Summer’s scorching temperatures only continue to rise, with the average temperature of many cities throughout the country being almost 100°. Unfortunately, many residents don’t have air conditioning in their homes. Even if they do, sometimes they’re not powerful enough to beat the heat.
If you’re one of the people that find the high temperatures too much to bear, don’t despair. We’ve created a guide on how to cool down your house during the hottest times of the year. Continue reading to learn more.
Close Your Blinds
One of the easiest and most cost-efficient ways to cool your house is to close your blinds and windows. Around 30% of unwanted heat comes in through your home’s windows. Using shades, tinted window film, or insulating curtains can help keep some of the heat outside.
Especially if you have south or west-facing windows, putting dark curtains on them will block out some of the sun’s rays. You can cool down a room without having to have an AC in the space. Blocking out the sun will help avoid your house becoming a greenhouse.
Shut Doors to Unused Rooms
If you have rooms in your house that you don’t use during the day, close the doors to them. It’ll prevent the cool air from your air conditioner from going into those areas during the hottest times of the day.
On the flip side, you’ll want to open your rooms and doors at nighttime. If your curtains are closed, they’ll block out the cool night air. Once the sun goes down, open up your windows and other interior doors in your house.
When you’re cooking, keep the door from your kitchen to the rest of your house shut. This will prevent the hot air from cooking from permeating your home. If your kitchen has a door that goes to the outside, keep that open.
Switch Up Your Ceiling Fan
Did you know that ceiling fans have different settings? You can change which ways the blades turn to either force warm air down or create a breeze.
During the summer, the blades should spin counter-clockwise. This will create a strong breeze that floats down toward you.
Service Your Air Conditioning Unit
Before the summer months hit, you should have your air conditioning units serviced to ensure they’re performing optimally. A qualified company will come out to inspect your unit. They’ll tune everything up and make sure that all the components are in proper working order.
Put Cool or Ice Water By a Fan
Another way to help with temperature control is by putting ice or cold water in front of a fan. This will result in the fan blowing the coolness of the ice or water around, resulting in your room being colder. If you decide to go with this method, do it in a room where you can shut the windows and doors to trap the air inside.
Change Your Light Bulbs
Electronic equipment gets hot. That also includes light bulbs. If you have your lights on, it can be hard to keep your house cool, especially in the daytime.
LED lights stay cool as opposed to traditional lightbulbs. They’re also energy-efficient, so you’ll save money on your electricity bills.
If you’re unable to change to LED bulbs, keep your lights off as much as you can. Use natural light during the day and light candles at night. Not having a lot of lights on will help keep your house cool and reduce your electricity costs.
Invest in a Dehumidifier
Many places in the United States not only get hot, but they deal with high levels of humidity as well. A dehumidifier won’t lower your house’s temperature, but it will get rid of the thick, sticky air that makes a hot day feel even more uncomfortable.
A dehumidifier will suck all of the moisture out of the hot air in your house. You ideally want to keep the indoor humidity at around 60%. To help save on electricity costs, find one that turns off when the humidity hits your targeted level.
Humidity also decreases how fast our sweat evaporates. That often results in people feeling sweatier and hotter during the summer. Incorporating a dehumidifier into your home will make it feel more comfortable and less stifling.
Change Your Sheets
You can use flannel sheets in the colder months to keep your bed cozy, so why not go for fabrics that will help keep you cooler in winter? Cotton is a great fabric that keeps your body cooler. It is also very breathable, so you won’t feel overheated.
Another type of cooling product you can get for your bed is a buckwheat pillow. Buckwheat hulls have air space between them, so they won’t keep your body heat as a regular pillow would.
Cool Your Body
The temperature of your body is just as important as that of your house. There are a couple of things you can do to decrease your internal body temperature.
One thing you can do is to apply a cold cloth to areas on your body like your wrists and neck. This will help cool down your body from the inside out. You can also wear loose-fitting clothing made from breathable fabrics.
If you’re feeling particularly overheated, you can take a contrast or cool shower. A contrast shower is where you alternate between cold and hot water. It helps make your body more adaptable to changes in temperature.
If you’re coming in from a high temperature or hot environment, don’t jump into a cold shower right away. Take a few minutes to cool off in front of a fan first.
Follow Our Tips on How to Cool Down Your House
Learning how to cool down your house and body is essential to surviving through the hot summer months. There are inexpensive tips you can implement to keep you and your family cool this summer.
Staying on top of your air conditioning unit is also essential. Unique Air Heating and Cooling are here to provide you with cooling services. Contact our office today.