It can be challenging to spend even a minute in a windowless room, especially during the summer. And let’s face it—cooling a space that’s lacking any type of ventilation or airflow has never been easy. Things become even more complicated if you constantly use the room.
Not to worry though, this post will walk you through some of the best ways to cool a windowless room. So, keep reading to learn more about these hacks and how you can implement them in rooms without windows or any kind of airflow.
17+ Unique Ways to Cool a Room With No Windows
Often, windowless rooms are created from free space to serve various purposes, such as laundry rooms and sewing rooms. Below are tips to cool a room with no windows.
1. Install a Ceiling Fan
One of the easiest ways to promote air circulation in a windowless room is to install a ceiling fan. A ceiling fan distributes the air around and cools the people who are inside the room.
When you’re in a hot room, a layer of motionless heat often surrounds your body, but the ceiling fan pushes it away to allow your body to lose as much heat as possible.
If your primary intention of cooling a room is to make it comfortable for people around, a ceiling fan might be your cup of tea. It’s an excellent way to circulate the air, and it’s pretty easy to install.
2. Install a Through-Wall Air Conditioner
This air conditioner serves the same purpose as a window unit, but it passes through the wall. However, you need to make sure that the wall leads to the outside of the building because it must be fitted correctly.
These units are a great option if you’re looking for something energy-efficient to keep your room cool. Furthermore, it will take less energy to cool a windowless room than one with windows.
3. Install Ductless Air Conditioners
Ductless air conditioners work the same way as central air conditioners and are not dependent on ducts that pass through the wall. However, they deliver the same results as central air conditioners.
And because ductless air conditioners consist of two different units, you need to install the indoor unit inside your room and the outdoor unit (condenser) outside the room.
The process is pretty simple—all you need to do is to make a 3-inches hole in the wall and attach the indoor unit to the outdoor unit through a pipe. Once everything is set up, you can enjoy cool temperatures in your room.
4. Switch Off All the Appliances and Lights
Ideally, you shouldn’t have any appliances in your windowless room but if you do, try to switch them off when you’re not using them. Think of television, refrigerators, and microwave ovens—these are just a few examples of electronics that significantly increase the room’s temperature.
Similarly, it would help to switch off the lights when you don’t need them. While having them on seems practical, they can make your room uncomfortable, especially during the summers. Make a habit of switching off all the electronics in your home when not used to save on energy.
5. Adjust The Space Between The Door, Ceiling, And Floor
If you’re dealing with a windowless room, it’s evident that you’ll keep the door open to allow circulation of air into the room. This means that the door will remain open for a prolonged time whenever you’re in that room.
Alternatively, consider adjusting the spaces between the door, ceiling, and floor by half an inch. The spacing allows a steady flow of fresh air, thus reducing stuffiness in the room. This is by far the best way to keep your room cool without the ventilators or air conditioners.
6. Try a Floor Fan With Ice
Another simple way to keep a room cool with no windows is by using a floor fan with some ice. Simply put a bowl of ice right in front of the fan and allow it to dispel the cold air across the room.
While this method is a bit old-fashioned, it works wonders for cooling down a windowless room. Also, it’s an excellent option for those running on a shoestring budget. If you haven’t tried this hack yet, now is the time.
7. Consider a Portable Air Conditioner
Also known as an evaporative cooler, a portable air conditioner is one excellent way to keep a windowless room cool. It works similar to a fan but uses ice to deliver much colder air in the room.
It works by pulling hot air, condensing it, and then releasing it back to the room. Furthermore, this portable air conditioner comes with built-in water reservoirs for dehumidification, which brings about cool temperatures in a room.
8. The Two-Fan Does the Trick
Hot air usually rises, and as such, it can be stagnant in a windowless room due to inadequate air circulation. But the good news is that you circulate the hot air in a room using the two-fan trick. Do this by blowing one fan toward the ceiling and the other toward the door to drive hot air out of the room.
Additionally, box fans or free-standing fans will bring about a similar effect as a ceiling fan. The circulated air will often spread the stagnant air across the room and allow the body to release heat, which promotes a cooling effect.
9. Fit an Effective Extractor Fan
An extractor fan works perfectly in a petite, windowless kitchen. Unfortunately, heat and moisture tend to accumulate in the kitchen when cooking, and it’s even worse when the kitchen has no windows.
If you have a windowless kitchen, try to install an extractor fan to allow for proper ventilation. It also helps to capture all the heat and moisture released during cooking. This is one great option that shouldn’t be overlooked.
10. Cover Your Furniture with Cotton Sheets
If the room in the picture is an office or a living room, cover your furniture with clean cotton sheets. If you keep the sheets in a cool environment, they will bring about a more relaxed experience.
If the room is a bedroom, be sure to keep your bed neat and avoid using flannel or fleece beddings, as they will significantly increase the room’s temperature. You can opt for cotton sheets instead to keep the room cool at all times.
11. Consider Outdoor Plants
Planting bushes along the walls will prevent the sun from penetrating the room and insulate it from heat. Besides, outdoor plants will ensure that your exterior doesn’t absorb as much heat, thus keeping your windowless room cooler.
12. Minimize The Amount Of Furniture In The Room
A windowless room filled with furniture obstructs the circulation of air inside it. Similarly, a cluttered room does not allow a free flow of air inside it. Therefore, always keep your windowless room tidy and remove all the items that may hinder the free flow of air in the room. A good rule of thumb is to keep what you need and let go of the rest.
13. Lower Your Body Temperature
There are plenty of ways you can lower your body temperature to bring that cooling effect to a windowless room. For example, you can take cold drinks with ice and put on bright-colored clothing to reflect heat. Alternatively, you can take a cold shower to make your body feel more relaxed in the room.
14. Close the Doors
While open doors allow fresh air into the room, a lot of heat penetrates through them. Storm doors do an excellent job of blocking the heat, but they can be transmitted through them as well. Contrarily, keeping your doors closed will prevent a significant amount of heat from entering the room. Similarly, it will keep your room darker and cooler because the light is associated with heat.
15. Use Less and Loose Clothes
If you spend much time in a windowless room with no airflow, you need to wear fewer and loose clothes. For example, if the room is a bedroom, sleep in loose cotton pajamas to allow air through them. However, it would be best to sleep in a loose T-shirt and shorts instead of pajamas.
16. Air Purifying Vegetation
Besides purifying the air inside the room, purifying plants do a perfect job at improving your home decor. There are plenty of air-purifying plants, but the most popular are spider plants, snake plants, and the English Ivy. These plants can go the extra mile to detoxify your room for a fresher experience when used correctly.
17. Substitute Incandescent Lights
If you’re using incandescent lights, they could be the reason for so much heat in your windowless room. The better part of their energy is often emitted as heat, so you can imagine the experience in a room with no windows.
Try swapping them for LED or CFL lights for less heat emission and budget cuts. Alternatively, you can switch off your incandescent lights when not in use or when you leave the room.
18. The Relief From Scented Candles
Windowless rooms are often stuffy and uncomfortable. As much as air conditioners play a massive role in keeping the air around dry, scented candles will add some touch of freshness to the room. The aroma will give a fantasy of a fresh flow of air, leaving your room smelling fresh and clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does a Bucket of Water Keep The Room Cool?
Yes, keeping a bucket of cold water in a windowless room will cool down the air inside it. It will also humidify the room as the water gradually evaporates. Just make sure to leave the bucket open for complete effectiveness.
2. Is It Unhealthy To Sleep With a Fan Blowing On You?
No, it’s not a good idea to sleep with a fan blowing on you, as this will potentially dry out your nose, throat, and mouth. Even worse, circulating air from a fan may lead to overproduction of mucus, which may result in headaches, sore throat, stuffy nose, or snoring.
3. Does Putting a Wet Towel Over a Fan Make it Cooler?
Yes, putting a wet towel over a fan makes the room even cooler. Use a clean cloth wrung out of cold water and place it over the fan—the result is mind-boggling. As the fan releases to air, it circulates through the fabric, making the air feel cooler.
4. Does Putting Ice in a Room Cool it Down?
Yes, putting a bowl of ice directly in front of a fan cools down a windowless room. The breeze produced by the melting ice transmits chilled water vapor into the air. And when merged with the fast-moving air, you can enjoy a chilly breeze.
5. What Are 3 Methods of Cooling a Home?
The most common cooling methods are by using fans, heat pumps, or evaporative coolers. Additionally, an amalgamation of proper insulation, energy-saving windows and doors, shading, ventilation, and daylighting will go a long way to keep your home cool without using much energy.
Bottom Line
Putting up with a windowless room has never been easy, but with these simple tips, it’s undoubtedly possible to cool a room with no windows. And the best part is that you can combine more of these options according to your needs. It’s about that time you made use of that space you’ve always ignored because it lacks windows.