We all know that summer weather can be pretty uncomfortable at times. But don’t fret! There are plenty of ways to beat the heat and keep your apartment cool without air conditioning. Read on for some helpful tips!
Turn on the fan
The choice is huge – there are expensive fans with moisturizing and cooling functions, ordinary floor fans and portable fans that work from USB and can be connected to a computer.
Experts suggest putting a bowl of ice or cold water in front of the fan. So the air will fall first on them and additionally cooled.
When the fan is on, it is better to close the door to the room – so the cool air will remain inside the room and will not be distributed throughout the apartment.
If you have a powerful fan, place it farther away from you so that you are not blown away.
Close the curtains
The main source of heat in a room is light. The sun’s rays penetrate through a window, so close your curtains during the day. American energy experts estimate that ordinary fabric curtains reduce heat gain by 33%, while so-called cellular curtains reduce heat gain by 60%. If your window gets a lot of direct sunlight, it is recommended to choose light and dense curtains.
Blackout – completely darken the room. The fabric has a three-layer construction, which retains heat and blocks 90-100% of sunlight. There is also a special impregnation in the fabric, which is what provides the impermeability.
Dimout – block out 70-80% of light. They consist of three layers: the middle one is black, the others are decorative.
Blinds-plisse – made of pleated fabric with transverse folds that resemble an accordion. Unlike conventional blinds consist of a continuous fabric.
Stick foil or foil on the windows
Ordinary food foil will not work, so you need to buy a special one designed for windows. They come in matte and with a pattern, self-adhesive and not. Such foil will not leave traces on the windows. Minus – the room will become darker.
Another option is a thermo-regulating or mirror foil. It is transparent and will let in natural light, but will reflect most of the heat.
Open windows and doors at night
If the heat subsides at night, you can open windows and doors throughout the apartment. Let the cooled air circulate between the rooms and cool them down.
In apartments where the windows face different directions, you can create a draught on purpose. On the side where the wind is blowing, the window should be small (you can only open it slightly or open only the vent), and on the opposite side – large.
Spread ice around the room
Freeze water in ice molds, plastic bags, or immediately in dishes. Put the ice into bowls and spread it around the room – as it melts, it will cool the air. Don’t forget to place a towel or plate under the bowl to prevent puddles from condensation.
Remove the carpet
Carpets help to retain heat in the room, so in Soviet times they were even hung on the walls. And in summer they become an additional source of heat. Therefore, at the beginning of the season it is better to roll them up and put them away until the cold weather. Additionally, you can replace heavy bedspreads and plaids with light cotton ones.
Seal gaps around doors and windows
In winter, it’s common to seal window gaps to keep cold air from the street from entering the room – this method will work in summer too, especially if you live in an older home. The window frame can be sealed with regular painter’s tape on the inside and self-adhesive window sealant on the outside. These will be easy to peel off when the heat subsides. In addition, these materials will not leave any residue.
The slit under the room door should be closed with any cloth or towel, so that the cool air does not escape. For better effect, the cloth can be dampened, if your floors do not deteriorate from prolonged contact with moisture.
Change your light bulbs to LED ones
All electronic equipment emits heat, including light bulbs. After all, 90% of the energy they consume is released as heat and only about 10% as light. Therefore, when the lamps are on, it can be difficult to reduce the temperature in the room.
Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs, on the other hand, stay cool.
Turn off unnecessary appliances
Check if there are appliances nearby that generate heat and turn them off or use them less frequently.
The hottest room in the house is the kitchen: there’s a stove, dishwasher and refrigerator, the back wall of which heats up. In the bathroom, heat is generated by the towel warmer, washer and dryer, and it gets humid from the hot water after a shower. Doors to these two rooms should be kept closed in the heat.
In other rooms, computers, game consoles and laptops can be a source of heat, especially if they don’t have a cooler, then the warm air will just escape into the room.
Do a damp mopping
Once a day, mop the floor with cool water and wipe down surfaces with a damp cloth. Not only will this help cool the room in the heat, but it will also help regulate the cleanliness of the air – the apartment will be easier to breathe. The more often you get rid of dust and dirt in hot weather, the better your overall health will be.
Doctors believe that wet cleaning is useful in any weather: the fact is that there are many bacteria and viruses on the surface of the floor, tables and other objects, and wet cleaning is a great prevention of acute respiratory infections and many infectious diseases.
Control the humidity
High humidity adds to the stuffiness: its recommended level in a living room is between 30 and 60%. Increased humidity leads to mold, aggravates allergies, it interferes with thermoregulation of the body and complicates breathing. A dehumidifier will help to get rid of it.
In hot weather, the house becomes very stuffy, and with high humidity, the risk of overheating increases. When a person is hot, they sweat profusely, and if the humidity in the house is high, the room becomes a steam room. High humidity prevents sweat from evaporating from the surface of the body and thus cooling it down
If, on the contrary, the air in the room is too dry, it is worth turning on the humidifier. The main thing is to make sure that it does not turn into a hammam: if the air is already visible water suspension, the humidifier should be turned off. You can also do it the old-fashioned way: wet the sheets and hang them up.
Sleep on the floor
It’s a law of physics that warm air expands and rises up, while cold air sinks down. Therefore, when the heat becomes intolerable, you can put the mattress on the floor and sleep there.
Use orthopedic pillows with a cooling effect. Cooling is due to a special gel or filling in the form of foam, which provide thermoregulation. There are special cooling mats for animals.
