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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask you how on earth we can cool down a bit?

80 replies

TheHouseOnTheLane · 16/12/2015 06:23

It's 40 degrees here in South Australia. I have the crappy air con on but it's a shitty one and barely touches the surface. The blinds have been down all day...we're drinking loads....what else can I do?

OP posts:
IguanaTail · 16/12/2015 06:27

Get a washing up bowl of cold water and put your feet in it.
Get a cold flannel and put it on your face
Run your wrists under the cold tap
Put an ice cube in your mouth
Take off some clothes

Mistigri · 16/12/2015 06:31

I feel your pain ... and it only gets to mid-high 30s here (southern Europe).

Does it get cool at night? In heat waves here we open all the windows and shutters at night to cool the house, then close all windows and shutters in the morning as soon as the outside temperature exceeds the inside temperature.

Is your house well insulated? Could you afford an extra portable air conditioner unit, or some fans?

Original poster
TheHouseOnTheLane · 16/12/2015 06:40

thanks guys....Misti It often cools down a lot by about 6pm...the wind arrives and if it's coming from the right direction, yes we can open windows and doors etc....but if it's not...well then it's a hot wind and it's like living in an oven.

I don't know about insulation...it's a rental. I'm already worried about the power bills! I've been trying not to put the air con on but I've just had to today.

OP posts:
echt · 16/12/2015 06:43

Watching this one, as Melbourne is up for five days of 35+ in a row starting tomorrow.

What direction does your house face? Is there a cool side, i.e. facing south or east? Are you open plan? If you have rooms you can close off, one of those big fans is good.

We're lucky in that one living room has good aircon so we shut down the rest of the house. Right now I'm sweating cobs in our front room that faces full north and west - no aircon. It's about 30 at 5.40. p.m. Bloody hell.

Original poster
TheHouseOnTheLane · 16/12/2015 06:47

Echt I can't remember directions but basically the afternoon sun is landing in the sitting room side...the back garden has the morning sun so it's cooler at the back of the house.

We're planning on buying a fan asap....we've only lived here for 3 weeks...DH is from here originally but has been so long in the UK that he might as well be a foreigner like me!

I don't know what to do about the rest of the house and air con...it's an old system and it has the choice to serve the main family area and each bedroom or you can choose just one area or however many you want. I had it just in family room and shut the bedrooms but DH said that wasn't going to make any difference and I should have all rooms served. Is he right?

OP posts:
Original poster
TheHouseOnTheLane · 16/12/2015 06:48

God. Just checked and it's 41 tomorrow. I don't give a shit about bills, the air con is going on all day!

OP posts:
echt · 16/12/2015 06:49

Yikes, House, rentals can be brutal. I don't know your circumstances, but libraries are good, with free wi-fi. So you can cool and Mumsnet :o

I see what you mean about 6.00. point. I'm opening windows now and cooler air is flooding in.

Original poster
TheHouseOnTheLane · 16/12/2015 06:52

I don't think the DC would like to go to libraries etc...they're happy here now school's out. The air outside is still like a hot fan so no windows open here :(

OP posts:
HelpfulChap · 16/12/2015 06:53

Want to swap?

echt · 16/12/2015 06:54

Is it one of those systems where you have to have a draught to work ( you'll know because there'll be a big vented box thing on the roof) or individual units in each room? (You'll know because there'll be a motor outside each room, in the yard)

Bunnings do reasonably-priced big fans.

Original poster
TheHouseOnTheLane · 16/12/2015 06:56

Echt no...I think it's what's called ducted. There are square vents in all the ceilings and a big unit outside...just one big unit.

OP posts:
WaitingForSnow · 16/12/2015 06:57

Open the house early morning to get the cooler air through then shut the house up before it warms up. This way you will hopefully keep the cooler air in and the ac won't have to work as hard. Then open it up again late evening.

If there is a breeze you can also put wet pillow cases on open windows so the air cools as it passes through.

LaurieFairyCake · 16/12/2015 06:58

It's too warm here in the UK ( just the South East) for December.

Apparently it's going up to 61F (16 celcius) tomorrow. I've got all my windows open and I woke up with a blinding headache.

Stupid fucking weather

Original poster
TheHouseOnTheLane · 16/12/2015 06:58

It's reverse cycle. I just went to the main vent in the hall and the "cold air" coming out of it is pathetic. When we first arrived here I took the grid off thinking it must be blocked as the flow was so poor but it wasn't....it's sort of "lagged" with fluffy stuff...

OP posts:
TheMaddHugger · 16/12/2015 07:01

I feel for you TheHouse. I too am South Aussie.

It's Bloody Hot

Ice cubes in a bucket for feet (inconvenient ). / Dunk head in shower= and let drip dry (messy)

drink 4 litres of ice water (need Loo handy)

Sleep in bath. maybe not

Sleep under fan.

((((((((((((((cyber Hugs))))))))))))) its too bloody hot for norml hugs

echt · 16/12/2015 07:02

Ooh, I've only experienced the heating side of these dual systems at someone's house in the winter: hot head, cold everything else.

Check the name on the unit, e.g. Brivis/Conia, etc. and google "Name aircon manual". They're all online as PDFs now, so they'll tell you how to get the best out of system.

Original poster
TheHouseOnTheLane · 16/12/2015 07:03

Thank you Madd I am a bit sick of it though it's only a few days...but I knew what to expect when I came. I am feeling a bit down today about it.

OP posts:
echt · 16/12/2015 07:03

You also need to contact the agent managing the property. Fluffy sounds so wrong.

TheMaddHugger · 16/12/2015 07:04

Big box on roof ?? Did you buy or rent ? your Aircon probs need a good cleen and service

crabb · 16/12/2015 07:08

Yes, I'd contact the rental agency as a first step. Then buy a fan ASAP and let it blow through a hanging wet towel. Same principle as evaporative cooling. Or buy a portable Evap cooler from Harvey Norman or wherever - they should work well in dry environments like most of SA. I feel for you Sad

TheMaddHugger · 16/12/2015 07:15

don't worry about the costs run the dang thing, but definitely make a complaint to the rental company. they need to check it ASAP

if it is faulty they should be able to offer a substitute Aircon (portable)

MontyYouTerribleCunt · 16/12/2015 07:21

Fill loads of bottles with water and freeze them. Put them around whichever room around the house (or just the rooms you are using). I've never done it but it's meant reduce the temperature of the room.

Hate being too hot! I sympathise.

SavoyCabbage · 16/12/2015 07:21

Get your aircon in the morning or it won't have a chance of coping. And shut your house up. Close everything. Windows and blinds. I think not opening a window when you get hot takes some getting used to.

LunaMay · 16/12/2015 07:22

Aww im in South Aus too and it sucks! weve got 3 days of 39 and then 43 on saturday, yuk. I cope by using the air con, not good for my electric bill but i dont care! Are you near a beach you can go down to in the evenings?

StillStayingClassySanDiego · 16/12/2015 07:26

When we had a hot summer here a few years ago i used the Mumsnet tip of standing frozen bottles of water in front of oscillating fans. It did cool the room down and made sleeping more bearable.

Not even going to try comparing that with Aussie summer heat thouh😉.

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