Having spent another unbelievably hot night in the sauna that is my attic bedroom I decided to sod the expense, get my credit card out and buy an air conditioning unit.

Can I find one? Can I buggery!

Every large electrical shop in the UK seems to have sold out. I called all the usual suspects... Comet, Dixons ect. Curreys even told me there was a 28 day wait before they get any more in stock!

Has the world gone mad???

someone was selling 1 on here have a gander for the thread

Sounds like a good bussiness to move into for next year ?

Go to B&Q

We've just been looking at them half an hour ago

:)

costco have some

B&Q is interesting, I never thought of that.

I actually went out on my lunch break and found an 'air cooler' which was cheaper than air con (and the only thing left in the shop). It apparently works by filling it with cold water. I'm going on the assumption that anything is better than nothing, but god knows how I'm going to get it home. It's huge, I can barely carry it, but I've got a 20 minute tube ride and then a 10 minute walk ahead of me!

Will have to keep fantasising about a cool bedroom for motivation!

One big fan and one bottle of frozen water. Place frozen water in front of fan and switch on fan, hey ho aircon !

You could hire one, which might make more sense, you won't need it 8 months of the year.

Its crazy how warm it is in my room... Infact when I've gone upstairs at night, I get to the top step and the heat almost knocks me back down the stairs!

Tonight I'm sleeping downstairs on the camp bed... and I aint even kidding! :D
I just hope I dont find the dog in my bed when I get home tonight :hihi:

You could hire one, which might make more sense, you won't need it 8 months of the year.

Nick, i love you!

Cant stop you english people complaining can you! :rolleyes:

B&Q is interesting, I never thought of that.

I actually went out on my lunch break and found an 'air cooler' which was cheaper than air con (and the only thing left in the shop). It apparently works by filling it with cold water. I'm going on the assumption that anything is better than nothing, but god knows how I'm going to get it home. It's huge, I can barely carry it, but I've got a 20 minute tube ride and then a 10 minute walk ahead of me!

Will have to keep fantasising about a cool bedroom for motivation!

The air cooler's are cack! Trust me. Don't waste your money.

Spend more, get an effective system and a cab home!

:)

Nick, i love you!

Cant stop you english people complaining can you! :rolleyes:

Well would you need an air cooler in Winter ?

B&Q is interesting, I never thought of that.

I actually went out on my lunch break and found an 'air cooler' which was cheaper than air con (and the only thing left in the shop). It apparently works by filling it with cold water. I'm going on the assumption that anything is better than nothing, but god knows how I'm going to get it home. It's huge, I can barely carry it, but I've got a 20 minute tube ride and then a 10 minute walk ahead of me!

Will have to keep fantasising about a cool bedroom for motivation!
I saw one of those advertised on tv yesterday and wondered if they were any good, please let us know when you have tried it, also how much are they in b&q? i think they were advertised £59 on a shopping channel.

Well would you need an air cooler in Winter ?

Exactly....

How much are these air con units you've been looking at?
We have fans in each room... Think each fan was £13 from Morrisons...

Well would you need an air cooler in Winter ?

Well, of course not i was just agreeing with you..

Its Sheffield, not Spain.. :)

The (very effective) one's we were looking at today were nearly £400-00. They were permanent installations, and resembled chunky radiators.

They were switched on in the shop. We refused to move....

In fact, we ordered two latte's (which incidentally we're still waiting for...)

:hihi:

I've seen the ones in B&Q, they look pretty good :) maybe someone off here could lend you a van for a few minutes sometime :)

Comparing either a fan or an air cooler with Air conditioning is rather like comparing a bottle of Gucci to a bottle of Hai karate!

I've felt like moving into the car most days this week!!! :hihi:

Bliss!

B&Q is interesting, I never thought of that.

I actually went out on my lunch break and found an 'air cooler' which was cheaper than air con (and the only thing left in the shop). It apparently works by filling it with cold water. I'm going on the assumption that anything is better than nothing, but god knows how I'm going to get it home. It's huge, I can barely carry it, but I've got a 20 minute tube ride and then a 10 minute walk ahead of me!

Will have to keep fantasising about a cool bedroom for motivation!

This sounds like a swamp cooler. (http://www.wonderquest.com/swamp-coolers.htm) When I was growing up, we used two of 'em to cool our house. They're popular in the western US because it's so dry. If you decide to get one, remember to change the water at regular intervals. You can get really sick from moldy water left in the thing.

:) Sierra

B&Q are selling 12000Btu mobile air conditioners for £250....

Expensive yes, but believe me - worth it!

I've vented mine out of the wall, living & dining room now nice and cold (and they're big rooms)

A friend from Milton Keynes was saying that even the hospitals were without A/C, and that patients were suffering. That's hard to believe in this day and age, although I know temperatures like this are rare in UK. I have central air in my home. Sure beats those heavy window machines for efficiency.

A friend from Milton Keynes was saying that even the hospitals were without A/C, and that patients were suffering. That's hard to believe in this day and age, although I know temperatures like this are rare in UK. I have central air in my home. Sure beats those heavy window machines for efficiency.

I could understand not having central air in England, as this sort of weather is freakish. Even in the Bay Area, there are many older homes without central air, because the weather is usually mild and prolonged heat is unusual. A friend of mine was traveling through Europe several years ago, and was in Paris for 6 weeks during the horrible heat wave (http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/08/14/paris.heatwave/index.html) they had.

She was surprised at the lack of air conditioning, and positively appalled at the lack of ice. Apparently, someone lost the recipe. ;) And yes, central air has got to be one of the best inventions, ever. We'd die without it. Last night at 11 pm, it was 94 degrees.

:) Sierra

I was also surprised of the lack of air conditioning in the Uk when I was over for a visit a year ago. Over here (in the US) AC is everywhere. I had been to the UK 4 times before (my husband is from Barnsley) but never during the summer. It was really hot when we were over. We were sure we would find relief in the McDonalds in town center because everyone knows Mickey D's has full AC.. but no - not in Barnsley and probably not in any McDonalds in the UK.

Well I hope this weather lasts at least until February as I am going to Borneo on holiday.So this will help me to acclimatise.it will be hot and humid 24/7.So sorry to all you are suffering in this heat,I prefer this to being cold.

You could hire one, which might make more sense, you won't need it 8 months of the year.
Hi Nick2

I would be interested in hiring one, do you know who does this service.

i know two people who bought those portable air con units for just over £200.

they got them from atkinsons, they say they're well worth the money, but you have to stick the pipe through a wall or window

I saw one of those advertised on tv yesterday and wondered if they were any good, please let us know when you have tried it, also how much are they in b&q? i think they were advertised £59 on a shopping channel.

Update for you Moonbird - my air cooler is pretty good actually. Granted, it's not air con, but I can't afford air con and most places have sold out anyway.

It doesn't bring the temperature of the whole room down like air con would, but if you pop it next to your bed it does blow a lovely cold breeze at you all night, which has got to be better than nothing!

My house rabbit adores it - whenever I put it on she goes and sits in front of it with her ears blowing in the breeze!

This sounds like a swamp cooler. (http://www.wonderquest.com/swamp-coolers.htm) When I was growing up, we used two of 'em to cool our house. They're popular in the western US because it's so dry. If you decide to get one, remember to change the water at regular intervals. You can get really sick from moldy water left in the thing.

:) Sierra

Blimey! This explains a lot... I got up this morning having had the cooler on all night, and my room smelt like wet dog!!!! I wondered what was going on, but I guess if the water is going mouldy that would explain it!

Why will it make me ill though? And how on earth do I go about emptying it?

Hi Nick2

I would be interested in hiring one, do you know who does this service.

Most hire shops will I think, there is a big hire shop on St Marys Road.

http://www.yell.com/maps/mapAction.do?nat_id=900058087&businessType=HIRE+SERVICES+-+TOOLS+%26+EQPT&location=SHEFFIELD&clarifyIndex=&clarifyOptions=&searchType=classic&replayURL=%2Fucs%2FUcsSearchAction.do%3Fooa%3Don%2 6searchType%3Dclassic%26keywords%3Dhire%2Bshop%26l ocation%3Dsheffield%26scrambleSeed%3D19952%26ooasc rambleSeed%3D19952%26slscrambleSeed%3D3114%26slscr ambleSeed%3D3114

Looks expensive though

http://www.brandontoolhire.co.uk/directory/prodList.asp?idCategory=158

Why will it make me ill though?

Isn't that how Legionairs disease grows, in air con units ?

does anyone know where i can get a portable air con unit from for around £200 either in sheffield or on the net. ive tried B&Q, argos, dixons, currys etc etc and they are all sold out. tried various websites and they are all about £400-£500.

any info would be much appreciated! :help:

Blimey! This explains a lot... I got up this morning having had the cooler on all night, and my room smelt like wet dog!!!! I wondered what was going on, but I guess if the water is going mouldy that would explain it!

Why will it make me ill though? And how on earth do I go about emptying it?

Mold grows in damp, perpetually wet places like the inside of a swamp cooler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swamp_cooler). Toxins given off by the mold, (and spewed into the air when the cooler is running) can make some sensitive people very ill if inhaled. My family used swamp coolers for many years and no one ever had any problems. All I remember from when I was a kid was my father changing the water inside them almost daily. They also need to have the pads or filters inside them cleaned regularly, too. As to how to change the water, I sure couldn't tell you. Did it come with instructions?

:) Sierra

Update for you Moonbird - my air cooler is pretty good actually. Granted, it's not air con, but I can't afford air con and most places have sold out anyway.

It doesn't bring the temperature of the whole room down like air con would, but if you pop it next to your bed it does blow a lovely cold breeze at you all night, which has got to be better than nothing!

My house rabbit adores it - whenever I put it on she goes and sits in front of it with her ears blowing in the breeze!
Thanks for the update jbee, i'm a bit put off with the mouldy water thing though :gag: mind you i'm desperate enough to try anything now, it's just so uncomfortable in this tiny house :(