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Comment by wraptile | Hacker News Reader

This doesn't solve humidity issue unfortunately. Most hot areas around the world are also very humid and that's where air conditioneers with all closed windows/doors will be preferred. Open rooftops also pose a lot of challenges like water and smell leaking, animal invaders start to get in etc.

There was an article on HN recently how ceilling fan improves air conditioner performance and I actually seen a major improvement in my own house - it's awesome! I wonder if some architectural features like the one in the article could be somehow used with air conditioning to produce a similar effect.

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With energy recovery ventilation, incoming fresh air can be pre-treated using the cool, dryer exhaust air to reduce the energy required to cool it while still allowing fresh air in. That, combined with solar PV, good building design (shading, correct aspect etc.) and good insulation is probably the best balance of comfort and efficiency.

We spray foamed our entire house and the humidity shot through the roof in the late spring and summer months (65%+) and had to run a dehumidifier constantly negating any benefit from our solar panels. Fall and winter were great because we saw a major decrease (like 40%) in natural gas usage compared to that time frame the previous year. However, our home was built without a scuttle because they weren't code yet meaning that our home air got stale quickly and wasn't able to be exhausted through the now spray foamed air holes. We then installed an ERV and it made all the difference in the world.

I spent all the June September period at 30+ Celsius degrees day and 20+ night and no air-conditioner despite having two of them. I used standing fans. The disadvantages are that you must be in their wind tunnel whilst an air conditioner covers the whole room. The advantage is that they cost less and can be carried around the house. Rooms facing North with no sun hitting them also helps. South facing rooms would have required air conditioning.

What’s the humidity like? I’ve been in 100+ (37+) degree desert weather that doesn’t compare to 80+ (26+) degrees with 60% humidity. If I lived in a dry climate that could be an option. When I wake up in the summer it can be 90-100% humidity and opening windows causes all that water vapor to come inside worsening the heat problem.

I can't say for sure because I couldn't find historical data about humidity yet. I'd say between 20% to 50%, occasionally more.

So you had two air conditioners - why did you not use them?

They were already in the house. Some random reasons:

1. Fans are cheaper to operate

2. Their effect is instantaneous

3. Lower maintenance: no filter cleaning, etc, only a dust cloth sometimes.

4. They have remote control and timers too.

This is what everyone seems to miss about air conditioning. It's convenient that one device lowers both the indoor temp. & the humidity. But in the case that I had to choose only one, I would lower the humidity. Any healthy adult can stay cool in a low humidity environment by sweating.

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