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Comment by capableweb | Hacker News Reader

> What good alternatives are there to AC, however? The comic gives:

Create a natural flow by opening windows and doors, so at least you get a breeze. Cool lots of ice during the night and use it for cold drinks during the day. If you have any outdoor space, have a little temporary pool that is always in shadow.

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> Create a natural flow by opening windows and doors, so at least you get a breeze.

That may not help once air temperatures hit 35C (95F):

* https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/6594/

* https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-hot-is-too-ho...

* https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2022/07/15/how-hot-is-too-h...

* https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothermia/s...

Yep, creating draft to cool down is a big one. The problem becomes that if you do that at night, you're going to have a million mosquitos invading your room. So it's death by heat or mosquito.

(I chose mosquito since at least I can sleep with them buzzing around.)

edit: planning on getting insect screens soon. Thanks for comments pushing me to.

Perhaps also get some screens for windows. Very common in the US even in areas with low mosquitos

Several years ago I knew an epidemiologist who studied elephantiasis in Egypt. It is acquired by living in unscreened house and being bit by mosquitoes hundreds of times each night. Victims end up in truly awful situations like having to transport their testicles in a wheelbarrow. Completely serious.

Mosquito nets have been a thing for a very long time

yeah insect screens are pretty ubiquitous in the US. Also any home ive been in that was built in the 80s or earlier seemed to have a whole house fan, or at least be setup much better for airflow. Such building features seemed to be lost since AC became the norm and not the exception.

I can vouch for a cheap, adhesive insect screen mesh for your windows. I mean, you can go for an expensive one too, but the cheap one has been enough for me and made my AC-free summer much more bearable.

If you stand the fan noise, mosquitoes can be caught and trapped by a fan that blows a draft across an entrance that is stronger than their wings.

For me it's motorbikes instead of mosquitos. There is no way I could sleep uninterrupted with open windows

Mosquito screens on windows, or mosquito nets may help.

Depends on how bad the building is. I’ve found keeping windows and curtains closed until the temperature outside gets lower than inside in the evening (if you’re not dealing with a intense enough heat where that doesn’t happen) gives you a lot more of cooler time in the house.

This doesn't work terribly well in humid climates as you don't get as much of the evaporative effect as you would otherwise.

When it's hotter outside than inside, you don't want a breeze.

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