Question on keeping closed room cool with central air (2 Viewers)

grandgnu

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So recently moved from the New England area to Florida. We're renting a house and I've selected one of the spare bedrooms to be my dedicated poker room.

I keep it closed so the cats don't get in and get their fur all over everything and scratch up the table.

However, when I had a game in the room it got too hot with the door closed. I bought a window A/C unit to correct this problem, only to discover that the windows in this room only open about 10 inches, and a window A/C unit isn't going to fit.

I figured my only option now is to buy a bunch of fans to run in the room (note I have an apartment sized fridge and a 32" tv/monitor plus a laptop going when we play as well) but I'm worried maybe that won't be enough with 10 people playing in the closed room.

Should I just crank up my central A/C that day in the hopes it'll get that room cool enough, buy a few fans to run inside or any other tips on how I can ensure it remains comfortable (aside from opening the door and letting the cats in)
 
Maybe screen door would help or a baby gate - either one would let the room stay open and let the air circulate.

You could also close some of the other vents on the run to the poker room so it gets all the air from that section of the ducting.

DrStrange
 
Have you considered the use of portable AC units? I run into the same problem with my windows and they have adapters that can pretty much adjust to any size.
 
I used one of these small window AC units when I lived in Philly. Ironically, we had Florida style windows. (so I was told)

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http://www.kenmore.com/kenmore-6-00...4270062000&kpid=04270062000&redirectType=SRDT
 
Window only gives 10 inches of clearance when it's open, so even that tiny one wouldn't fit. I'm looking into portable air conditioners now to see how much window space they need for their exhaust hose. Screen door might be a problem with cats, they'd climb the shit out of it.
 
Window only gives 10 inches of clearance when it's open, so even that tiny one wouldn't fit. I'm looking into portable air conditioners now to see how much window space they need for their exhaust hose. Screen door might be a problem with cats, they'd climb the shit out of it.

Portable is the only way to go then. When our central AC went out about 2 years ago I borrowed two portable units from Home Depot for a few weeks. (They have a nice return policy) :D
They worked great. I got the ones that didn't need to be emptied.
 
be wary if you go the fan route. The wind will constantly be flipping over cards is not professionally dealt...and maybe still sometimes regardless.
 
Yup, going to pickup a portable A/C via Craigslist, looks like the height of the window connector is only 4-6" usually so will fit without issue!
 
I have to use a portable AC unit and it takes a LONG time to cool down my living room and poker area. Shitty thing is where I live is the humidity. Thats the real killer.
Not too sure how the humidity is down in Flo-Rida
 
If the room has no air returns, maybe you could put a vent in the door to let warm air out? Or check if the return is blocked out? (Maybe prior residents didn't use the room...)
 
Can you look the cats up in your bedroom or another room that's not the bathroom ?

We could, but I don't want to lock them up for 8 hours (because my game should run about 4-5 hours, but I'd need to have the room open sooner than that to get the central air cooling it efficiently.
 
Because you're renting, options like a installing a door vent may not be optimal, unless you are willing to just buy a new door. Still, a new vented door (louvered door) may be cheaper than a portable AC unit, and it would take up less space.
 
Is it self evaporating?


It is not, there is a drainage plug in the bottom rear of the unit. However, I'll only be using this 1-2x/month so shouldn't be too big a deal. Set it to cool the room to 68 degrees (from 78) and worked perfectly, looks like we can poker comfortably :)
 
Self-evaporating units will still have a drainage plug too. I guess you can look up the model to see.
 
Self-evaporating units will still have a drainage plug too. I guess you can look up the model to see.

Found the Q&A online for this unit and the manufacturer answered a question about evaporation:

During air conditioning mode, most of the water created by humidity will be recycled and sprinkled over the evaporator coils to cool the unit down. Most of this water will be evaporated. Only during high humidity periods where condensate water will be created faster than it can evaporate, the excess will run into the internal bucket and the unit will turn off and the red light will turn on to let you know that it is required to drain it.
 
Found the Q&A online for this unit and the manufacturer answered a question about evaporation:

During air conditioning mode, most of the water created by humidity will be recycled and sprinkled over the evaporator coils to cool the unit down. Most of this water will be evaporated. Only during high humidity periods where condensate water will be created faster than it can evaporate, the excess will run into the internal bucket and the unit will turn off and the red light will turn on to let you know that it is required to drain it.

Glad it worked out for you :)
 
Only during high humidity periods where condensate water will be created faster than it can evaporate, the excess will run into the internal bucket and the unit will turn off and the red light will turn on to let you know that it is required to drain it.

Periods of high humidity - in Florida? Yeah, that shouldn't be a problem :rolleyes:
 
I have a question to anyone who knows about the science of heating and cooling...

I live in a humid area of Canada and in the summer my condo gets a little sticky and heated. I have a portable 10,000 BTU and if I were to cool down my living room for a couple days before my game (run it straight for 48 hours), if I turn it off right before my game and open doors and windows and put some fans on will that room stay fairly humid free and cool for the remainder of the evening? or will the humidity flow right back in fast within 20-30 min of that?
The AC unit is pretty loud and about 10 feet from the table so thats why I cant have it on during the game. I could but its a bit of a noise pollution factor.
 
Air exchange will happen pretty quickly with the hot and humid air coming in. Would stay cooler a little longer if the windows and doors were kept closed but that won't last for the night.
 
Yeah, chilling the room and giving the furniture/walls/etc. a chance to dry and cool down will help, but the air temp in the room will quickly be overwhelmed by the ambient temperature of the outside air and the bodies in the room. I doubt the 48 hours of cooling is giving you more than 30 minutes difference in "comfortable time."

Is it possible to move the portable AC into an adjoining room, keep the door open, and use a fan along the floor to blow the cool air into your playing room?
 
Block of ice with a fan in front of it. :p Hey it's Canada!
 
.... I have a portable 10,000 BTU and if I were to cool down my living room for a couple days before my game (run it straight for 48 hours), if I turn it off right before my game and open doors and windows and put some fans on will that room stay fairly humid free and cool for the remainder of the evening? or will the humidity flow right back in fast within 20-30 min of that?....

Is it April 1 already?
:cool:
 
Is it April 1 already?
:cool:
not sure what you are getting at it?

Im just not sure if having it on for an extended period of time will buy me roughly 7 or so hours before the humidity and heat creep in. Never tried it before and I dont feel like wasting that energy for 20 min of cool quiet time

My gut tells me it will warm up again fast. Might have to just leave it going through the game. Its not super loud but it does add some background irritation noise
 
I would imagine it's similar to when you're sitting in your car blasting the A/C and then you shut it off. It doesn't take long for the heat to creep back in. On a slower scale with the room, but when you've got all those bodies packed in there, unless you're going to be done playing in an hour, I don't see it staying cool enough.
 

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