Air Conditioners have been an important go-to appliance during the months-long heat waves. Even in regions with gentler climates, homeowners can still experience enough hot days and air conditioners will surely be in demand and of use.
Turning the thermostat up or down a few degrees or cranking the fans to their highest or lowest settings might not seem like a big deal but these following adjustments will help you stay cool and definitely add up to big savings on your energy.
Block the sun from reaching your windows.
The most efficient way to avoid summer heat is by blocking the sun’s rays from ever reaching the windows.
If you notice, it’s the same simple concept we employ with umbrellas to protect our skin and carports to shade our cars. People tend to believe that the most basic and only effective way for our houses is to have interior drapes. It’s simply not true. The more shading you can include on the outside, the better.
If a matching set of shutters is still not on the budget, consider a simple overhang made with brackets and timber slats to block your windows from the intense summer sun.
There are inexpensive bamboo blinds available on the market and are surely helpful to block a good portion of sunlight without completely sacrificing daylight.
Add Interior Drapes, Blinds or Shades
Once the heat from the sun’s rays passes through the glass of a window, that heat is in the house and will need to be ventilated to escape.
It is crucial to add another layer of protection between the window and the main thermal mass of your home to keep your walls from soaking up the heat from direct rays of the sun.
Sheer window treatments are a nice way to mitigate direct sun rays to the floor but maintain soft, natural daylight. Plus, white reflects sunlight better than colors.
Get the Air Circulating
Air will flow only if it is forced (via a fan of some sort) or if there is a large temperature difference with a neighboring body of air.
Ceiling fans and standing fans placed near windows at night can help force the air movement when there is no breeze and a small temperature difference. During the day the added air movement from fans can help the perception of heat, which is tied to humidity.
The reason everyone loves misters in the summer is not for the humidity of the water in the air, but for the evaporative cooling effect of water being lifted off the skin. In fact, I always keep a couple of plant misters around the house, hidden near the fans, for a quick spritz as I pass by (our dog loves it too).
Another evaporative cooling tip, borrowed from history, is to set a big chunk of ice (or ice packs) in front of a fan with a tray underneath to catch the water as it melts. It makes for a really cheap and fairly effective DIY air conditioner for small rooms. I recommend closing off the space as much as possible, so you don’t lose that great cool air.
Turn Off Major Appliances During the Day
To help maintain those cooler temperatures during the day, reduce anything that generates heat in your house or apartment. For example, don’t use the dryer or oven and try not to open the fridge too often. The more you open it, the more the motor has to work to cool it down again, and the heat generated from that work will be released back into your apartment.
Transition Your Bed Into Summer Mode
I don’t know about you, but I feel summer heat the most when I’m trying to sleep. Reduce the amount of bedding you have and stick to natural fabrics like linen or 100 percent cotton. Synthetic blends don’t breathe enough to release all the heat we generate during the night.
Sleep on the Porch or Balcony
“Outdoor sleeping has come to stay, so let us recognize the fact and build our houses accordingly.” This declaration appeared in the magazine Decorative Homes of Moderate Costs in 1921, responding to the widespread fad of sleeping on screened porches. Sleeping al fresco was considered, in the time of diseases like tuberculosis, to be a reasonable health measure. As such, for many years, sleeping porches were an integral part of home designs.
Depending on your home or apartment and security concerns, you may have a little exterior screened-in space that can be used like a sleeping porch. You could have a little daybed with light linens for nights when it’s comfortable enough to sleep in the open air.
Stay Hydrated
Everyone knows that staying hydrated in summer is extremely important. But did you know that drinking water also helps regulate your body temperature?
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