Dick Dasterdly

How to sleep in the Spanish heat | In English | EL PAÍS

Fred James

I just run the AC all night. The secret is to use a high setting. I find 26 degrees about right and the compressor only runs for about 10% of the time. The fan runs all the time. The cost is negligible.

Dick Dasterdly

You are fortunate in having a modern house with good insulation.

Most of the older ones are a problem and after a week or more of really hot weather the solid walls behave like radiators, still giving off heat right through the night.

Like many others I've tried to avoid aircon, because firstly it is an expensive way to control the temperature in older houses and secondly it makes it more difficult to adjust to the heat when going outside.

I wasn't greatly impressed with some of the tips in the link, but one thing I have done is to stick a fan into an opened window space on a night time to pull in as much cool night air as possible, then close all windows and doors through the day.

Only problem of course is it allows the Mozzies to come in at night.
I have Mosquito nets available for the windows of course, but the problem is that they virtually stop the circulation of air unless it is very breezy which is rarely the case during the hot spells.

cardi

Two bottles of wine seems to work well.

stevescot

I think that's known as a coma...

Bri and Katee

We have insect netting up at all windows so we have the option of leaving windows open all the time. What we do during the day is have windows open in all rooms and leave the doors wedged open as well., you get a constant airflow. During the day we have draw curtains across the windows so you still get the airflow but the curtains absorb most of the sun/heat. Night time the windows are still left open but with the curtains drawn back.

Dick Dasterdly

You can only get an airflow if the air is actually moving or if there is at least a bit of a breeze which is often not the case during the hottest spells, even then I find the Mozzie nets do tend to restrict the air movement.

Maybe1day

Where do you live DD, what is the night temp like, I made a very simple system if you are handy with low voltage stuff... we don't use our AC unless the outside temp goes over 28 at night.

EMR

Fill old plastic water bottles and freeze them, place them in front of the fan.
Your freezer is on anyway so the additional cost is minimal.

jimenato

... only if your freezer is not in the house. Freezing the bottles in the freezer will cause the freezer to generate more heat than the melting ice will dissipate. Obviously.

cupcakebarb

I agree with cardi 2 bottles wine works well x

Maybe1day

Last night we had to cover up it was too cold all for 10WAh. Outside min was 24C.

dairymaid

I use one of these

which I had delivered from France (nearest supplier at that time).

Not cheap but utterly divine to use. Warm in winter, cool in summer. I never use my AC (it makes me sniffle).

I also use chillows which are fabulous too

chopera

Ceiling fans work well in Madrid. Might not be so effective in more humid areas.

Maybe1day

Don't you get a cold bum and sweaty top bits if you lay on your back for example:LOL: