Posted by Barbara___IL on 6/23/09 2:24pm
Msg #293237

Air Conditioning Dilemma

My cousin works for a university. He's in an older building with no working air conditioning, and the university claims it cannot be repaired, and they don't have the money in their budget for a new one. His office doesn't have a window. Does anyone know if there is an air conditioner that can cool down his office? I checked out some floor models, but they need a window for a small hose. Thanks for any help. Barbara

Reply by Stamper_WI on 6/23/09 2:29pm
Msg #293238

Google "Wall Air Conditioners". They make many versions for windowless, ductless ac units.

Reply by RickG/CA on 6/23/09 2:37pm
Msg #293241

The problem is that a/c units needs to exchange warm air for cool, so you're essentially blowing warm air into the room to get the cool air from the unit without a window/doorway/hole in the wall. An evaporative system (swamp cooler) will cool the air sort of but the fan is usually blowing papers and what nots all over. Without breaking a hole in the wall, the best bet would be to set up a fan to blow the hot air out of the office with the evaporative system to help cool. Depending on the humidity, your cousin may seek to telecommute. Sorry no help here just blabbering.

Reply by Barbara___IL on 6/23/09 2:54pm
Msg #293244

Thanks for the helpful tips. B.

Reply by Art_MD on 6/23/09 6:12pm
Msg #293262

If there is a air condition system, he may be able to duct the hot air into the return air duct opening (or the supply if the return in too high )

Art

Reply by John Schenk on 6/23/09 6:51pm
Msg #293269

He may also be able to buy a free-standing unit and, given there are no windows, duct that hot air side to the return air duct, and that may be what you are saying. It's gonna take a lot of duct tape though and not gonna be real pretty. LOL

I kinda think that's going to be his only choice. The hot air coming out of any type of AC unit has got to go SOMEWHERE. If the hot air side goes right back into the room you are in, you're kind of defeating the purpose. I use an upright A/C in my office. It was a porch, that was closed in, with moonroof thingies, and it's a flat roof. No way to duct in through the top, as there is no crawl space. Could have used a system that hooked into one of my A/C units with a freon line but then you still had the air return issue. I said the heck with that and just put a portable unit in that vents through the window. I bought it at Sam's Club. IF there was a return vent, I could easily a piece of 1/4 inch plywood, or plastic, and plug that hot air side into the return. Didn't have that, but it's a possibility for this guy, and one that's not a costly one, although it'll still run him about $350-$400, but he can take it with him when he leaves as there will be nothing that would be permanently affixed to the building. Sounds like a logical choice to me, but it's NOT going to cool a huge area. Might work though.

JJ

Reply by notaryinmo on 6/23/09 7:44pm
Msg #293281

Oh boy. How spoiled have we all become? Before air conditioner's were invented, didn't people use a big block of in front of a fan directed towards wherever they wanted to cool air to be?

With the office being in a University, I'm a bit surprised that someone can't figure out something. Heard of moving to an office that does have air conditioning?...helllllooooo university people!!

Good luck in getting cool - heat index here today was 107 and we're not even into the hottest part of the summer yet

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 6/23/09 7:56pm
Msg #293288

Heat index here for the past week has been 105-110.....topped out at 102 today ... absolutely brutal....a whole lot more than I signed up for when we moved here!!...LOL

My thought exactly, too, about no A/C at a university!! Isn't there a health code about that? Jeesh..

Reply by John Schenk on 6/23/09 8:03pm
Msg #293292

Could be a 1983 cause of action. Probably some civil rights being violated here! LOL

JJ :-)

Reply by John Schenk on 6/23/09 8:02pm
Msg #293291

Did you use a big block of ice in front of a fan today? I didn't either, and that was the intent of her post. She didn't ask if he could be moved to another office in the university. She was looking for suggestions of how he could stay where he is, and stay cool. Maybe he doesn't want to move?

The post is probably OT, but it's a slow night.

JJ :-)

Reply by notaryinmo on 6/24/09 12:05pm
Msg #293382

Nope - haven't use an ice block in front of a fan today. I spent my morning outside with nothing but a box fan in a building that has no a/c. Can't use an ice block because the humidity has been so extremtely high that it's literally warping the floor in a small storage building.

Sometimes people have to think of ways to keep cool without a/c - that's the only point I was trying to make.

And now, who is attempting to post nasties, John?

Btw, :-)

Reply by MW/VA on 6/23/09 7:50pm
Msg #293284

Shouldn't this be in "Leisure"?

Reply by Barbara___IL on 6/25/09 4:51pm
Msg #293606

Just to clarify, he's in a high rise and the entire building has no A/C except the lobby. The university is working on the problem, so they say.

Maybe I should have posted in "Leisure"...never thought of that.

Thanks all for your great ideas.