A fan that blows hot air is not the most effective way of bringing the temperature down. It’s time to consider changing your system to keep the summer cool.
Article written by Sandrine Tournigand
The air cooler
This is a fan that uses a block of ice or ice cubes to blow cooler air than the ambient air. Unlike an air conditioner, it doesn’t require an exhaust pipe to be fitted to an opening, so it can be moved freely from one room to another. Another notable advantage is that it emits no harmful gases. What’s more, the technology it uses consumes very little energy, so it’s economical.
The mobile air conditioner
A mobile unit is a good compromise for cooling a room at low cost and on an occasional basis during a heatwave. Equipped with castors and handles, it can be moved easily from the living room to the bedroom and stored away for the rest of the year. Made from a single unit, it requires no installation apart from a flexible duct that can be placed in a doorway or window to allow hot air and humidity to escape.
The bladeless ceiling fan
This ceiling fan reduces the perceived temperature by around 4°C and ventilates all four corners of the room, not just the underside. With no blades, it makes very little noise and consumes half as much electricity as a traditional ceiling fan. Exhale Gen 4.5, 690 €, Exhale.
Now that’s clever!
Careful maintenance
Because the air freshener uses water, regular maintenance is essential. The water tank and filter should be cleaned frequently, and the humidifier pad should be changed every year to prevent the build-up of bacteria and limescale.
How much power?
The surface area of the room to be cooled will tell you how much power you need, expressed in watts (W) and British Thermal Units (BTU). You need to allow between 100 and 130 W per square metre (for a ceiling height of 2.50 m). In equivalent terms, 1 W = 3.4 BTU – the term BTU is more often used by manufacturers, whereas watts are more familiar to consumers.
Comfort on arrival
Mobile air conditioners can generally be programmed and controlled remotely using a remote control or a smartphone. The latest Pinquino connected air conditioner from De Longhi even has a geolocation system. As soon as you’re close to home, it can switch on automatically.
Night mode
Pay attention to decibels: the higher they are, the noisier the model. To avoid no longer hearing anything around you, opt for a model with a maximum of 64 decibels. The latest models generally have a night mode to reduce the noise level.
Caulk
Installing a caulking kit is essential to prevent hot air from getting inside the house and therefore optimise the efficiency of a mobile air conditioner. This accessory creates a barrier around the open window and closes over the air conditioning exhaust pipe.
