In This Post:
Requirements for Homemade Air Cooler
Step-by-Step Guide for DIY Air Cooler
Precautionary Measures
How Does an Air Cooler Work
Similar to our post on keeping your home cool during summer without increasing your electricity bill, we are back with another guide on DIY air coolers for your room. The thought about turning an ordinary fan into an air cooler came to us, given the skyrocketing power bills, and then thought about sharing the answer with you to help you remain cool without fearing power bills. So, here’s how you can have a homemade room cooler with just a fan and a few blocks of ice.
We will begin by explaining how an air cooler works to help you better understand the science behind these DIY experiments. After that, we will give you a list of required material and equipment that you will need for your project. In the end, we will give you a brief guide on how you can turn any ordinary fan into a room cooler within a few easy steps.
So, without further ado, let’s chill!
How Does an Air Cooler Work?
The term air cooler is interchangeably used for swamp cooler, evaporative cooler, and room cooler in the local lingo. The first modern evaporative cooler was introduced in the late 1930s, and the basic principles of the cooling remain the same to date.
Before you start your DIY project, you should understand the technicality of an evaporative cooler and how it works. Not only will it increase your knowledge, but it will also help you resolve any issues you might face during the project. Who knows, you might come up with a better solution!
An air cooler uses the most natural way of cooling air by means of evaporation. When the ice or chilled water in the air cooler evaporates into the air, this results in a mixture of air and water molecules. A drop in temperature occurs once the chilled water molecules are mixed with the hot air. Evaporative coolers can also be used for humidifying a room in dry weather. They are cost-effective and extremely easy to maintain as compared to air conditioners.
Now that you have developed a better understanding of how an air cooler works, let’s take a look at the material you will require for your homemade air cooler.
Material and Equipment Required for a Homemade Room Cooler
It is no secret that the southern regions of Pakistan experience the wrath of summer every year. Not everyone has the luxury to run air conditioners throughout the day as a defence against the deadly heat, so most of us spend our time looking for better alternatives on the internet, such as eating summer-friendly food or gulping down some detoxing drinks. This DIY guide for a homemade room cooler is also great for maintaining the temperature of your room.
That said, here’s a list of required material and equipment to help you turn a fan into room cooler within a few easy steps:
- Cutter or simple kitchen knife
- Plastic bottles
- Pedestal or table fan
- String or wire
- Tapered reamer/reaming knife (optional)
- Ice cubes
We will now reveal how you can use this list tactfully and beat the heat this summer!
Step-By-Step Guide for Making a Homemade Room Cooler
We always come up with ideas to help you save some money and use your resources efficiently. We have already shared some tips to use your air cooler efficiently and, continuing with the same efforts, here’s our step-by-step guide for making a homemade air cooler with a fan, ice and a few plastic bottles:
- Step 1: Prepare Water Bottles
- Step 2: Vent Holes
- Step 3: Secure Water Bottles
- Step 4: Preparation
Step 1: Prepare Water Bottles
The first step of turning an ordinary fan into an air cooler is preparing the water bottles. As such, wash the water bottles properly and make sure they are free from dust or particles. Right after you have washed the bottles, keep them in a clean place, and allow them to dry naturally. Do not use blow dryers at any cost as it may damage the shape of the bottles.
Once the bottles have completely dried, take a sharp cutter or knife and cut out the crowned area [the bottom part] of both bottles. Do not cut it completely, just let the 4th part remain in such a way that it looks like a tray attached to the bottle. This opening will allow you to add large cubes or blocks of ice into the bottle without any hassles.
Step 2: Vent Holes
The second step to create a homemade air cooler is to vent small holes in the bottles. This step is crucial, so make sure you are following the directions as mentioned. Here’s what you need to do:
- Take a tapered reamer/reamer knife and vent tiny holes into the water bottle. Make holes in the middle section [as shown in the picture above] of the bottle.
- Make enough holes [at a distance from one another] to let the air pass through and from the bottles.
- Make sure that the holes remain in the middle section of the bottle; otherwise, the water turned from ice will start to flow out from these holes.
We recommend that you either use soft drink or mineral water bottles. Just make sure that the material of the bottle isn’t too thin or too thick. Thin material will start to melt quickly, and venting holes in thick material would become challenging.
Step 3: Secure Water Bottles
Once you have prepared the water bottles, the next step is to secure them to the fan. Here’s what you need to do:
- Take a long piece of wire or string and pass it from one of the holes to the other.
- Take both ends of the wire and attach it at the back grills of the pedestal or table fan. Attach both bottles at each side.
- Attach it in such a way that the crowned area [the one you have cut to add ice] remains at the top, and the cap area [top area] stays downward.
- Make sure that the bottles are secured and not slipping away.
- Cut the access wire [if any] after you have secured both bottles.
- Make sure that the bottom area of the bottles [capped area] is tightened.
Step 4: Preparation
The last and most important step in making a DIY air cooler is the preparation. It shouldn’t be difficult if you have followed all the steps as they are mentioned above. Once the fan is ready, here’s what you should do:
- Take some ice cubes or small blocks of ice and fill both bottles with it.
- Make sure that the level of the ice does not reach the holes.
- Turn on the fan, and enjoy a cool breeze.
- Keep refilling when needed.
Remember to keep a jug or a bucket under the cap of the bottles when you need to empty the bottles and refill the ice.
Some Precautions to Take Before Starting a DIY Air Cooler Project
This DIY air cooler guide is straightforward and doesn’t involve any risks if you follow all the steps as mentioned above and take the necessary precautions discussed below:
- Make sure that you are handling the sharp objects well. Keep them away from the reach of children or pets. It is better to carry out this project in a closed room or anywhere away from them.
- Remember to switch off the fan and unplug it before installing the water bottles at the back. Also, turn it off when you are refilling the ice or emptying the water.
- Do not carry out this project with wet, damaged, or leaking bottles. An easy way to examine the bottles for leakage or damage is to fill the bottles with water and shake.
- Tighten the caps of the bottles before starting your project.
- Avoid using a broken or really old fan for this purpose.
So, this was our take on turning an ordinary fan into an air cooler. We have shared the method of creating a homemade air cooler using fan and ice only. You can apply this technique at your home by using any pedestal fan and a few water bottles and surprise your family. Meanwhile, take a look at our recently published posts where we have shared different types of air coolers in Pakistan and guide for buying best air-cooler in Pakistan.
Tell us how you plan to stay cool during this summer at blog@zameen.com. You can also send us a message on Zameen’s Facebook Page.
For more informative posts on summer home improvements, navigate to our recently published summer home maintenance checklist. Do not miss any updates and visit Zameen Blog every day. Receive our newly published blogs in your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter. Just enter your email address in the box on the right side of your screen.
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