Best Way to Cool a Small Room

Best Way to Cool a Small Room

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Last updated on July 28th, 2023 at 08:23 am

Warm weather can give us a refreshing break after months of bitter cold. It feels like you’re starting a whole new life filled with lots of outdoor activities and endless fresh air.

But for those who live in small homes, an apartment can feel like an oven rather than a place to rest and relax. Small square footage means insufficient airflow, hence uncomfortably high temperatures during summer.

However, there are multiple ways you can keep your small rooms cool during hot seasons. Below are our tips on the best ways to cool a small room. They will help you stay relaxed and comfortable throughout summer. Here’s what to do.

  • Draw the curtains during the day to block the sun (use dark curtains)
  • Open interior doors and windows at night
  • Use an air conditioner to dehumidify indoor air
  • Adjust the ceiling fan
  • Place cool water or ice near the fan
  • Skip using hot appliances such as a clothes dryer and microwave oven
  • Install a window unit air conditioner
  • Invest in indoor plants
  • Turn off or upgrade your incandescent lights to LED

How to Keep Room Cool in Summer Without AC and Cooler at Night

Turning on an AC is the quickest way to cool a room when temperatures go up. However, air conditioners can be expensive and unfriendly to the environment. Below are some cost-effective tips you can use to keep your room cool at night without an AC during summer.

Keep Windows and Interior Doors Open

While it’s advisable to keep your windows closed during the day to block the sunlight from coming in, consider opening them at night to let in the cool breeze. Leave the interior doors and all east and west-facing windows open to create a cross breeze to help add more cool air into the room. You can place small fans at the windows to enhance the cross breeze cooling effect.

Turn Off Incandescent Lights

Many states in the US are ditching incandescent bulbs for Compact Fluorescent Lamps(CFL) and LED lighting due to their excessive energy wastage and heat emission. Consider turning off those lights at night or replacing them all together to stay cool and save on energy bills as well.

Install Cooling Curtains

If leaving your windows open at night scares you, using cooling curtains may even be a better idea. Cover your windows and spray a sheet using cold water. The idea is to let the breeze hit the sheet, passing the cool air through the damp fabric to create an indoor cooling effect.

How to Cool a Room With Fans

How to Cool a Room With Fans

Using a fan is yet another practical approach to lowering temperatures in your room on hot days. Here’s how to do it.

Install Window Fans

Consider installing small fans on your windows. Some fans should blow air inside, while others should be set to push hot air out of the room.  This technique works best on windows facing each other. Make sure all windows and interior doors are open to enhance free airflow.

Put a Bucket of Cold Water or Ice In Front of the Fan

Turn on the fan and place some cold water or ice just near it. The fan will blow the coolness of the ice or water around to create cool air in the room. To enhance the cooling effect, keep the door and windows closed to keep the trapped air within the room.

It’s a simple trick, yet so effective, making it a perfect alternative to air conditioners. Just ensure to keep your distance to avoid the air stream blowing right into your face.   

Install Ceiling Fans

Unlike window fans that draw air in and push it out to facilitate cross breeze, ceiling fans work by pushing cold air down in the room. The slight windy chill may not do much in cooling the room; instead, they’ll help keep your body cool and relaxed. 

How to Position Fans to Cool a Room

Whether it’s a ceiling fan or a window fan, how you position it plays a crucial role in cooling efficiency. And since fans can also be used to heat a room, you may need to set it correctly according to the climate. For instance, you may need to set your ceiling fan to spin in an anti-clockwise position during summer to create a breeze—clockwise spinning will heat the room. 

If you’re using a fan on the floor, such as a tower fan, place it in the doorway facing your hallway. Open the windows to create a direct airflow to the door. That way, when you turn the fan on, it will push out the hot air and suck in cool air to replace it. Since this method will create dead spots in other parts of the room, turn on a ceiling fan to stir the cool air for even cooling.

To position your window fans well, place the fan blowing air into the room on the side with more shade–the north side. The fan should face the room. Place an equal number of small fans on the opposite window facing outside to push the hot air away.

How to Cool Down a Room Fast

How to Keep Room Cool in Summer Without AC and Cooler at Night

There are many approaches to cooling down a tiny room during hot seasons. However, to speed up the cooling process, you may need to combine several techniques. Below are the techniques you can combine to cool your rooms faster.

  • Turn on the air conditioner and make sure it’s properly positioned
  • Place small fans on all windows–some facing inside and some facing outside, to enhance cross-breeze cooling
  • Turn on the ceiling fan and ensure it’s on the cooling setting
  • Turn off the lights or consider using LED lights when cooling at night
  • Place a tower fan on the floor and place a bucket of ice or cold water in front
  • Turn on the dehumidifier to remove hot moisture in the air

How to Cool a Humid Room

Cooling a humid room may require more considerations beyond an AC or a fan. You’ll need a dehumidifier. Although dehumidifiers are drying agents designed to remove excess moisture in the air and not to lower temperatures, they can be used in an intelligent way to cool humid rooms. However, you may need to get the right type of dehumidifier since not all of them will do the job. Here are the steps for cooling a humid room using a dehumidifier.

  1. Close all doors and windows to prevent moisture from escaping from the room.
  2. Ensure the dehumidifier’s capacity matches the room you intend to use it in. You’ll find the directions somewhere on the packaging. If you’re unsure, ask the manufacturer or an HVAC expert.
  3. Position the dehumidifier at a central position in the room.
  4. Since a dehumidifier is a drying agent that can affect your skin or trigger other allergies, run it when nobody is in the room.
  5. Don’t worry about switching it off, most dehumidifiers will turn off automatically once the tank is full and comfort levels are achieved.

Dehumidifiers are self-regulating, thus will lower humidity and create a cooling effect to safe levels.

Keep in mind that dehumidifiers can not be used interchangeably with air conditioners. However, with proper usage, they can work efficiently to cool humid rooms.

How to Cool a Humid Room

How to Cool a Small Room With No Windows

Cooling small rooms with no windows can be challenging. Since the door is the only air inlet and outlet, you’ll need to think a little more to keep the room cool. Use the below tips to cool a small room with no window. 

  • Consider installing a ceiling fan
  • Use portable evaporative coolers
  • Cool using ice by placing a non-oscillating fan just behind a bucket of ice to blow the cold air into the room
  • Install air conditioners in the wall
  • Switch off electronics and other appliances such as microwave ovens, clothes dryers and turn off the lights. Devices that use more electricity also emit more residual heat, which can heat the room.
  • Install a ductless air conditioner
  • Get outdoor plants as they function as heat insulators.

How to Cool a Room With Ice

Cooling a room with ice is one of the most effective ways only comparable to using an AC but in a more creative manner. Below is a step-by-step process on cooling a room with ice.

1. Fill a bowl with ice. The larger the room and higher the base temperature, the giant bowl and more ice you’ll need.

2. Place your non-oscillating fan on the floor right behind the bowl of ice. Adjust the fan to almost the same level or slightly higher than the bowl of ice

3. Let the fan face the area you intend to cool and then turn it on.

4. Keep refilling your bowl of ice as it melts away.

Tip: To achieve even cooling of the room, turn on the ceiling fan and let it run clockwise to stir the cold air in the whole room.

How to Keep Room Cool in Summer Naturally

Many people turn to HVAC systems for quick cooling during hot climates. However, there are natural ways you can use to cool your room without buying or installing any cooling system in your home.

Here are some of the ways to cool your room naturally.

Invest in House Plants

Plant shady trees on the East and West side of your house to block sun rays. Through transpiration cooling, plants also release water into the atmosphere thus, acting as natural air conditioners. Peace lilies, vines, and rubber plants are some of the best indoor plants for humid conditions.

Declutter The Room

Create more space for air circulation by removing all unwanted stuff such as old furniture, curios, magazines, among other things. Also, consider replacing the thick wooly carpets with thin rugs made from hemp and jute.

Take a glass vessel or a vase and fill it with cold water and use it as a centerpiece. You may put in some petals, seashells, or pretty flowers. Although the technique doesn’t do much in cooling the room, it creates a psychological impression of calm. 

How to Keep Room Cool in Summer Naturally

Get Outdoor Plants

Buy outdoor plants and put them on your balcony to block the sun. It may take some time before you see the benefits but it’s worth it. Plants are also a great source of fresh air and will give your home a naturally beautiful look. 

Best Products to Cool a Room

Cooling a small room no longer feels like a hassle due to the many products available on the market that you can use. From different designs of air conditioners, fans, dehumidifiers, and heat-reflective window films, your choice boils down to individual preferences and cooling needs.

For instance, the Holmes Bionaire Window Fan is one of the best fans on the market that doesn’t take much space on your window. It has a sleek design and thermostat control, and you may only need one per window.

Additionally, if you’re out to shop for the best air conditioner specifically designed for small rooms, you can never go wrong with the Breezewell Evaporative Air Cooler. It has a portable design with a 20-ft  remote and 8-hour timer feature. The AC is easy to use with just a push of a button and comes with 3-speed settings.

Best Portable Air Conditioner

Portable air conditioners are becoming more popular due to their affordability and flexibility since you only move them in the spaces you want to cool. Dual Hose Air Conditioner is one of the best portable air conditioners that also doubles as a fan and a dehumidifier. The unit has a built-in timer, and you can schedule it to start cooling the room a few minutes or hours before you get home.

The Whynter Elite ARC is another great portable choice suitable for a room of about 400 sq. ft. The AC has a dehumidifier and a programmable 24-hour timer. A remote is also included. The air conditioner operates at low noise levels of about 52 decibels and can dehumidify up to 76 pints in 24 hours. 

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