Humidity is worse than temperature. Undersized units will dehumidify better.
I use an 8000btu window unit to cool my 2000sq ft house.
Hot Pigs - Air Conditioning Options
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kleenmama
- I GAVE, dammit!
I had an 18,000 BTU one at the old house. It was older than God and I bought it used for $200 out of the Little Nickel. It was the best money I EVER spent.
Since we lived in a mobile, the temp inside would easily get to over 100. That unit was too big for a window, so we put it in the wall.
It would cool down my entire living room, kitchen, den and dining room.
I loved it and used it a good portion of the year. The new owners ripped it out and installed a heat pump. I wish I would have known that, I'd have taken it with me!
Since we lived in a mobile, the temp inside would easily get to over 100. That unit was too big for a window, so we put it in the wall.
It would cool down my entire living room, kitchen, den and dining room.
I loved it and used it a good portion of the year. The new owners ripped it out and installed a heat pump. I wish I would have known that, I'd have taken it with me!
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mmeadow
- Supporter 2004-2022
I'm with Mum--the pigs don't need it THAT cool. I use one small ac to cool the three connected downstairs rooms in my apartment, including the pig room. With strategically placed fans, it takes the edge off the heat enough to be tolerable in the worst weather. (These are smallish rooms; your needs and comfort zone may be different.)
When we go away for a week in August, we leave the ac on and have a friend check on the pigs every day to make sure the power hasn't blown.
I imagine Bellingham doesn't usually get very hot? (I was there once in August -- what an incredibly beautiful region. And the local fruit--yum!)
When we go away for a week in August, we leave the ac on and have a friend check on the pigs every day to make sure the power hasn't blown.
I imagine Bellingham doesn't usually get very hot? (I was there once in August -- what an incredibly beautiful region. And the local fruit--yum!)
Bellingham is definitely milder than Virginia (where I grew up). Winter temps here hover in the 30s and 40s, and summer temps in the 60s and 70s. 80s are rare, but I think we had 80s a couple days last summer.
My office/computer room gets much hotter (+10 degrees) than the rest of the house. This is where I spend most of the day. Perhaps I am over-sensitive to summertime temps?
However, I want to make sure the guinea pigs are safe.
Perhaps a single 10,000btu portable unit would keep our house cool enough for the pigs during the summer... But what if it doesn't? I would then have to their buy a second portable, or spring for central air (and be out the cost of the first portable). If I buy a second portable, that *might* take care of the downstairs, but the upstairs (with its computer room) would still get toasty, which is no good for the computers. So I would probably need a third...
One thing I know is that when it's 70+ outside, the computer room is too hot to be comfortable. Last summer, it got so hot that my main work computer kept shutting down during work. I need to prevent PC overheating this summer so that I can work, which pays for the pigs! So cooling this computer room is a high priority, second only to keeping the pigs alive.
This means at the very least I need A/C in the computer room. Frozen bottled water or melon rinds won't help my computer room. Neither do fans; I used them last year, and this week, and still the temps creeped up.
But I will think about what you guys said; maybe in Bellingham we don't need as many A/C units as the specs suggest. They need to be portable, though... $400 each... Hmmm...
My office/computer room gets much hotter (+10 degrees) than the rest of the house. This is where I spend most of the day. Perhaps I am over-sensitive to summertime temps?
However, I want to make sure the guinea pigs are safe.
Perhaps a single 10,000btu portable unit would keep our house cool enough for the pigs during the summer... But what if it doesn't? I would then have to their buy a second portable, or spring for central air (and be out the cost of the first portable). If I buy a second portable, that *might* take care of the downstairs, but the upstairs (with its computer room) would still get toasty, which is no good for the computers. So I would probably need a third...
One thing I know is that when it's 70+ outside, the computer room is too hot to be comfortable. Last summer, it got so hot that my main work computer kept shutting down during work. I need to prevent PC overheating this summer so that I can work, which pays for the pigs! So cooling this computer room is a high priority, second only to keeping the pigs alive.
This means at the very least I need A/C in the computer room. Frozen bottled water or melon rinds won't help my computer room. Neither do fans; I used them last year, and this week, and still the temps creeped up.
But I will think about what you guys said; maybe in Bellingham we don't need as many A/C units as the specs suggest. They need to be portable, though... $400 each... Hmmm...
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Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
Consider if you are comfortable. If you are hot and sweaty, it's too hot for the pigs.
p.s. I don't understand these portable units. When one says portable, I see something you can move around in the house. In order to cool, they have to be in a window at least so they dump the heat outside.
p.s. I don't understand these portable units. When one says portable, I see something you can move around in the house. In order to cool, they have to be in a window at least so they dump the heat outside.
The portables don't have to be mounted. They sit on the floor, and dump heat through tubes which stick out the window. They're called "portable" b/c they can be moved from window to window easily. In our case, we'd need portables b/c normal air conditioners don't fit in our windows (due to size and/or sliding direction).
I called my home inspector (who knows our house) and he recommended that we get central AC instead of portable ACs. He said that only 15-20% of homes in our area have AC, and that AC would be a "selling point".
I've had 2 people recommend a heat pump instead of AC. It costs $600. I have no idea what it would do, though. Anyone have one?
I called my home inspector (who knows our house) and he recommended that we get central AC instead of portable ACs. He said that only 15-20% of homes in our area have AC, and that AC would be a "selling point".
I've had 2 people recommend a heat pump instead of AC. It costs $600. I have no idea what it would do, though. Anyone have one?
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PiggieMamma
- I GAVE, dammit!
The temperatures reach 110 degrees here in summer. It's already been 94 degrees this week.
Your pigs should do fine with a window unit in their room.
I bought ice packs from Wal-Mart (the kind you put in children's lunch coolers). I let them freeze, then wrap them in a wash cloth/hand towel and put it in the pig's cage. That way, if they get to warm, they can lie up against them, and move away if they get too cool.
Also, people down here cover there windows with tin foil. It's not really pretty, but it is functional. You may want to do that in the piggy room. It reflects the sun's rays and helps to keep the heat out.
Your pigs should do fine with a window unit in their room.
I bought ice packs from Wal-Mart (the kind you put in children's lunch coolers). I let them freeze, then wrap them in a wash cloth/hand towel and put it in the pig's cage. That way, if they get to warm, they can lie up against them, and move away if they get too cool.
Also, people down here cover there windows with tin foil. It's not really pretty, but it is functional. You may want to do that in the piggy room. It reflects the sun's rays and helps to keep the heat out.
Sorry, I should have said: A heat pump costs $600 more [than air conditioning], so about $3600 total. Sorry about that!
Thanks for the suggestions. However, our "piggy room" is our entire downstairs and part of the upstairs. Except for the bedrooms, bathrooms, and closets, we don't have any doored rooms. It's one big space (living room, kitchen, dining room, foyer, stairway, hallway upstairs).Your pigs should do fine with a window unit in their room. ... You may want to [cover the windows with tin foil] in the piggy room.
This hot weather made me think of your air conditioning problem, tripecac. What did you decide to do?
I have a hot pigs problem of my own. The loft where some of the rescue pigs are kept is getting pretty darn hot. My father in law is going to install some heat vent/fan type things, but in the meantime I've got two fans and frozen water bottles. My husband suggested putting wet towels in front of the fans. I seem to remember someone mentioning putting wet towels over the cages, too? Does anyone know if that's okay?
I have a hot pigs problem of my own. The loft where some of the rescue pigs are kept is getting pretty darn hot. My father in law is going to install some heat vent/fan type things, but in the meantime I've got two fans and frozen water bottles. My husband suggested putting wet towels in front of the fans. I seem to remember someone mentioning putting wet towels over the cages, too? Does anyone know if that's okay?
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