Stuffy at home what to do. How to beat the heat if you don't have air conditioning

High air humidity combined with high temperature creates stuffiness in the room, which is bad for adults and children. If the house is hot and stuffy, what can you do? And what temperature/humidity ratio is considered comfortable? About this in our article!

What is the optimal microclimate

According to GOST 30494-96, which regulates the parameters of temperature and humidity in rooms, 20-22°C is considered optimal for living rooms. For the kitchen, toilet 19-21°C, slightly higher for the bathroom and lower for storage rooms. In summer, during the warm months, the temperature in the living rooms can be maintained in the range of 22-25°C. All these data are recommended at normal air humidity, which should be 30-60%.

Why is stuffiness in the apartment

The reason for this is complex, which includes high levels of humidity, elevated temperature, and excess carbon dioxide in the same room. All three of these components lead to what is called "nothing to breathe", when in fact air and oxygen will be present in the room.

By turning on the fan or air conditioner, we eliminate the influence of only one "component". That is, we lower the air temperature a little. Some relief is felt, but the problem will return as soon as the fan is turned off.

What to do? The first and main task is to learn how to regularly ventilate the apartment! After all, dry or humid, but it is stale and stale air that creates a feeling of stuffiness. It accumulates carbon dioxide, which poisons the human body hour after hour. That is why, when it is very stuffy, drowsiness, lethargy, and inertia immediately appear. Under such conditions, it is impossible to work productively, memory and attention are simply "turned off", concentration is disturbed.

It is very harmful to sleep in a stuffy environment! At night, a person does not rest and recharge, he wakes up "broken" with a migraine and fatigue.

What to do with spirit

Organize a constant flow of air, maintain an optimal (not high and not low) temperature and humidity level. This can be done by ventilation, but one must be regular and the incoming air must be clean and fresh.

Air conditioning and fan, unfortunately, do not solve the problem of stale air in the room. They only accelerate and slightly cool it, but do not allow air exchange with the street. Therefore, the only solution is regular ventilation or the use of special devices that supply air from the street, purify it and monitor the level of carbon dioxide.

These supply ventilation devices are called breathers and they are able to get rid of stale air. It is supplied from the street, with the windows closed, then the air is cleaned through filters and fed into the house.

If the climate control of the appliance detects that it is stuffy in the room, fresh air is immediately supplied and the balance is restored. In addition, the breathers heat the incoming air mass, which is very important when it is winter outside.

Where the breather stands, it is never very hot in the apartment, never, even with a large crowd of people, it is stuffy or uncomfortable. This device constantly monitors and maintains an optimal microclimate in the home and office. You can choose the breather that suits you on ours.

Air conditioners are not only expensive, but also harmful to health (dries the air, it collects a lot of dust and bacteria). In addition, air conditioners consume a lot of energy, which negatively affects the environment as a whole. It turns out that you can live without air conditioners (our parents and grandparents lived without them). 40 tips on how to escape the heat at home, at work and in the car.

How to save yourself from the heat at home?

Hang curtains or blinds on windows. If light enters the room, it raises the temperature of the dwelling by 3-10 degrees, while also creating a greenhouse effect.

Windows can be sealed with reflective film, and removed in the fall. Such a film is inexpensive, but the effect gives. Alternatively, the film can be sewn to the curtains from the side of the window.

Buy a fan (it is several times cheaper than an air conditioner). Place several bottles of frozen water or a plate of ice under or in front of the fan. So you will create the effect of an air conditioner (cold air will blow). The disadvantage of the fan is that it consumes a lot of electricity.

During the day, close the windows of the premises, and early in the morning or in the evenings, arrange a draft. This is how you cool the room. Sleep at night with an open balcony or wide open windows.

Replace incandescent bulbs with fluorescent or LED. They emit 80% less heat than incandescent bulbs.

The easiest way to cool down is to drink drinks with ice (you can use water from the refrigerator). Drink in small portions, this way you will avoid not only hypothermia of the throat, but also excessive sweating.

If possible, regularly take cool or warm showers. A cool shower will lower your body temperature, while a warm one will give you the illusion that the temperature in the room is lower than it actually is. In addition, the shower will moisturize the skin, which is very important in the heat.

During the hottest part of the day, wrap a wet towel around your head or neck.

Avoid using the stove and oven. In the heat, as a rule, you do not want to eat, this is a natural reaction. Eat fresh vegetables and fruits or snack on cold snacks.

Take an example from pets, they are inactive in the heat. Try and you reduce your activity in the hot time of the day, get up earlier or do things in the evening.

If the heat makes it difficult to fall asleep, a couple of hours before bedtime, fold bedding in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator. Over time, of course, the bed will warm up, but falling asleep will be much more pleasant. In addition, bedding and pillows should be made from light and natural fabrics.

Keep a bottle of cold water by your bed so you can moisten your throat and wipe your face at night without getting out of bed.

How to escape the heat at work?

Dress wisely - in summer, it is easiest to endure the heat in light-coloured loose-fitting clothes made from natural fabrics, ideally cotton.

If you travel far to work, stock up on cold water by putting a bottle of water in the freezer overnight. The water will slowly freeze, and you will be able to drink cold water for a long time, and then cool water, however, in a sip.

It is not superfluous to carry a fan and a handkerchief with you in the heat. A handkerchief can be moistened with water and wipe your face and hands in stuffy transport. Well, with a breeze from a fan, you will please both yourself and your neighbor.

In the summer, try to avoid makeup, creams, and antiperspirants. Your skin is already having a hard time breathing.

Put a small aquarium on your desktop, not necessarily with fish. The water will evaporate and cool the air a little.

Keep a small spray bottle near you and periodically spray your face, hands, and the area around you.

Drink green tea, it regulates heat exchange well.

In the office it is good to have plants with large leaves (begonia or ficus), irrigating them with water, you will enjoy the moisture around you for a long time.

At lunchtime, try to eat less heavy food (meat, cakes), limit yourself to a salad or fruit.

Try to do all the important things in the morning, while the sun is still not so hot.

Alternatively, you can put a small fan under the table, it will blow on the legs, thereby cooling the whole body, and there is almost no noise from it.

How to save yourself from the heat in the car?

Hang sunshades on suction cups on all car windows. They will help reduce the temperature in the cabin by 5-7 degrees.

Get a refrigerator for your car and keep ice cubes and water in it at all times. With a cube, you can easily wipe your face and neck, and take cold water with you to the office.

Install the "mirror" screen on the windshield (clamp the edges with doors). If you install the screen inside (as many do), then the heat and sunlight reflected by it remain in the cabin.

The cleaner your car, the better it reflects sunlight. Wash and polish your car frequently.

Put a bag with plastic bottles of frozen water or rubber ice packs in the back seat of the car, the air in the car will be cooler.

In the car interior, use the essential oil of coniferous trees. Gives a refreshing effect when inhaled.

Walk barefoot on the ground, grass and houses.

Replace water with vegetables and fruits that contain a lot of water (cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon). They will not only quench your thirst, but also saturate the body with vitamins and minerals.

Persimmons or bananas, as well as green and white fruits and vegetables, have a cooling effect.

Try to spend more time near the water. But remember, at high temperatures it is not recommended to dive into the water, because. Due to the temperature difference, there may be a spasm of the vessels of the heart.

In the heat, give up alcohol, including beer (it dehydrates) and coffee - this is an extra load on the blood vessels. Lemonade is highly undesirable, because. it has a lot of sugar and it increases blood pressure, which is undesirable in the heat.

In the heat, it is better to drink water with lemon, mineral water, fresh juices, compotes.

If possible, go outside before 11 o'clock or after 17 o'clock in the afternoon.

In summer, the level of ultraviolet radiation is always high. Wear a head covering such as a wide-brimmed hat, sun glasses, and sunscreen on exposed areas.

When taking a shower, try not to use detergents, they dry the skin. The shower will wash away the sweat and cleanse the skin.

Try not to turn on the computer and other energy-consuming devices during the day. This will help keep you cool in the room.

Any heat is easier to bear outside the city. If possible, go to the village to relax, eat natural vegetables and fruits.

Adapt. After all, people have lived without air conditioners for hundreds of years, and many still continue to live. Lead a healthy lifestyle, keep fit, and in any weather you will feel comfortable.

Who doesn’t love summer with its long-awaited holidays and vacations, picnics in nature and evening feasts on the open veranda?! Alas, in many regions of Russia, the summer season is marked by long periods of heat, when daytime temperatures stay at +30...+35°C for weeks.

So that the exhausting heat does not spoil the impression of the summer, the owners of country houses, summer cottages and cottages have to spend money on powerful air conditioning systems, which are now very expensive. For example, a multi-zone system for keeping cool in the living quarters of a house of 100 sq. m will cost no less than 200 thousand rubles. (together with installation). The generated cold is also far from free: for five months of the warm season, such equipment can “burn” 15-20 thousand rubles.

Fortunately, the owners of individual housing have many ways to radically reduce the cost of air conditioning and provide themselves and their households with a comfortable microclimate, no matter how hot it is outside.

To not be hot - warm up!

However, in our latitudes, hot summers are replaced every year by frosty winters, and you don’t want to hide your home from the sun according to all the rules of southern architecture. In addition, often people begin to think about protection from heat when the house has already been built or bought.

It may seem unexpected, but the first thing to do to protect any home from the heat and hot sun is to give it a good look. More precisely, that is, to create a closed circuit that prevents heat exchange between the external environment and the premises. In winter, thermal insulation protects living rooms from cooling, and in summer from heating, so it becomes much easier to maintain a comfortable temperature in the premises. It is no coincidence that in the hottest regions of the planet - in Central Asia and the Middle East - since ancient times, thick clothing that covers the whole body has been in use: men's thick robes or spacious abayas (Muslim closed dresses).

So the cottage, the owner of which does not want to freeze or sweat, should also be dressed in a thick "fur coat" with the use of insulation for external walls, roofs and ceilings. But there are many nuances here.

Responsible Choice

Summarizing the variety of products on the market, we can distinguish two groups of the most common thermal insulation materials.

Foam insulation

It is also important that due to the low vapor permeability in the enclosing structures, the natural movement of water vapor is disturbed. So that moisture does not accumulate in the atmosphere of the premises and in porous structural materials (wood, foam blocks, etc.), the building needs to be permanent. For these reasons, such materials are rarely used for insulation of residential buildings.

Mineral fiber insulation

Types of mineral wool include:

• Glass wool. This insulation is made on the basis of glass fiber obtained from cullet or quartz sand. This material has a relatively low water resistance, which can adversely affect its durability.

• This material is made from natural stone and is characterized by high heat and sound insulation properties. It can be produced in the form of rigid and lightweight plates, as well as mats and cylinders. Stone wool is non-combustible, serves as an excellent barrier against the spread of fire (the melting point of the fibers is + 1000 ° C or more), is safe for the inhabitants of the house and the environment, and therefore is the best option for external and internal insulation.

Facade insulation

Insulation under siding

To reduce the summer load on the air conditioning system, you should think about which one is wiser to use. Now the most popular roofing material for pitched roofs is metal tile. It is relatively cheap, durable (service life - from 15 to 50 years), does not require massive roofing substructures. Plus, it comes in dozens of different colors. One trouble - in summer, under the direct rays of the sun, the roof of dark shades gets very hot.

Another popular option is soft tiles based on bitumen and fiberglass. Since the thermal conductivity and heat capacity of organic material is much lower than steel, this material better protects roof structures from heat. In addition, unlike metal, soft tiles are not afraid of corrosion, and its service life is 20-30 years.

Manufacturers produce such roofing material in hundreds of colors and shapes: rhombus, oval, rectangle, hexagon, trapezoid. This allows you to choose the right option for the house in any architectural style and in any color scheme. So, this is a good choice for both a new cottage or summer house, and the reconstruction of a private house with a long history.

Summer looks out the window

In order not to test the health of the household for strength, the ancient windows with slots and separate glasses should be replaced by energy-saving designs. What would a window look like that could protect a house in the temperature range from -50 to +50°C? This is a window block made of a white plastic profile with an assembly width of at least 70-80 mm, into which a two- or three-chamber double-glazed window is inserted. So that the hot rays of the sun do not heat the room, one of the glasses in the room must be with a low-emissivity coating of a thin layer of sprayed metal, which reflects the thermal radiation of the sun.

However, even the simplest and cheapest option - polymer tint film, pasted on the glass from the inside of the room, will surprise with its effectiveness.

Regions with the hottest and longest summer season can learn from the experience of the Mediterranean countries and use lattice shutters, as well as awnings - special awnings that protect a window, balcony or glazed veranda from direct sunlight during the day, and can be rolled up in the evening.

Ventilation should be economical

Periodically opening windows for ventilation (5-6 times a day) is an effective method, but it is painfully tiring for the inhabitants of the house. So you have to use one of the methods with the windows closed:

1. Supply wall valve(also known as KIV - air infiltration valve). This unit, mounted in a through hole in an external wall, is a pipe equipped with a fan. One such valve can provide air no more than 30-40 square meters. m, that is, in the walls of a large and spacious house with many rooms, you will have to make a lot of holes for such devices.
2. Air handling unit with heat exchanger. This device distributes fresh air around the house through a network of ducts. At the same time, in the recuperator-heat exchanger, the temperature of the flows of fresh and exhaust air is equalized. That is, in winter, frosty air from the street is heated to a comfortable temperature without additional energy costs, and in summer, on the contrary, it cools down, which allows you to avoid discomfort and save significant money.

Do you often notice that at certain moments it becomes stuffy in your apartment, and as if there is nothing to breathe?! This is especially felt in the autumn-winter period, when windows and doors are tightly closed.

The reason lies in the fact that modern plastic windows and balconies are highly airtight, they do not let in street noise and dirt, but at the same time they practically do not let in fresh air. Because of this, the apartment very quickly develops humidity and increases the concentration of carbon dioxide.

Why does the apartment get stuffy?

Stuffiness in the apartment occurs due to three main factors:

1. heat;
2. high humidity;
3. Increased concentration of carbon dioxide.

Often at home it becomes hot and stuffy for us, high humidity is felt, however, the included air conditioner will only lower the air temperature, but will not make it fresh. And what to do if it is very hot in the apartment in winter, and plus it is stuffy? You need to know only one thing in this case - this concentration of "bad" air affects the microclimate, and you need to look for ways to get rid of this phenomenon, and not from heat. The only optimal solution in such a situation is to establish a ventilation system in the apartment. Why is ventilation in the apartment and what functions it performs read.

Here's an example:

For the normal functioning of the human body, the concentration of carbon dioxide should be approximately 732 mg/m3.

For comparison, in 1 hour, in a room with closed windows and doors, 2 people will increase the concentration of CO2 to 3660 mg / m3, which is! 5 times the "normal" level.

The main source of carbon dioxide is man.

So, in 1 hour we:

• we inhale 450-1500 liters of air
• exhale 18-60 liters of CO2

If we are a constant source of carbon dioxide production, we need to dispose of the exhaust air, since the excess of CO2 up to 1830 mg/m3 on a permanent basis causes considerable harm to the human body. What to do if the room is hot and stuffy, we will tell below.

Consequences of stuffiness and high CO2 content for the human body

When a person stays for a short time (2-3 hours) in a room with a CO2 concentration above 1464 mg/m3, the following symptoms appear:

• headache;
• dizziness;
• fatigue, apathy;
• bad sleep;
• eye and respiratory tract irritation.

With a long-term stay of a person (from several hours to several years) in a room where the level of carbon dioxide is above 1464 mg/m3, the following occur:

• rhinitis;
• allergic reactions;
• asthma;
• general decrease in immunity;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• diabetes;
• blood diseases, etc.

In the morning, with the bedroom windows closed, CO2 levels can reach 2196 mg/m3.

So, in most indoor spaces, high humidity, heat and high levels of carbon dioxide make the microclimate unsuitable for human habitation, and, unfortunately, an air conditioner or a floor fan does not improve air quality, but only cools it.

Let's take a closer look at ways to eliminate carbon dioxide and stuffiness in an apartment.

How to get rid of stuffiness in a room, in an apartment?

We want advise you

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1. To reduce the air temperature in the room, as mentioned earlier, you can use an air conditioner or a floor fan. This equipment will allow you to immediately feel cool, but that the first, that the second unit, processes only the air that is in the room, the air in which the CO2 content is increased.

Accordingly, using a fan or air conditioner, you eliminate only 1 factor that contributes to stuffiness - heat, and polluted, stale air continues to circulate around the apartment.

* It's best to keep windows and balconies open when using a floor fan so that polluted, damp air can naturally be drawn out of the room. Of course, such a fan can cope with a very small volume of air masses, and the use of such an option to eliminate stuffiness is not enough, because fresh air with the required temperature will enter the room rather weakly.

2. In order for the ventilation in the room to take place correctly, and you do not have to worry about whether all factors of stuffiness have been eliminated (humidity, excess CO2, high air temperature, whether enough fresh, purified air has entered the apartment) - install supply and exhaust ventilation.

The supply and exhaust ventilation system is a specially designed equipment that allows you to enjoy all the advantages of plastic windows (no noise, dust, dirt) and at the same time organizes normal air exchange between the environment inside the apartment and the external environment.

The supply and exhaust unit consists of two built-in fans that work for supply and exhaust: one fan takes air from the external environment, the second draws exhaust air from the apartment. The system passes fresh air through its filter system, that is, it purifies and delivers it to the room. At the same time, most air handling units have the functions of heating / cooling air or the ability to add these functions. As a result, we can say that with such an installation we kill all the causes at once, because carbon dioxide is replaced by oxygen, the room is conditioned, and humidity comes out along with other masses through the hood.

3. Natural ventilation. Open windows and vents so that fresh air enters the room to replace the exhaust. BUT, do not forget that dust and dirt, heat and moisture enter your apartment through open windows. Also be careful with drafts, as respiratory ailments are the first friends of a draft.

With the onset of the summer period, they face the problem of heat in the apartment, especially on the upper floors. It can be hot in winter as well. But here everything will depend on the heating system in the apartment. There are many ways to normalize the temperature in any room.

If the apartment is hot, then the air in the room is quite dry. This can not only adversely affect the general temperature regime, but also human health. In order to avoid this, you can use special humidifiers that have some functions:

• humidify the air;
• ionize it;
• stabilize the circulation of air masses;
• create a favorable indoor climate.

Advice. Humidifiers can be used even in the children's room. This will only have a beneficial effect on the health of the baby and create a pleasant microclimate in the room.

There are other ways by which you can create a certain temperature regime in the apartment during the heat:

• fan use;
• installation of an air conditioner or split system;
• glass tinting;

Fan use

A more affordable and acceptable way to deal with heat in an apartment is the use of a fan. It not only cools the air masses, but also promotes their circulation.

To date, manufacturers produce such devices with a heating element. Very often, with the onset of heat, users simply forget to turn it off and thereby further increase the temperature in the apartment. Before using the fan, you should carefully read the instructions for use in order to avoid problems with the settings in the future.

Modern fans are whole. There are not only the functions of heating the room and its cooling, but also air ionization. It is a kind of disinfection and enrichment of air masses with ions that have a positive effect on human health. It is especially important to use such systems in the summer, when the body is not too protected from the effects of various bacteria and infections.

Sometimes there are models of fans in which containers for liquid are provided. This is very important, because, no matter what quality such a device will be, it can still dry the air to some extent, and the liquid simply will not allow this to be done and the humidity of the air will be normal. This is especially important in summer.

Fans have a swivel mechanism that allows them to be widely used in rooms of any size. The main thing is that it has the necessary power.

Advice. If the room in the apartment is more than 18 squares, then you need to use a fan with five switching speeds. It is considered very powerful and will be able to stabilize the temperature even in a large room.

Fan benefits:

• practicality;
• the possibility of using 24 hours a day;
• small amount of electricity consumption;
• mobile (it is possible to install in any room and move it).

Fans are a budget alternative to air conditioners. If the apartment is hot in winter, then they can also be freely used to adjust the temperature in the room.

Air Conditioner Application

A comfortable microclimate is very important for a person in those rooms in which he spends most of his time. It is much more pleasant to be in a room with fresh air than in a hot room. This can be achieved by using an air conditioner.

There are certain standards for the content of oxygen and other minerals in the air. Any deviation threatens to violate not only the microclimate in the room, but also the entire temperature regime. With the help of special climate equipment in the rooms, you can maintain a favorable atmosphere with fresh cool air. To date, there are a large number that contribute to the regulation and circulation of air masses.

What is an air conditioner? This is a special device that creates and automatically maintains the temperature regime, air purity, its humidity and the speed of circulation of air masses. Air conditioners are suitable for creating favorable conditions not only in offices or other institutions, but also in apartments.

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Advice. For the bedroom, it is best to give preference to air conditioners with low noise levels.

Air conditioner benefits:

• high efficiency;
• practicality;
• simplicity of design;
• easy installation;
• the ability to create any temperature regime.

The air conditioner can only cool the air that is in the room. There are different types of air conditioners and each model has its own properties, functions and noise level.

The only disadvantage of using an air conditioner is that it does not have the ability to supply fresh air to the room. It circulates and cools only those air masses that were already in the room. From time to time during the period of using the air conditioner, it is worth ventilating the room in a natural way - open the windows and create a draft. Thus, the room will be constantly fresh and cool air.

Conditioner features:

• air cooling;
• dehumidification;
• air purification;
• single temperature support.

If the apartment is hot not only in summer, but also in winter, then the air conditioning system can also be used in winter, but only up to a certain temperature outside. As a rule, the temperature threshold for using the air conditioner can reach -10 degrees.

Air drying will be needed at a time when in the summer, before the rain, stuffiness appears and humidity rises. The air conditioner is able to adjust the temperature at this moment and stabilize the level of humidity. This will only have a beneficial effect on the microclimate in the apartment.

Ventilation in the room

It is very important for a beneficial microclimate in the apartment to create high-quality ventilation ducts. They are present in the bathroom and kitchen. In other rooms there is no such system, and many are trying to create natural air ventilation systems.

With the help of open windows and balcony doors, drafts are created.

Advice. Ventilation in the room with open windows and doors will only be effective when the windows and doors are open at an angle.

The only disadvantage of this method of ventilation is that it is inefficient if the windows are on the sunny side. When the apartment is hot in winter, you can open the windows. Warm air will escape very easily, and cool air will enter the room fairly quickly.

If there's redevelopment of the apartment and some walls have been moved or removed, then in such a room there is no way to create natural ventilation. You can correct the situation and put special hoods with control on the ventilation ducts. They can be turned on at full power - then the circulation of air masses will begin. Tinted glass

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the windows in the apartment. They must be sufficiently sealed and protected from the influence of infrared radiation and UV rays. Protection is provided by applying a special protective film to the glass, which will largely save the room from warming up, especially if the windows are on the sunny side. The film has other properties that will become indispensable in everyday life.

Windows with mirrored thermal protection film

To date, many in their apartment use only metal-plastic windows. They have their own advantages:

• tightness;
• practicality;
• durability;
• ease of installation;
• different glass sizes.

With the help of this type of window, it is possible to create natural ventilation. Windows open at different angles, in the presence of a certain headset. If in winter the use of metal-plastic windows has a great effect on the microclimate in the room, then in summer this type of windows is very often exposed to heating under the influence of sunlight. They do not let them through, but the surface of the double-glazed window can heat up to a large extent. As a result, stuffiness and dryness appear in the room. You can open a window and let in fresh air, or you can use it to stabilize the temperature regime of a split system.