Need help 2 keep upstairs apartment cool durring the summer?

Question

I live in a 2 bedroom upstairs unit in a 4-plex. I don't have an air conditioner and I get most of my heat from my bay window in my living room. That is were the Sun spends the day in my front window. I have window fans in every window in my house and the house keeps the coolest in the back of the house. I just need to figure out how to keep the front of the house cool. My Landlord will not upgrade the windows or allow me to install a window AC. Does anybody have any suggestions. I am not sure what to do to keep my home cool.

Answer 1

put exhaust fans in your windows and draw  the hot air out.

Answer 2

Try a portable air conditioner.  Dark curtains on the front window will help keep some of the heat out too.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stor...

Answer 3

open your windows but cover them with a heavy blanket or something so it stays dark and UV rays don't enter the room. but air still can

Answer 4

Set up a convection current: hot air rises.

1) On the coolest part of the house or the  coolest times of day, open up the lowest windows possible in the house.  

2) Open crack at top of uppermost windows on the hottest side. The Hot air escaping from the top will suck air in at the coldest point, forcing cool air to enter at the bottom. (creates negative pressure which gets filled from the bottom)

-If you use fans, do not let air in at the hot side of house.  If anything, blow outwards at top of hottest part, and IN at lowest coolest side.

Part 2- Block as much light as possible from that bay window.  (And other hot windows) I have a curtain rod with curtain running across front of mine. Do not openthat bay window, it will let the hot air in that will run stright through the house.

Try to open any vents that might be in the attic.

Answer 5

solar curtains, they block out most all of the light and heat from the sun :)

Answer 6

Open your back window in the early morning hours and put the fans in your other windows facing outwards so they blow the air out of your place. This way the cool air from the back will work it's way elsewhere and the warmer air will be pulled out. Once the place has cooled as much as it can get, then remove the fans from all of your windows. That way when it gets warmer outside during the day then you won't be letting it in through your windows.

Another thing you could do is buy a portable air conditioner, then only stick the ventilation hose from it in the window when you are going to be using it, and remove it when you aren't.

If you are going to cover your windows to darken the place, then use a thick, white material. White reflects light, so it will also reflect the heat from it. Dark absorbs light and the material would heat up during the day if you used it.

EDIT: Wrap the hose of the portable AC up tight in some insulation, that's what I do with mine.