Keeping your house cool without A/C

Keeping your house cool without A/C

Summer may bring many wonderful things but the extreme heat is not one of them. For many, using air conditioning is not affordable nor available. Here are some tips for keeping your house cool in the summer heat, with or without AC. We use these techniques in steamy to reduce our air conditioning bill.

Open and closing doors

While it makes sense to keep as many doors open inside your house as possible to create an air flow, try closing doors to rooms you aren’t using. This will prevent cold air heading into these rooms, meaning only the ones you really want to stay cool benefit most.

Be smart with your windows

Open your windows at night when the air is cooler to let in that colder air. But when the Sun comes up, close the windows to trap the cold air as long as possible. You’ll probably need to open them at some point, though.

Grow some houseplants

Certain plants including cacti and bromeliads get their water from the air, rather than you watering them. This means they can remove some of the humidity from the air in your house, keeping you cooler.

Unplug

Everything you plug into a socket produces heat. Unplug all unnecessary appliances or electronics when not in use. Even those little red glowing lights that stare at you in the middle of the night indicating the item is turned off drain energy and produce heat. Turning something off is not enough unplug

Cool Down a Room

Close off rooms that are not in use, and focus your cooling efforts only where you need them. Figure out how to cool down a room or cool down people.

Cold air fans and personal fans targeting a small area use a lot less energy than cooling an entire home. This portable handheld fan comes with a rechargeable battery to provide cooling in your home or on the go.

Better insulation and tighter seals will help you keep your home cooler in extreme heat and warmer in winter with less energy.

Have a night time cool

Having a cool-down routine is a great way to stay cool in the summer without AC. Not only does it keep your body temperature lower, but it can also help keep your home cool naturally.

Because physical activity creates body heat, start settling down about an hour before bed, and turn off electronics as well. Then, start cooling yourself down: drink plenty of ice water and drape a cold pack on the back of your neck.