Light the grill, Step 3.

Scroll down for Steps 1 and 2. Step 3: Fire it up!



Light the starting media through one of the vent holes in the bottom.







If the wind is blowing, place the grill lid in its path until the paper stops burning. When the paper burns out, the coals should smolder on their own and will eventually catch fire again. In about 20 minutes, the coals should be ashed over. Spread them out evenly to stop the flames and you're ready to grill!

Light the grill, Step 2

Scroll down below this post for Step 1. Step 2: Prepare the Charcoal.



There are many additive free charcoals on the market. These briquettes are Trader Joe's. Cover the starting media with the charcoal grate and pour enough briquettes to cover the grate evenly.



Now, stack the briquets in a sort of pyramid shape in the center of the grate. Next, how to light it.

Light the grill in the wind with no lighter fluid and one flame.

There's just something about the smell of a charcoal grill in the summertime. Charcoal manufacurers like Kingsford understand this and have found ways to make that smell stronger and easier to produce by using chemical additives and briquetes soaked in lighter fluid. But what if you dont want all that crap in your portabella cap burger? Well, this might help... Step 1: Prepare the starting media.



Many types of paper will work for the starting media. Just make sure if it has printing on it, that the ink is non-toxic. Twist three pieces up seperately,



twist the middles together,



and place them in the bottom of the grill on top of the vents. Up next, the charcoal.

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DIY Evaporative Cooling

Ok folks here's a tip that might help if your ac unit is either broken, inefficient, too expensive to run or just plain non-existent.

You'll need a box fan or some other type of portable fan, some water, a large and preferably flat open container for the water, about one square yard of burlap fabric or other type of loose but absorbent fabric, (an old t-shirt with a bunch of tiny little holes cut in it will do in a pinch), and some duct tape.
Fasion your fabric piece so as to cover the intake, (sucking), side of the fan, leaving about a foot or so of excess extending at the top. Soak the fabric in water and wring it out so that it is damp but not dripping. Stretch it to cover the whole back of the fan and duct tape it firmly in place. Next, make some little duct tape loops and stick them on the bottom of your water container. Stick this container to the top of the fan and pour an inch or so of water into it. Take your damp cloth and submerge as much of the excess fabric as possible in the water. Now open a window and carefully place the fan (read, home made ac unit), in front of it with the cloth facing the window and the fan blowing into the room. (You may even have better results by just sticking the fan in the middle of the room, windows closed.) Turn it on and chill in the cool breaze!

How does this work?
As hot air is drawn through the moist fabric, some of its energy is absorbed by the water. This water evaporates and the cooled air is passed into the room. After the water has evaporated and left the cloth, capillary action, with an asist from gravity, moves more water down the fabric and the process continues, eventually depleteing the resevoir on the top of the fan. Now, while this won't cool your room to freezing temperatures, it can cool the room by a few degrees, bringing it down to a more tolerable temperature.

Try it. It might help!


Quick disclaimer:
Don't be a dummy and pour water into the fan. Dry your hands and all equipment before pluging it in. Be carefull with water around electricity.

Beat the Heat on the Cheap!

Here's an easy one if you live in a house or apartment with a basement and have ceiling fans on the upper floors. 

Go down to the basement and open the windows and doors. On the way back upstairs, leave the doors to the basement and stairwell open. Next, go up to the uppermost floor of your house and open all of the doors and windows on that floor. Now turn the ceiling fans on medium with the blades running in reverse, (the leading edge cutting down into the air instead of up). Sit back and relax in the free, passive ac. 

How does this work?
As the hot(ter) air on the upper floors goes out the windows, the air pressure throughout the upper floors begins to fall. Since fluids and air masses tend to flow from high pressure to low pressure, the cooler air in the basement will flow up the stairwell and as it heats, toward the upper windows. Some times, you dont even need to use the fans. This natural form of passive air circulation could help save some serious cash compared to forcing hot air to be cold using ac units. 

Try it. It might help.