Air conditioning

clutterydrawer

I need to get a little air conditioning unti because my pets are really suffering in this heat.

Questions -

- apparently they need emptying, does anyone know roughly how often and what happens if you don't do it quickly enough?

- what should I look for when choosing one?

- can anyone recommend one at a reasonable price, idealy with a good length of hose - all the ones I've found have only had a 1.5m hose which is useless for me.


thanks

missile

Your pets might be happier outside?

moonrakerz

clutterydrawer wrote: »

- apparently they need emptying, does anyone know roughly how often and what happens if you don't do it quickly enough?

Some do require emptying, others use the heat extracted by the machine to remove the condensation.
Those that do require emptying just switch off when the tank is full. The water is great for your steam iron.

clutterydrawer wrote: »

- what should I look for when choosing one?

Make sure that it is adequate (in ,000s of BTUs) for the size of room

clutterydrawer wrote: »

- can anyone recommend one at a reasonable price, idealy with a good length of hose - all the ones I've found have only had a 1.5m hose which is useless for me.

If you are intending to use a mobile a/c unit with a long length of hose - you are wasting your time and money !!
The hose gets pretty hot, if you have a long length it acts as a radiator and most of the heat extracted is put straight back into the room.

To get the best benefit, the unit must be up against the wall with the hot air vent going straight out of the wall behind it. Like this:-

clutterydrawer

missile wrote: »

Your pets might be happier outside?

It's hotter outside than in, there are foxes everywhere, and I have no outside land of my own. Ta though

moonrakerz, thanks for the info - I understand now why the hoses are short!

Unfortunately my windows only open at the very top and I don't think I can get the aircon close enough for the hose to reach. Back to frozen bottles of water I think!

vaio

would a fan work?

also you can get shiny insulated pipes which are supposed to keep the heat in, how well they work I don't know

gmgmgm

Presumably these pets are rabbits/guinea pigs? Try giving them a shower of water to keep them cool. Most animals are designed to live outside so don't mind getting wet :-)

Freezing water (if the freezer is in the house) will just heat up the house even more.

clutterydrawer

Nope, chinchillas - they can't deal with any dampness or humidity or draughts either! They are annoying! (But I love them) There are some rabbits too but they deal with the heat a bit better.

That's a good point about freezing water generating heat, I hadn't thought of that.

stator

The "Air Coolers" you get might work for you to keep the heat down at the hottest point of the day. You put the blocks in the freezer overnight then take them out and put them in the Air Cooler. The Air Cooler blows air across the freezer unit and makes it cooler. Obviously the freezer blocks heat up and then need refreezing, so they are a bit of hassle, but well worth it to keep your animals safe and cool during the hottest days of the year. Proper Air Conditioners are better, but as above they need to be vented properly.

willing2learn_3

I've just been searching myself ....this is the cheapest i've seen yet that actually cools the air and doesn't just blow it around.....

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=11447563&fh_view_size=10&fh_location=%2f%2fcatal!!!1%2fen_GB&fh_search=air+cooler&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&isSearch=true

if anyone else can find any below £100 i'm interested. My flat is freezing in the winter and a greenhouse in the summer. lol!

Mankysteve

Problem with evaporative coolers is that can increase the humidity in the house.

willing2learn_3

yep i just noticed that whilst searching....so i guess it's either a fan or a pay for a decent air con.....

thing in i went to a relatives house last year and they looked like they just had a tower fan, yet their house was really cool...must ask them which one it was. You didn't get the sense of air blowing everywhere, just coolness. If they give me the make and model, will share it here.