How did people get through the Texas heat before there was A/C? (Houston: refrigerator, living)

[LookinForMayberry]

Originally Posted by unseengundam

I have been wondering how did people up with summer heat in Texas before A/C was invented? People sure have lived in Texas for hundred of years before A/C or even electricity was around. Did they have some secret to keep them cool from the summer's heat?

Actually, before A/C, homes were constructed to use natural cooling mechanism. Walls in desert climates were thicker and made of earth and organic materials that held the cool of the evening longer into the day. Homes were constructed with better ventilation, and their architecture was designed with higher ceilings. Both together allowed the flow of cross breezes to keep hot air flowing out while cooler air sunk to the living zone.

Have you ever been in an older home where the tops of doors and windows opened? That's why.

I personally wish we would make our homes more energy efficient now, and take the natural cooling to the next level.

[PullMyFinger]

Originally Posted by LookinForMayberry

Actually, before A/C, homes were constructed to use natural cooling mechanism. Walls in desert climates were thicker and made of earth and organic materials that held the cool of the evening longer into the day. Homes were constructed with better ventilation, and their architecture was designed with higher ceilings. Both together allowed the flow of cross breezes to keep hot air flowing out while cooler air sunk to the living zone.

Have you ever been in an older home where the tops of doors and windows opened? That's why.

I personally wish we would make our homes more energy efficient now, and take the natural cooling to the next level.

Geo Thermal! If you could bury a few hundred feet of copper pipe 7+ feet deep before you build your house, and then run glycol through those lines to augment your AC compressor, you would have a very efficient system. AC removes heat, it does not cool anything. Remove the heat and physics says you will cool the room. The best way I can think of getting rid of the heat is to transfer it to the cool ground.

[green_mariner]

I'm in an apartment, in the suburbs of Atlanta of all places. It's called Hotlanta for a reason. My AC broke again, so the windows are open. However, with hardly any breeze, it doesn't work.

[neddy]

We have an old old house on our ranch and dog runs on homes helped a lot. When the kitchen is not heating up the main living area it helps a lot!

[Brian.Pearson]

Originally Posted by unseengundam

I have been wondering how did people up with summer heat in Texas before A/C was invented? People sure have lived in Texas for hundred of years before A/C or even electricity was around. Did they have some secret to keep them cool from the summer's heat?

Without A/C, even inside the house it get pretty very hot, just like the garage! Honestly, I can't imagine living in this area without A/C keeping cars / buildings cooled off. In fact, could Texas actually have had this huge population growth if some form of A/C didn't exist?

I think people in Texas got be really thankful for having A/C!

"Swamp coolers":


Filters with water trickling down the sides, with a fan blowing into the house and pulling the cooler air into the house via a part of a window.

[Dopo]

Coming from Venezuela.... people over there tend to put an extra effort to grow trees in public places.
That's the easiest way to keep a place cool where there's no A/C.

Here in the US, for some weird reason, parking lots and kid's parks tend to be built without a single tree.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Coming from Venezuela.... people over there tend to put an extra effort to grow trees in public places.
That's the easiest way to keep a place cool where there's no A/C.

Here in the US, for some weird reason, parking lots and kid's parks tend to be built without a single tree.

Depends on which cities your in. If you're in Los Angeles or Dallas, that might be the case. In Atlanta, there are so many trees everywhere. The way I see it, trees don't make a difference. 95 degrees F with high humidity is just that, with or without trees.

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by LookinForMayberry

Actually, before A/C, homes were constructed to use natural cooling mechanism. Walls in desert climates were thicker and made of earth and organic materials that held the cool of the evening longer into the day. Homes were constructed with better ventilation, and their architecture was designed with higher ceilings. Both together allowed the flow of cross breezes to keep hot air flowing out while cooler air sunk to the living zone.

Have you ever been in an older home where the tops of doors and windows opened? That's why.

I personally wish we would make our homes more energy efficient now, and take the natural cooling to the next level.

Yes! And "shotgun" homes. The front and back door lined up to allow a breeze through.

[Brian.Pearson]

What do you think about geo-thermal?

[DitsyD]

Originally Posted by Brian.Pearson

What do you think about geo-thermal?

We have geo-thermal and like it.