Western WA cooling units (for when the weather is hot) (Wenatchee: for sale, houses)

[gbioryl]

What kind of cooling units do most of western WA residents use? Evaporative (swamp cooler), A/C, mechanical fans (blades that blow), or some new-agey kind of thing unique to the area?

[Pahn]

I close the blinds during the day and open windows at night. That's really all it takes in my house, though I will say that my house was well designed to shade the lower floor windows from the summer sun. Ceiling fans help, just remember they don't actually cool anything, but rather create a breeze, which makes the air feel cooler. They should pull air downward in the summer, and should be turned off when you're not in the room.

Also, coming from someone that grew up on the east coast, "hot" here isn't very hot. These same techniques worked perfectly well in PA, where 90+ degree days with equally high humidity are and were common. Some houses are better than others, likely due to shading, insulation, and overall tightness of the building envelope.

EDIT: it just occurred to me that my house's layout may help. I have a split level that has 3 levels (4 if you include the basement). All the hot air rises to what is a small portion of the house that is not inhabited during the day. My friend has a 2 level home (split entry), and his hot air collects upstairs on the main level...not comfortable.

[TrueTimbers]

Google "ductless mini spit"

It is an air conditioner, dehumidifier and heater all in one... Works well in a moderate climate.

Been used in Asia since after WWII, but has not caught on in the slow to change USA until the last 10 years or so.

It is a no brainer of a choice.

[Hemlock140]

We have 2 window AC units, one for the master bedroom at night, one for the family room where we spend most of the daytime if inside. I have never seen swamp coolers for sale here.

[Fat Freddy]

Our indoor temperature is controlled by a heat pump. We have the cooling part set to come on at 78 degrees. But it's never gotten that hot here so we really don't know if it works or not.

[Olympian2]

Originally Posted by TrueTimbers

Google "ductless mini spit"

Despite the unobvious typo, Google handles that spit search just fine.

I had only heard them referred to as ductless heat pumps. They are a great idea for modernizing heating and cooling in older and / or poorly designed (no AC) homes. Unfortunately, my house has too many windows, and a spare bedroom was the only place where one could be installed. The indoor unit needs to be higher up (4 feet or so, at least on the models that I looked at) or else the cool / warm air will bounce off the floor and back onto the thermostat causing the unit to cycle on and off.

Given that they are relatively inexpensive, they're definitely worth upgrading over electric resistance heating, and then you would get the AC as a bonus.

[gbioryl]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I have never seen swamp coolers for sale here.

I didn't think so, they don't work at all with humidity, but I had ask.

[TrueTimbers]

Sorry for the typo,darn Google speech. Ha

[Chilkoot]

We didn't get an AC in Wenatchee until I was out of high school. Our family had a swamp cooler in the 60s & 70s and it worked better than you'd think when it was 90 degrees outside but mainly just in the room where it was placed.

[bad apples]

Umm Washingtonians don't believe in Air conditioners, it's for the children and salmon.