Cielo
A basement, office space, entertainment area, garage, or conference room – there can be numerous instances when you are stuck with a room with no windows. It can feel like an impossible task to cool this space especially considering the lack of ventilation.
Windows help provide fresh airflow while removing the hot, stale air from your room. In a windowless room without any proper source of ventilation, heat gets trapped in with nowhere to escape.
Fortunately, you can make a windowless room livable in the summer season by adopting specific strategies and utilizing air conditioning options.
We have compiled a comprehensive list of ways for how to cool down a room with no windows. Some ideas include using air conditioning, and others are simple tricks to beat the summer heat.
- 1. Go for a Mini-Split AC
- 2. Install a Through the Wall Air Conditioner
- 3. Buy a Portable AC
- 4. Use an Evaporative Cooler
- 5. Incorporate Smart Technology
- 6. Install a Ceiling Fan
- 7. Use a Floor Fan & Ice Cubes
- 8. Use the Two Fan Method
- 9. Turn on the Exhaust Fan
- 10. Replace Your Incandescent Lights
- 11. Keep the Appliances off When Not in Use
- 12. Cover Your Furniture With Sheets
- 13. Make Use of Landscaping
- 14. Reduce Your Body Temperature
1. Go for a Mini-Split AC
A ductless mini-split air conditioner is possibly the best way to cool down a room with no windows. If you don’t have a central air conditioning system installed in this space, opt for a mini-split. You’ll benefit from it just like central air conditioning but without the hassle of lengthy duct installation.
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Mini-split air conditioners have 2 units; the indoor unit introduces cool air into your room, while the outdoor unit ejects the unwanted heat. The installation process just requires drilling a three-inch hole in the wall to connect the two units. Make sure there is space around the outside wall to place and easily connect the outdoor unit.
Mini-splits are energy-efficient air conditioners; there is minimal heat loss as they deliver air straight from the unit to the focused area. Opt for Energy-Star models or smart AC options to help lower your electricity bills.
You may also pair up any mini-split air conditioner with a smart controller such as Cielo Breez to make your unit smart.
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2. Install a Through the Wall Air Conditioner
Through-the-wall air conditioners are different from window units and are designed to sit inside the wall opening. They can be more energy efficient when compared to window ACs. This is because there is no air escaping through the leaks and gaps in window frames.
When opting for these units, one thing to consider is that their installation process is a bit of a hassle. It requires cutting a hole in the wall, therefore, needs long-term commitment. You would have to select an exterior wall with plenty of open space around it and make sure there is no plumbing or electrical wiring inside it.
3. Buy a Portable AC
Portable air conditioners can come in quite handy when trying to cool a room with no windows. These ACs also remove moisture, which helps keep your room comfortable during hot, humid days. They are small, compact, easy-to-install, and move around, hence becoming increasingly popular. Unfortunately, though, the installation and movement are not so easy in a windowless room.
Just like any other AC, portable units pull in air from inside the room and cool it. The heat generated in the process is exhausted outside through a hose. Dual-hose portable air conditioners have an additional hose to draw in fresh air from the outdoors.
While windows are helpful to install the hose, you can still implement portable ACs to cool a windowless room. However, you will need to drill holes in an exterior wall, which is a semi-permanent solution rather than a temporary one.
4. Use an Evaporative Cooler
While portable or through-the-wall air conditioners may seem like a great option, they require openings in a window. If you’re searching for a less permanent solution, your next best option is an evaporative cooler, also known as a ventless air conditioner. If you like the cooling effect of using ice with your pedestal fan, then evaporative coolers are for you.
Evaporative coolers or swamp coolers are basically an advanced form of ice and fan method. These coolers have tanks where you put cold water or ice. Then they work by passing outdoor air over cold water, causing it to evaporate into the air. This cold air is then circulated inside your room.
While using an evaporative cooler, it is necessary to leave the windows open to push warm air outside your room. In a windowless room, you can leave your door open.
These coolers work best in low-humid areas.
5. Incorporate Smart Technology
Cooling a windowless room can get tricky, so having a smart device to automate your room climate can be super helpful.
You can use a smart AC controller that works with ductless units such as mini-splits, portable ACs, window ACs, or through-the-wall-air conditioners.
A smart AC controller allows you to set the weekly schedules based on your preferences. If you are not at home and want to edit any settings or change the temperature, you can easily do so from anywhere, using a mobile app.
In addition to temperature regulation, there are various other features that you can use to maintain a relaxing environment.
Cielo Breez smart controllers have a Comfy Mode feature that uses intelligent triggers to automatically make adjustments based on your desired settings. You can also manage humidity utilizing this feature. It’s pretty convenient as you don’t have to monitor the settings continuously.
You can also connect your smart AC controller with Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant, or Samsung SmartThings for complete hands-off control.
More smart features include keeping track of your usage patterns, saving up to 25% energy, and keeping track of your air filter’s cleanliness levels.
6. Install a Ceiling Fan
Fans are not precisely cooling devices, but they keep the air circulating which creates a cooling effect. Therefore, it is an economical option to cool a room without windows.
In summers, your fans should be rotating in a counterclockwise direction to push the hot air away and cool air down.
You can also use ceiling fans in conjunction with your air conditioner to cool a room with no windows. Your AC will introduce cool air into your room, and your fan will spread it to a wider area.
With ceiling fans, you’ll be able to set your AC temperature slightly high; doing this won’t affect your comfort level but will considerably reduce your cooling bills.
If you don’t want to opt for both and are confused between choosing an AC or a fan, then this article answers all your questions.
7. Use a Floor Fan & Ice Cubes
One of the simplest methods you can try to cool down a windowless room is to use ice and a floor fan.
Take a big bowl and fill it with ice cubes. Then, place it in front of your fan. This will make the fan disperse cold from the ice to the entire room. When ice melts, it generates cold air, and the fan helps blow the cool air around. On a hot summer day, sitting closer to the fan can definitely help.
When using this method, it is best to close the doors to keep the cold air trapped inside your windowless room.
8. Use the Two Fan Method
The two-fan method is not a permanent solution to cool your windowless room. However, you can use this method if you are living in a place for a short period.
You need two fans pointed in a specific direction to make this method work. Place one fan facing the ceiling. The other fan should be pointed at the door.
The idea is that the fan facing the ceiling will regulate air circulation in the room, and the other fan will push the hot air out of the door.
However, this method won’t work when temperatures are too high.
9. Turn on the Exhaust Fan
When your room does not have any windows, you can use an exhaust fan to get rid of hot air in your space.
If you don’t want it installed inside your room, you can still benefit from your bathroom’s exhaust fan. You just need to turn on the exhaust fan and leave the door open. The fan will pull the hot air out of your room and release it outside.
Keep in mind that this method only works when the inside temperature is higher than the outside. Heat travels from the source of high temperature to the source of low temperature. During a hot summer afternoon, an exhaust fan won’t do much to cool down your room.
10. Replace Your Incandescent Lights
You might not have realized it, but incandescent lights give off a lot of heat. This can especially become a problem in a room that has no windows and minimum ventilation.
Incandescent lights release 90% of their energy as heat which can significantly warm up your windowless room.
Consider replacing your incandescent bulbs with LED lights. They do not give off heat and won’t increase your room’s temperature. They are also more energy-efficient, cost less, and last 133 times longer than incandescent lights. They also facilitate your efforts to cool a room without windows!
11. Keep the Appliances off When Not in Use
Does your laptop feel hot after using it for a certain amount of time?
Well, electrical appliances emit heat energy when you use them.
One device cannot produce a significant amount of heat. However, if you are using television, microwave oven, computer, lightbulbs, and iron, altogether, they can affect how hot a room feels.
Unless you are using your computer or television, these devices should be turned off. Switching off lights when not in use and keeping appliances like iron out of the room can significantly reduce the amount of heat that builds up in a windowless room.
12. Cover Your Furniture With Sheets
Usually, the fabric used on the sofas and chairs is thick and can get hot quickly. You can use cotton sheets to cover your furniture. They can be stored in a cool place. You can then place them on your sofas to feel comfortable while sitting on them. Similarly, use cotton sheets for your bedding and avoid using fleece or flannel.
13. Make Use of Landscaping
In a windowless room, there isn’t any direct sunlight entering the space. However, solar heat can still be absorbed by the roof and walls, making it difficult to cool your room.
According to the US Department of Energy, providing shade with shrubs and trees can lower the surrounding temperature by up to 6 degrees.
If you want protection from the harsh summer heat but want warmth in winters, go for deciduous trees. You can use shrubs and groundcover plants to provide shade to the area around your windowless room. Climbing vines can also be beneficial. They cover the entire walls and cool the surrounding air.
14. Reduce Your Body Temperature
Your body responds to the external environment. For example, your body temperature rises when it’s hot outside. If installing an air conditioner in a windowless room isn’t an option, you can try cooling techniques to reduce your body heat.
- Drink cool liquids such as hydrating juices that can cool your body internally. Keeping yourself hydrated also prevents dehydration.
- Applying ice to pulse points in your body can also lower your body temperature. Put ice on your wrist, neck, knees, or temples. Your blood vessels are close to the surface at your pulse points, so they cool down quickly when cold is applied.
- You can also prevent your body temperature from rising by wearing breathable fabric. Cotton and linen are light, breathable fabrics and allow the heat to escape from your body.
Summers are getting longer and more intense due to global warming. This makes it quite challenging to keep your house cool during peak summer days.
Rooms that lack windows should not become a waste of space in the hot weather. By utilizing the strategies mentioned above, you can easily cool a windowless room in no time!
