Here are 15 ways to keep cool in the summer.
Between high temperatures and thatinfamous humidity, Southern summers arent for the faint of heart.
But what if you dont have access to AC?
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Elly Poston Cooper
Or what if it breaks down or theres a power outage?
There are plenty of heat-evading tricks, to help you chill out.
Here’s how to cool down a room without AC.
Close your windows tightly.
Open windows on opposite sides of the house or room to create a cross breeze.
Then, be sure to shut everything back up again come morning.
The same strategy goes a long way for keeping hot air out in the summer.
Plus, this DIY strategy will alsokeep bothersome garden pests outof the house.
Remember That Heat Rises And Stay Low
Remember those childhood fire safety lessons?
Stop, drop, and roll will forever be embedded in our brainsas will the fact that heat rises.
If the temperature in your home is stifling, stay low to the ground.
Keep The Stove Off
And the oven, too!
Any heat-producing appliances, like your oven and stove, arebest kept offto avoid additional heat introduction.
Smaller appliances like phone chargers or lamps should alsobe kept unpluggedwhile theyre not in use.
Did you know that ceiling fans havewinter and summer tweaks?
Set your fan to rotate counterclockwise.
Switch those on to create more air circulation and help filter out the hot air.
We know that its tempting to orient the fan to blow directly at you, but you shouldn’t.
When your windows are open at night, place a fan nearby to help disperse that air inwards.
If you do this at opposite ends of the house, it will enhance the cooling efficiency even more.
Make A DIY Air Conditioner
To further optimize your fans, get a little crafty.
The more shade you’ve got the option to create, the better.
Generate cooling shadows over your home by blocking paths for direct sunlight.
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, sometimes this is a reality.
The heat will only be exacerbated if youre sleeping with the same bedding that kept youcozy during the winter.
Make your bed with natural fibers like linen and cotton to keep cool and stay away from flannel.
Published June 25, 2024.
U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.Energy Efficient Window Coverings.
