Cheap air conditioning
By Foxfire1875
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
May 19, 2008 5:22am CST
I was talking to my aunt last night and she shared a tip on how to cool down a flat/house without using an air conditioner. What she does is washes clothes and then hangs them on a clothes drier inside the house.
It obviously isn't free but we all need to wash our clothes so why not kill two birds with one stone. I wondered why my living room had been so cold when the rest of the flat was still warm. 
What do you think? Will this only work in temperate contries as hot countries wouldn't get much benefit from it or would it?
What do you think? Will this only work in temperate contries as hot countries wouldn't get much benefit from it or would it?1 person likes this
12 responses
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
19 May 08
I think I'll have to agree that it probably doesn't work so well in high humidity...like when it's really bad, 99% to 100% with no breeze but on average days this does work quite nicely. I know it's not quite the same but back when I had a house with a big covered porch, I would hang my laundry out there and then when it was hot we'd grab the chairs and sit under the clothes while they dried. I figure if the cooling effect was that noticeable outside it probably would make an even bigger difference inside.
2 people like this
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
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20 May 08
It probably would foxy, as I wouldn't have thought you would get any effect outside but you do. It must have been so nice sitting on a cool porch in the summer though.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
20 May 08
It was so nice to sit out there. We didn't have any trees for shade and the house would get beastly hot. The porch was shaded, it was on the side that the wind always blew on and the wet clothes provided some nice cool air. SOme of it would even find it's way through the open windows and cool the house down a bit.
1 person likes this
@jwfarrimond (4473)
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19 May 08
Presumably it would also work if you stood bowls full of water about. It's the heat that goes into evaporating the water that cools the room down. Of course, it'll only work if the air is dry like another person has pointed out.
2 people like this
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
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20 May 08
It probably would but then you'd have to avoid the bowls of water. I suppose the same could be said of washing hanging indoors, although I think this is a Scottish thing but in most old tenement flats we have a pulley in the hall that is pulled up to the ceiling to dry clothes.
@tbomb2002 (269)
• United States
19 May 08
I live in the US, so I'd be interested in hearing if anyone from the States has tried this. Also wondering, exactly how many clothes do you need to hang up to cool down a room? Not sure if this would work for us though, we have two dogs that I am sure would have a field day running in and out of the damp clothing!
2 people like this
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
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20 May 08
That could be quite a bit of a problem as I'm sure the dogs would have a lot of fun.
I don't know how many it would take as we don't get really hot weather here. I'm going to dry clothes in the bedroom as that is the one room I like to keep cool so I can sleep.
I don't know how many it would take as we don't get really hot weather here. I'm going to dry clothes in the bedroom as that is the one room I like to keep cool so I can sleep.
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
19 May 08
that is almost like the swamp cooler method - in which you take a block of ice and blow a fan across it... this is a great method of cooling your area but only if you live in a relatively dry area - if you live in a humid climate the extra humidity from the evaporating water droplets will only make it feel more muggy and augh.
2 people like this
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
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20 May 08
I think that's the principle of some air conditioners and that was how my aunt's old one worked. Definitely the consensus is it's a good idea but not if it's humid already.
@golfproo (1839)
• Canada
19 May 08
Hi,
More ideas like this that are built around conserving energy are needed. I think it would work as this would put moisture into the air which would then evaporate. Even if it does not work...at least somebody is trying to figure out innovative ways. Well done.
cheers,
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
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19 May 08
Thanks Golfproo, 
I do think it is energy saving as you have to wash clothes anyway, so why not conserve energy by using the water in the clothes to cool the air.
I do think it is energy saving as you have to wash clothes anyway, so why not conserve energy by using the water in the clothes to cool the air.1 person likes this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
19 May 08
Very, very timely discussion since Lilyofthethorns just started a discussion about how to cool down in a house during the day so she can sleep and she lives in a really, really dry, hot area - usually I think it is anyway. Told her about your discussion.
2 people like this
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
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19 May 08
Thanks Writersedge. I'm sure it will help because as you say it is best for hot dry areas. What I'll do later on when it's hotter is wash my curtains and put them up wet to cool the flat.
1 person likes this
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
20 May 08
this is really interesting... i never know that hanging wet clothes inside the house can help to make the room cooler... i always dry my clothes inside my house... but i never really notice whether my house becomes cooler or not... i might start to make an observation from now on... thanks for the tips... take care and have a nice day...
1 person likes this
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
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21 May 08
I never really noticed either but I live in Scotland which never gets that hot but my living room has definitely bee colder than normal for this time of year, thanks to the clothes drier.
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
20 May 08
I think anything we can do to lower our bills is a great idea. I think it does help. I'm already doing it.
1 person likes this
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
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21 May 08
Not just lowering bills but helping the environment. 
I'm glad so many people have said they are already doing it.
I'm glad so many people have said they are already doing it.
@mummymo (23706)
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19 May 08
I haven't noticed that cooling the house down foxfire sweetheart! We were doing this for a while but I hate having washing everywhere - my other half has recently floored our loft and has discovered that when the weather is a bit dodgy he can dry the clothes up there very quickly and doesn't have to worry about them getting caught in the rain! lol xxx
1 person likes this
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
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21 May 08
I live in a top floor flat and I'm far too lazy to trail down to the back green so always dry clothes inside but I have a pulley in the hall.
I have noticed the living room being colder than usual because I was drying clothes in there but this being Scotland it isn't hot enough to notice any real difference yet.
I suppose the clothes dry really quick in the loft because heat rises so it must be the hottest part of the house.
so always dry clothes inside but I have a pulley in the hall.
I have noticed the living room being colder than usual because I was drying clothes in there but this being Scotland it isn't hot enough to notice any real difference yet.
I suppose the clothes dry really quick in the loft because heat rises so it must be the hottest part of the house.1 person likes this
@palonghorn (5479)
• United States
19 May 08
I guess it might work, as long as there was a cool breeze blowing through the windows. However, if the outside air is hot, it's just going to blow warm air in the window. So, I'm not sure how well that works. I used to live in Texas, and when the wind is hot, you are not going to cool it down with hanging laundry inside.
2 people like this
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
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19 May 08
I never thought about it much until my aunt said that is what she does as her air conditioner is broken and it works by putting ice in it and it cools the air down.
I was confused as to why my kitchen was so warm this year but then I remembered that I used to dry my clothes in there but moved the drier to the living room. That is also why my living room has been so cold when the rest of the flat has been quite warm.
1 person likes this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
19 May 08
If you're hot and dry, it will work. If like up here, most years, we are hot and humid, it won't work. Too much humidity in the air already. So it has to do with humidity levels. We try this and on low humidity days, works excellent, on high humidity days, the clothes don't even dry, they smell like mold.
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
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19 May 08
I suppose it won't work as well if there is too much humidity. My aunt lives in Kent, England so it isn't very humid.
It works fine here in Scotland as we don't get much humidity, the air is a lot drier so it also gets more moisture in the air which is a plus for us.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
19 May 08
As hot as it is here in Tustin Ca I do not think washing
clothes and hanging them inside would make a dent as its
close to 100 right now and I am sweating up a storm plus
being ill with infected diverticulitis. it would just be hot and steamy instead of hot and dry.
1 person likes this
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
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21 May 08
I doubt it would if the temperature was too high. An air conditioner or ice would be a better idea in your case. I don't think it would be steamy as surely clothes would dry so quickly in that kind of heat.
