Tips for Staying Cool In The Heat - Tips For Keeping Your House Cool With No Air Conditioning

As I write this article, I’m sitting in my living room and it is VERY hot and humid! It’s around 80 degrees but the humidity has got to make it in the mid-90’s. Not a great feeling. I have been procrastinating putting in my AC unit because a.) it costs around $75 a month in the summer to operate and b.) it is really heavy and I need to bug a male friend to come over and install it. I'm not sure if I'll personally be able to get through the summer without my A.C., but I definitely think it would be possible where I live. For now, I'm putting off installing the unit for as long as I can stand it!

I thought I’d share some tips for staying cool in the heat and how you can go about keeping your house cool with no air conditioning!

Obviously, you’re going to need a fan. This will circulate dead, hot air and definitely help you feel a bit cooler. My favorite thing to use is a window fan; so easy to install! My window fan has two fans in it. One blows air in from the outside, the other blows hot air out of my home to the outside.

The cost of operating a window fan is so cheap compared to running an AC.The trick with using a window fan is that sometimes it can do more harm than good – that is if it’s REALLY hot and humid outside. Why would you want to bring that air into your home? On a day like today, the window fan works fine because the air outside has a brisk feel to it. On other days, it’s only beneficial to use window fans at night to cool your home down. They can actually get almost as chilly as an Air Conditioner, it just depends on the weather outside. I love using them at night, because all the cool air will be in the house in the morning and will help keep things cool for the hottest part of the day, the afternoon. One tip is if it’s really hot inside your house and really hot outside, simply change both of the fan’s settings to output so all the hot air leaves your room and goes outside.

If you don’t have a window fan, the other thing you could do is simply open a window or a screened door to allow a cross breeze. If the windows are adjacent, this won’t do much good. I like to keep my living room porch door open slightly and the window in my kitchen open – this creates a good cross breeze between the two because of the layout of my house. Obviously, the same concept applies to using a window fan – if the air outside is ridiculously hot, it is in your best interest to keep your windows and doors shut because that just allows in even hotter air.

Another thing that I do is spray Evian water (it is sold in an aerosol can) over my body and face. It has no chemicals in it and is very pure – great for your skin. If you don’t want to spend $8 on a container of Evian pressurized water, simply fill a spray bottle up with spring water or even tap water and use it the same way. By spraying a thin layer of water on your skin, it helps cool you down similar to how your sweat cools you down by evaporating.

Portable Mini Fans

Another awesome item is a portable spray bottle water fan. It’s a mini fan that allows you to mist yourself. You’ve probably seen them at amusement parks, sporting events, etc. They are really awesome for indoors or outside. They really do work.

• Drink lots of ice water. This is one of the easiest ways to cool your body down, fast! I like to keep frozen water bottles in the freezer and then drink them throughout the day. Hint: Before you freeze water bottles, drink about 2 oz of the water so when the ice expands, it won't deform your water bottle.
• How do you dress? For the ladies, wearing nylon or lycra under-garments can get really warm. Cotton is best for the summer. Men, same for you although most guys where cotton under garments, anyways.
• If the sun beats directly onto a certain room in your house, it’s going to heat up faster! Keep the shades drawn to eliminate extra heat.
• If you’re working in the kitchen and don’t need the sink while you’re preparing a meal, fill it with cold water. Depending on the size of your kitchen, this can REALLY help cool things down while you’re slaving away over a hot stove.

Good luck staying cool and beating the heat this summer! Make sure to share your tips on staying cool in the heat and keeping your house cool with no air conditioning in the comments box below.