I think we can all agree that one of the greatest inventions of all time is most definitely air conditioning! There’s simply nothing better than coming home on a sweltering day, turning the switch on the thermostat, and enjoying that icy cool breeze!

Unfortunately, it’s a luxury that we can’t necessarily indulge in all of the time. Besides the fact that blasting the air conditioning can result in some pretty hefty utility bills, it is also not the most environmentally-friendly way to beat the heat.

That’s why we’re sharing a tip with you today that will turn any ordinary fan into a super chilly air conditioning dupe. The best part of this DIY is that it’s completely portable—it works great at kids’ sporting events, backyard barbecues, and even the office.

Get started on making your own supercharged fan by first gathering together your necessary materials. For this A/C hack, you will need:

  • Two 16-to-20-ounce plastic bottles
  • Precision knife
  • Handheld tapered reamer (or drill bit made to cut through plastic)
  • Medium-sized fan
  • Thin metal wire
  • Pliers
  • Ice cubes

Once you have everything in order, simply follow these instructions:

  1. Grab your precision knife and carefully circle it around about 150-degrees, roughly 1-inch up from the base of the bottle. Be sure that you don’t cut the entire bottom off! A small piece of plastic should still be keeping the lower part attached.
  2. Take your handheld tapered reamer, or drill bit made for plastic, and hold it up to a warming device. Once hot, start drilling small holes into the sides of the bottle, starting from just above the base cut, all the way up to the mid-section. Each hole should be about one quarter-inch apart from the next.
  3. Repeat steps one and two with the second plastic bottle.
  4. Secure your bottles on either side of your fan by twisting the metal wire through any holes at the base area and ridged portion, just below the cap. Each of the bottles should be upside down, with the top facing the floor. Fasten the end of the wire with pliers, if necessary.
    person attaching a water bottle to a fanWEAREX
  5. Load ice cubes into your plastic bottles from the opening in each base. Don’t stop until each one is filled to the very top!
  6. Once complete, turn on the fan, and delight in that icy cool air!

This project provides a great temporary solution, but if you’re looking for an air conditioner that says cold for hours, be sure to check out this tutorial on the long-lasting copper air cooler.

Now, as we said, this DIY certainly is easy, but we suggest that you watch the video closely before just diving right in. To see the ice cold results for yourself, be sure to click on WE ARE X’s video below!

What do you think of this DIY air conditioner? Have you tried this project yourself? Do you have any hacks for staying cool in the summertime? Tell us all about your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!