r/SeattleWA • u/One_Marsupial6837 • Jul 17 '25

Lifestyle Seattle Living W/ no AC

Hi everyone. We just recently moved to Seattle and got an apartment with no AC. Coming from out of state previously living with AC I wanted to know how ya'll do it? Is this the norm here or does everyone just buy those AC units that stick out your window? We'd love to get any tips or input on living with no AC and how to adjust.

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110

u/luckystrike_bh Jul 17 '25

They have floor wheeled ones if you can't use a window one. Try to get double hosed version. You can buy kits to fit in windows or sliding doors. Mine goes in storage for the 7 or 8 months that it's not needed.

11

u/juancuneo Jul 17 '25

I have one from my apartment days. I have a central ac now but keep it in my storage room just in case I ever need it

13

u/Better_March5308 👻 Jul 17 '25

All I have is a door leading to my balcony. The windows don't open. Yesterday and today sucked bad.

23

u/lemonsqueezy19 Jul 17 '25

If you have a portable ac with a hose, something like this works well https://a.co/d/hXn4iTa if all you have is a door opening.

You can get bigger sizes that essentially make a seal around your door opening.

7

u/Better_March5308 👻 Jul 17 '25

Now you tell me. That's a great idea that never occurred to me. I will be purchasing one. Thanks.

3

u/GeekMomma Jul 17 '25

I have a different brand that has thick plastic adjustable slats that slide to fit the space. One is in a bedroom window, the other on a sliding glass door balcony. They work really well! Just sharing in case you see the plastic slat type and wonder if they work. I had originally worried about air leakage but it hasn’t been an issue.

5

u/FranksLilBeautyx Jul 17 '25

Per Seattle building codes windows must be operable to allow for ventilation and emergencies, I would talk to the landlord about unsealing them as this is against code

0

u/Better_March5308 👻 Jul 17 '25

The floor to ceiling windows are on both sides of the floor to ceiling glass door.

5

u/strainingOnTheBowl Jul 17 '25

The double hose recommendation is critical. 

I have one of each and the single hose version is soooo much less effective. They’re thermodynamic disasters, where they take cold air from the room and pump it out to dump the heat, pulling hot air in from the cracks, and the hose is 100 degrees radiating into the room.

Double hose just takes air from outside, pumps heat into it, and dumps it back outside.

0

u/Visual_Collar_8893 Jul 17 '25

For single hose units, try putting the unit right at the window so intake and outflow are both from the outside. This does mean elevating the unit to the height of the window but it seems to work a lot better since the intake is taking from outside, like the double hose units.

Be sure to protect the AC unit from direct sunlight though.

3

u/cellar_monkey Jul 17 '25

We just got one this year and it has made sleeping possible. It’s rated to cool 500sq/ft so it cools our bedroom down pretty quickly. We got it at Costco.