this post was submitted on 23 Jun 2026
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I need my AC unit upstairs to sleep, but I need it downstairs so that I'm not peeling myself off of my chair every 5 minutes while working. The struggle is real.
Genuinely considering buying a second, despite barely having the space.
I'm sure I'm stating the obvious here, but have you considered
Those are very sensible suggestions tbf; it's just that my house is really small! I live alone, renting. My room upstairs doesn't fit any more than my bed and the AC (floor unit). The only way I can work up there is with a laptop on my bed, which is an ergonomic nightmare that will have me cramping in about 10 minutes.
I have a small sofa that is comfortable enough to sleep on downstairs, that I would probably use if I did not have the AC
I can lug the AC up and down the stairs but one of those 2 areas will be so warm that by the time I've moved it I'm immediately in need of another shower... and then again when I move it back.
I'd probably just spend the next few days living downstairs, seems like the minimum amount of discomfort!
Don't know about their unit, but my one is 48KG, so lugging it isn't the easiest.
I would've though have it setup at the bottom of the house, have it running and only open a window at the top of the house...
Assuming no major air leaks in the house, the cold will displace the heat starting at the bottom, the rising heat then able to escape out of a cracked window at the top of the house,
Otherwise have it at the top of the stairs and hope that the falling cold will displace the heat
You would want it at the top of the house if it's purely for cooling. Cool air at the top of the house will sink down to the bottom. Rising hot air will then be cooled by the A/C unit. If you put it at the bottom, all that cool air will just sit there and never move upstairs. The open window upstairs will allow hot air out... if it's cooler outside than inside, otherwise it will allow hot air in. In either case, that won't promote much mixing of the upstairs and downstairs air, so your A/C won't improve the temperature upstairs much.
Yeah, if running it isn't too expensive then using it to boost the old 'diagonal air exchange' strategy seems like a good plan
In my loft conversion that I spend most of the day in it gets quite hot. Nevertheless, scrupulously keeping curtains closed, keeping windows closed when the outside temperature is hotter than inside, and using a fan has kept me comfortable in all but the hottest days of the last few years. I always encourage this before AC due to the power usage.
Blackout curtains + closed windows do not keep my first floor anywhere near cool enough unfortunately; I think it's really poorly insulated as it is also really cold up there in the winter (though this is much more manageable to me.)
My problem with sleeping with a fan is they trigger my myofascial pain syndrome quite badly. My only relief is still air that's cooler. I also run quite hot in general :/
I have noticed, however, that I can do a single top up at around 13:00, where I run the AC for a bit to get the upstairs room slightly cooler than downstairs. Then I turn it off and close the window and it stays somewhat bearable for the rest of the day, opening the window again at night.
I completely understand your concerns about power usage as I am eco-conscious myself, and I really wish I had a ceiling fan to use instead. Getting my landlady to sign off on that is a bit unlikely.