As fun as summer looks like on the television, the reality of it isn’t as fun. While switching between the fan and the air conditioner, we often forget about the massive electricity bill. Even after the huge cost of a cooling system, at times it just isn’t enough.
However, the trick to stay cool during scorching hot days is to cool down the entire room. Here are some neat tips and tricks to turn down the temperature in your apartment.
1. Cover Your Windows
Whether you use blinds or curtains, you should utilize them. Cover the windows and draw your curtains as they keep direct sunlight out and therefore keep your home cool.
Even choosing the correct curtains will have an effect on your home’s temperature. Different colored curtains will absorb and reflect heat so, to stay cool, use light-colored curtains as they do not absorb heat to make the room warmer.
On the contrary, even though red curtains might reflect heat, the color will make you feel hotter because it is a warm color.
2. Tactfully Use Fans
When you switch the fan in a room that is too hot, you will notice how the room actually gets a lot warmer because the hot air just gets pushed around the room. However, there are still ways to make your room cooler with a fan.
A great way to cool down your apartment in the strong heat is by creating your own cooling system without the cost of the AC. To create this, all you will need is a standing fan and a tray of ice.
Point the fan towards the ice and as the ice melts, the cool air will spread around the room.
Another trick is, instead of letting your fan move the hot air around, angle it slightly towards the windows. This helps the fans circulate cool air around your home.
3. Showering with the Right Temperature
On a hot day, the members of the house will be in and out of the shower to cool down and many prefer hot steaming showers.
Hot showers might relax you at the moment but the steam from the shower will stay and make the house warmer. So, while showering if you cannot avoid hot water at least make sure that it is not steaming hot.
4. Dehumidify the Rooms
In hot and humid environments, it gets hard for sweat to dry because of the humidity, leaving you hot and sticky. If you use a dehumidifier, there won’t be any more excess moisture in the air and it will also help you dry down.
This, in turn, will help you cool off.
5. Use Natural Lighting
During the day, natural lighting combined with light curtains will help illuminate your room. Opt for natural lighting instead of light bulbs and lamps, and even if you do have to turn on the lights, avoid turning on the bigger lamps.
This is because artificial lighting emits heat which makes the room hotter.
6. Make Your Bed
Even while in bed during hot days, you will start getting sweaty and feeling sticky between the sheets. To minimize this, switch your sheets out for cotton ones as they are more breathable which makes them optimal for the summer.
Furthermore, get a buckwheat pillow, they are famously known for not holding heat in and are good for air circulation. This way, your head will stay cool.
7. Invest in Gardening
Plants are very helpful when it comes to cooling down. Having a tree outside can block sunlight from reaching your house and having a lot of plants can help reduce surface heat.
If you start a bit of gardening around your home, even though it will take time for its full effects to come into play, the area around your home and your apartment will be cooler.
However, make sure you take proper measures to avoid insects and critters from getting into your home.
8. Move to Lower Parts of the House
Heat always travels upwards so if you live in a two-story apartment, you might want to sleep on the lower floor during the summer. Something to keep in mind when you go apartment hunting in the first place is to prioritize lower floors if the summers where you live are cruel.
9. Power Off Your Gadgets
During hot days, your number one priority will be to reduce the number of things that increase heat levels in your home and then to start implementing measures to cool down.
You will notice that when you use gadgets for long stretches of time, your body or the body parts which come in contact with the device warm-up. The device itself emits a lot of heat. This will end up making your apartment warmer and will make you feel a lot hotter.
So, during hot summer days turn off as many devices as possible and enjoy nature or read a book.
10. Cook Wisely
When the temperatures are high, avoid cooking or at least cooking heavy meals. You can also opt for cooking outdoors so that the heat does not build up inside the apartment.
Naturally, although cooking heat is created inside there aren’t enough ways to let the heat escape so it just keeps building inside. If all else fails and you need to cook inside the apartment, the best alternative is to cook tactfully.
Only use your stoves after the peak time of the afternoon is over.
Final Thoughts
The scorching heat can become unbearable but sometimes people make the inside of their homes a lot hotter than necessary. With some well thought out measures, the heat inside a room can be reduced significantly and the apartment can also be cooled down.
Using these tips and tricks, hopefully, you will be able to survive the next summer in your home.
