go tonight.

Probably wouldn't hurt to give the arse finger to any problem areas in your flat

Ha, but as my current enemy is room temperature I'm not sure how I'd apply it.

[seepage]

Although just pushing air around might not be the full solution, for a fan, the Meaco 1056P was a game-changer. Powerful but very quiet at low speeds and looks good too. £140 though.

[QDRPHNC]

Talking Heads consider... etc.

[Mr Farenheit]

Just another night in the kitchen

[robhug]

whack a couple of hot water bottles in the freezer for an hour before bed, this works a treat on the 5 or 6 days every year where its too hot to get to sleep

obviously you take them out and into the bed with you or there's no way it'd work

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the room that, for some reason, shares a window with the kitchen.

Talking Heads consider... etc.

Patrick Swayze's character from Road House leaves thread...

[Elderly Sumo Prophecy]

In a room, I'm fucking boiling
Landlord stitched me up again alright
In a room, the bastard kitchen
All I see without the curtains shut tight

[Ambient Sheep]

I was wondering if anyone had any experience of things like this:

https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/jml-a000840-chillmax-air-personal-space-air-cooler-and-humidifier-white-grey#reviews

Yes.  Unlike what Pimhole said, this worked for me.  No, of course it won't cool a whole room, but having it trained on me got me through that blisteringly hot summer we had a few years ago.

Not sure if quiet enough for sleep though as I never used it at nighttime, and if I had I wouldn't have noticed any noise anyway as I sleep with a CPAP mask and earplugs.


However if you want to give it a try, don't buy that one, buy this one, which I picked up in Tesco the following year when they had piles of them on sale:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beldray%C2%AE-EH3139V2-Personal-Table-Cooler/dp/B087XBC8BM/

It's better than the other one for several reasons:

1. The water tanks are removable, so you can just fill them up under the tap, then clip them back in.  With the JML one you have to fill up a glass or jug with cold water and then pour it directly into the top of the gadget, trying not to spill any into the electrics.

2. Because the water tanks are removable, you can put them in the freezer to make them even colder before clipping them back in, although I seldom felt the need to bother.

3. The JML one can't be moved once it's full of water (well you can if you're werry werry careful, but you're not supposed to), whereas the Beldray, due to its separate water tanks, can be.

4. The Beldray optionally lights up in a variety of pretty colours, whereas the JML is just blue. :-)


By the way, how the fuck is your "window into the kitchen with no external air" thing even legal?!

I know, I know, London housing...

[Small Man Big Horse]

Yes.  Unlike what Pimhole said, this worked for me.  No, of course it won't cool a whole room, but having it trained on me got me through that blisteringly hot summer we had a few years ago.

Not sure if quiet enough for sleep though as I never used it at nighttime, and if I had I wouldn't have noticed any noise anyway as I sleep with a CPAP mask and earplugs.


However if you want to give it a try, don't buy that one, buy this one, which I picked up in Tesco the following year when they had piles of them on sale:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beldray%C2%AE-EH3139V2-Personal-Table-Cooler/dp/B087XBC8BM/

It's better than the other one for several reasons:

1. The water tanks are removable, so you can just fill them up under the tap, then clip them back in.  With the JML one you have to fill up a glass or jug with cold water and then pour it directly into the top of the gadget, trying not to spill any into the electrics.

2. Because the water tanks are removable, you can put them in the freezer to make them even colder before clipping them back in, although I seldom felt the need to bother.

3. The JML one can't be moved once it's full of water (well you can if you're werry werry careful, but you're not supposed to), whereas the Beldray, due to its separate water tanks, can be.

4. The Beldray optionally lights up in a variety of pretty colours, whereas the JML is just blue. :-)

Thanks so much for that, at £29.99 I'll definitely be getting one, and will let you know if it helped or not.

By the way, how the fuck is your "window into the kitchen with no external air" thing even legal?!

I know, I know, London housing...

I get the feeling that it isn't legal at all, but it was cheap, and really near to my old place and so moving at very short notice wasn't an issue. I never planned on staying here for so long either, but as mentioned I get on with the people really well, plus it's very quiet, and those two things have been a very rare occurrence in the two decades I've been living in the city!

[Elderly Sumo Prophecy]

Do people come and go from the house a lot? Wait until somebody moves out and then snag their room.

[notjosh]

I always have water next to the bed and sometimes when it's hot I'll splash a bit of water on myself and rub it over my front before I lie in front of a fan. Feels lovely and cool and as it evaporates it ought to take some of the body heat with it.

[Vitamin C]

I always have water next to the bed and sometimes when it's hot I'll splash a bit of water on myself and rub it over my front before I lie in front of a fan. Feels lovely and cool and as it evaporates it ought to take some of the body heat with it.

Are you Colonel Kurtz?

[Enzo]

whack a couple of hot water bottles in the freezer for an hour before bed, this works a treat on the 5 or 6 days every year where its too hot to get to sleep

obviously you take them out and into the bed with you or there's no way it'd work

This.

Although I used plastic bottles filled with frozen tap water and wrapped in a towel or a glass bottle filled with water from the fridge instead. Apparently the ice can damage the seal on hot water bottles.

[PlanktonSideburns]

Anyone talked about a Tupperware box full of ice with an electric fan sat on top of it?

[Small Man Big Horse]

whack a couple of hot water bottles in the freezer for an hour before bed, this works a treat on the 5 or 6 days every year where its too hot to get to sleep

obviously you take them out and into the bed with you or there's no way it'd work

Ah, I missed this before, but hopefully along with the air cooler I'll soon be cold at night!

Do people come and go from the house a lot? Wait until somebody moves out and then snag their room.

Not really, but the problem is that the rent for all of the other rooms is £100 - £150 higher, which I could just about afford but it would hurt and mean I'd go out a lot, lot less than I currently do. I've no idea why the other rooms are so expensive either, I had a look on rightmove last night and could move in to a bigger room in the area which would have a window on to a garden for the same price, and if the solutions given so far don't work is what I may end up having to do.

[Small Man Big Horse]

However if you want to give it a try, don't buy that one, buy this one, which I picked up in Tesco the following year when they had piles of them on sale:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beldray%C2%AE-EH3139V2-Personal-Table-Cooler/dp/B087XBC8BM/

It's better than the other one for several reasons:

1. The water tanks are removable, so you can just fill them up under the tap, then clip them back in.  With the JML one you have to fill up a glass or jug with cold water and then pour it directly into the top of the gadget, trying not to spill any into the electrics.

2. Because the water tanks are removable, you can put them in the freezer to make them even colder before clipping them back in, although I seldom felt the need to bother.

3. The JML one can't be moved once it's full of water (well you can if you're werry werry careful, but you're not supposed to), whereas the Beldray, due to its separate water tanks, can be.

4. The Beldray optionally lights up in a variety of pretty colours, whereas the JML is just blue. :-)

So I've had the Beldray Cooler for a week now and have to say I really like it, it's not making the room enormously cooler, but I keep it on me when I go to bed and I've definitely been getting to sleep quicker, and it's meant I've not been sweating horribly as I was before. So thank you for the recommendation Sheepy, I do hugely appreciate it.

[Ambient Sheep]

Oh, I'm so glad, I was getting worried by your silence on the matter!

I did say in my original post that it wouldn't cool the whole room but that it would work if aimed at you; am happy that that's turned out to be the case and that you're sleeping better.

Out of interest, are you bothering to pre-freeze tanks and, most importantly, what colour do you set it to? ;-)

[Small Man Big Horse]

Oh, I'm so glad, I was getting worried by your silence on the matter!

I did say in my original post that it wouldn't cool the whole room but that it would work if aimed at you; am happy that that's turned out to be the case and that you're sleeping better.

Out of interest, are you bothering to pre-freeze tanks and, most importantly, what colour do you set it to? ;-)

I didn't freeze them the first two nights but have been since then, and plan to keep on doing so now as it definitely felt colder.

Alas I'll have to let you down on the colour front, I like a very dark room to sleep in so haven't put it on any!

[Small Man Big Horse]

So last year I managed to survive the heat by buying two Beldray Coolers and having one on each side of the bed, which definitely helped a lot when it came to keeping me cool. Unfortunately both broke in September (the bit where you connect the power usb cord to the machine stopped working with both) but as it was close to winter I didn't mind too much.

Now that the days are slowly becoming warmer I've been struggling again, and I have been trying to move over the past few weeks but the London rental market is an all round nightmare, so it looks like I'll be spending another summer here. I'm a little reluctant to go down the Cooler road again though (especially as they've gone up in price) so was trying to think of a solution when I noticed for the first time that at the top of the bedroom window is this:



and on the other side in the kitchen is this:



And I presume it's there to provide some sort of ventilation, though I could be very, very wrong. So does anyone know what they're supposed to do? I've looked up a whole load of air conditioners online and there Exhaust Vents are a completely different shape and size, but if there is a way to attach it to an air conditioner I'd be overjoyed, as then I could at least survive one more summer and then try and move another time.

And I know this is such a shockingly boring thread. But I also know there are lots of people smarter than me here, and I'm hoping they'll know what the point of these plastic things at the top of the windows is.

[Zero Gravitas]

They're trickle vents, they prevent you becoming what a friend of mine calls a "Dampie".

[Small Man Big Horse]

They're trickle vents, they prevent you becoming what a friend of mine calls a "Dampie".

Thanks for that, looking it up online and if I buy something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004X4RTNU/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza?th=1&tag=pepperugc03-21&ascsubtag=2501124753

I should then be able to attach it to an air conditioner, and cool the room down that way.

That said I'm not really any good when it comes to DIY, so if anyone knows how to do such a thing really simply it'd be enormously appreciated.

[Elderly Sumo Prophecy]

I think that's for shitting into mate

[Dr Rock]

Satin sheets/duvet cover. Not expensive cos they're not really satin, but they are much cooler. I have em.

[touchingcloth]

Simply make a silicone mould of the blades of a desk fan, and replace the blades with frozen ones.