Usually, when it gets too warm, all you need to do is open the window and switch on the fan. However, not every room has windows. So what, if anything, can you do to lower the temperature in a windowless room?
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Here are some ways to cool a room with no windows:
- Install more fans.
- Use ice behind the fans.
- Create an airflow.
- Turn on the air conditioner.
- Switch off any appliance you’re not using.
- Swap out incandescent light bulbs.
Keep reading for a breakdown of the techniques and equipment you can use to keep your windowless rooms cool. I’ll examine the benefits of each of these tips and their drawbacks. By the end of this piece, you’ll know all you need to keep your windowless rooms cool.
1. Install More Fans
A windowless room needs fans to keep them cool. If you don’t have a fan yet, you’ll need to get one, if not more, to cool your room. Fans circulate air through the room, clear the humidity and help you to cool down on hot days.
When it comes to picking a fan for a windowless room, you have a few options. Here are the most common fans that you can use to cool a windowless room:
- Ceiling fans
- Wall fans
- Portable fans
- Table fans
Ceiling fans offer excellent coverage in the room. Since the fan is on top facing down—usually with large blades—this fan allows for a blast of air to cool you down. Ceiling fans also don’t take up any wall or floor space, so they’re a good bet if you’re in a tight area. However, you’ll need to hire an electrician to install a ceiling fan.
Wall fans are not the most effective variety of fans. Depending on the fan’s strength, you may struggle to find a wall fan that effectively cools a room. However, a wall fan is used alongside other fans to improve the airflow in your room.
Portable fans table fans are smaller in size. You can position these fans to blow air directly onto you so you can stay cool. Table fans can even be placed on a desk or table to maximize the flow of air to your head.
Read: How To Keep A House Cool In Summer Naturally?
2. Use Ice Behind the Fans
Fans pull air from behind them and force it straight out in front. This allows air to circulate and offers a cooling effect. However, the air itself is not any cooler; it’s just a sensation that you feel.
One way that you can improve this technique is by using a bag or large block of ice. Place the ice behind the fan, and the fan will pump cold air around the room from above the ice. This is like a makeshift air conditioning unit that’s cheap to run and install.
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You can purchase large amounts of ice from your local grocery store to use this technique. If you want to save the hassle of trips to the store, fill a large container with water and place it in a freezer. It will likely take a while for a large container of ice to freeze, so you will probably need to wait overnight for the ice block to form.
Remember to place the ice on a container that’ll catch the water that melts from it. Otherwise, you’ll have a large pool of water near a fan likely plugged in at the wall.
Read: What Is The Most Efficient Heating And Cooling System
3. Create an Airflow
Few people know this trick, but it’s very effective. It involves creating a similar effect to using a window and a fan to cool a room, only without a window. You’ll need to open the door and have two fans, ideally including a ceiling fan, to do this method.
Follow these steps to create an airflow in a windowless room:
- Turn on the ceiling fan or a portable fan placed high up and pointing down.
- Place the second fan on the floor and switch it on.
- Angle the second fan so that it’s blowing air in an adjacent direction to the first fan.
- Adjust the fans until a circular flow of air is created.
Following these steps will create an airflow in the windowless room. Doing this will cause air to be pushed out the door while allowing cooler air in from outside the room. This technique mimics the effect of opening a window while running a fan in the room.
Read: Can A Mini Split Cool A Whole House?
4. Turn on the Air Conditioner
Another option for cooling a windowless room is by turning on the air conditioner. This method is the most effective but also the most expensive.
Air conditioners use similar technology to your refrigerator to reduce the temperature in a room so you can cool down. However, there is a variety of air conditioners that you can use to cool a room, including ventless, portables, ductless, and through-the-wall ones.
Read: Why Heat Pump Heats But Does Not Cool?
Ventless Air Conditioners Are Great for Arid Climates
Ventless air conditioners are a variety of portable air conditioners that do not have a hose or vent. Instead, these air conditioners work by releasing moisture and airflow into a room. In arid climates, this will reduce the temperature in the air. However, ventless air conditioners can have little to no effect in humid conditions.
Portable Air Conditioners Are Easy To Move Around
Portable air conditioners are small in size and can be conveniently placed wherever you want to maximize efficacy. You can place these air conditioners in any room, and you can move them right beside you to keep you cool on the hottest days. However, portable air conditioners are not well-equipped for larger rooms.
Ductless Air Conditioners Are Cost-Effective in the Long Run
Ductless air conditioning units connect separate air conditioners to an outdoor unit. As a result, you can place a ductless air conditioner in just about any room. Ductless air conditioners are more expensive than other air conditioners, but they offer superior energy efficiency, making them cost-effective in the long run.
Through-the-Wall Air Conditioners May Not Suit All Windowless Rooms
Through the wall, air conditioners rely on a hole in the wall that allows the air conditioner to function. As a result, the room you want to place the conditioner in will need a wall that connects to the outdoors. This variety is not an option in some windowless rooms as such a wall is not available.
Read: How Long Should It Take To Cool A House?
5. Switch Off Any Appliance You’re Not Using
Many appliances emit heat when they’re operating. Therefore, leaving certain appliances turned on can cause your windowless room to heat up. Switch off appliances when they’re not in use to prevent this from happening and to conserve energy while saving on your utility expenses.
Common appliances like refrigerators, kettles, coffee machines, ovens, washing machines, and more all increase the temperature in the room in which they’re placed.
If you need to keep certain appliances running, like a fridge, move the device to a room with windows. This will keep your windowless room cool, and you won’t have to worry about switching them on and off.
6. Swap Out Incandescent Light Bulbs
Incandescent lighting is not as popular as it was in the past. Nevertheless, many homes and buildings still use incandescent lighting for various reasons. The issue with using incandescent light bulbs is the inefficient use of energy.
Incandescent light bulbs only emit a small percentage of the energy that enters them as light. Roughly 90% of the electrical energy that flows through an old-fashioned bulb is emitted as heat. As a result, using incandescent bulbs in a windowless room will increase the temperature.
To prevent the lighting from increasing the temperature in your windowless room, you need to swap them out for LED bulbs. LED bulbs give off as much light as older bulbs without emitting heat. Therefore, changing the lighting can drop the temperature by a few degrees.
Swapping incandescent bulbs for LED lights will also reduce your energy usage. As a result, this method will cost you very little, but you’ll also make significant savings on your energy bills in the long run.
Key Takeaways
Cooling a room without any windows may seem like a challenge at first. However, there are some tricks and techniques that you can use to lower the temperature. Just remember these key points when trying to cool your windowless rooms:
- Install more fans.
- Place fans to create an airflow in strategic locations.
- Make a homemade air conditioner using a block of ice with the fan.
- Invest in an air conditioning unit.
- Move your appliances or turn them off.
- Update your lighting.