Homemade Portable Air Conditioner

Purchase a cooler with a removable lid, not one that is hinged in place. Take the lid off the cooler and set it aside.

Measure the top of the cooler from outer edge to outer edge. Find the width and length of the cooler this way.

Cut a sheet of blue Styrofoam to match the cooler's measurements. Discard any extra pieces. Place the foam on top of the cooler to ensure a good fit. Inspect it to see that the foam covers the cooler opening completely with no gaps. Trim as needed, but a little overlap is fine.

Set the foam flat on the ground. Set the fan face down on the foam, on the right side about 3 inches from the edge. Trace around it with a pencil.

Cut out the fan shape just inside of the pencil line you traced. Cut it so the foam opening is slightly smaller than the fan.

Cut a narrow slot on the left side of the foam, about 2 inches wide and 8 inches long. This is where the cool air will be forced out of the cooler by the fan after passing over the ice.

Fill the cooler with ice and spread it evenly.

Attach the foam to the cooler with duct tape, taking special care to seal the edges where the foam meets the cooler to prevent any cool air from leaking out.

Place the fan face down onto the opening you cut for it. Duct tape it in place if it is not sturdy; otherwise, it can rest on the foam.

Turn on the fan and set the homemade, portable air conditioner in the room you want to cool. Close all the windows and the door. Run the fan until the room gets noticeably cooler, in perhaps 15 to 30 minutes. Turn off the fan when not in use.