We have learned to open our windows strategically. Some stay closed and blinds drawn to block hot sun, others are opened with fans placed in specific places throughout the house. We actually have it down to a science, and it is frequently as cool as having the A/C on!
After renting a room in an old Victorian farmhouse, I discovered an interesting method of cooling the house. We open the door to the basement, and allow the cool air to flow from there into the rest of the house. It works pretty well!
I live in a small farm house nestled on a hill surrounded by trees. I do not have central A/C nor ceiling fans but I fight the summer heat by taking advantage of the natural air flow in my home. By opening selected windows I am able to circulate the air and lower the temperature of the house enough to make a noticeable difference. I use 2 energy efficient tower fans on each end of the house to push the air for days where the breeze has settled. I keep my body temperature down with a healthy diet, fresh homegrown fruit smoothies, plenty of water and a short 2-3min cold water shower. If the heat becomes unbearable, you can find me in the woods with my feet in the stream. Stay hydrated this summer!!
We are lucky in we live close to Niagara Falls so on really hot days we would walk around the falls because the mist would cool you off. We also go to the park with shade and the creek
Last year I bought thermal curtains, and they seem to help. I keep them closed during the day. When I'm not working, I try to head somewhere to swim. If that is not possible, I go to a mall. I have to use the AC when I sleep though!
This is going to sound lame (and maybe it is!). We take our son to the library. Free air conditioning. Great play areas. And Mason loves looking for new books and DVDs.
CHEAP way to stay cool!
Also, we're fortunate to have a man-made lake in the city of Calgary. We go there a lot during the summer. Again, it's free!
To cool off I usually run the AC on low to knock the heat out. I personally don't do fans because I can't stand the noise and keeping a fan plugged in non-stop can help raise the utility bill and burn the motor out faster. Using energy saving curtains also helps keep the extra heat out too. I'll usually go to the library if it gets super hot and I want to do something fun--our library is also located near restaurants and ice cream shops
As someone who does not have central air, I find the best ways to cool off are:
1) Take a cool shower before bed and dust bedding lightly with a mix of cornstarch or baking soda scented with a few drops of lavender essential oil.
2) Drink plenty of water
3) Have ceiling fans installed in every room possible.
4) Spend as much time as possible in shady areas near the water.
I go for walks in the early mornings when it's cool and then take a cool shower. I think this starts my whole day off on the right foot so that the later heat is easier to take.
We are blessed with air conditioning, but before we had it, we would use fans and a bowl of ice in front of them as "air conditioning". It does help! The kids enjoy running through the cold sprinkler, and a dip in the lake nearby is always refreshing.
Lists are now a necessity for me as an extra check on meeting deadlines of all sorts. It definitely has the benefits you mention but I must use them as I get older.
My wife took care of her mother at the end and she has been so grateful for that experience. It was life changing and she felt blessed that she could do that. It gave her peace.
That's a very relevant topic! Three main things: proper clothes, less heating and more shade, and you can maintain your temperature low without running your AC 24/7.
When my husband and I were first married, our little apartment had no A/C. We put in an A/C unit in the bedroom, but the rest of the apartment was like an oven. We used to go to Barnes & Noble to cool off.
We have learned to open our windows strategically. Some stay closed and blinds drawn to block hot sun, others are opened with fans placed in specific places throughout the house. We actually have it down to a science, and it is frequently as cool as having the A/C on!
After renting a room in an old Victorian farmhouse, I discovered an interesting method of cooling the house. We open the door to the basement, and allow the cool air to flow from there into the rest of the house. It works pretty well!
The easiest way to cool off around here is also free - jump in Lake Superior. That'll cool you right off for sure!
I live in a small farm house nestled on a hill surrounded by trees. I do not have central A/C nor ceiling fans but I fight the summer heat by taking advantage of the natural air flow in my home. By opening selected windows I am able to circulate the air and lower the temperature of the house enough to make a noticeable difference. I use 2 energy efficient tower fans on each end of the house to push the air for days where the breeze has settled. I keep my body temperature down with a healthy diet, fresh homegrown fruit smoothies, plenty of water and a short 2-3min cold water shower. If the heat becomes unbearable, you can find me in the woods with my feet in the stream. Stay hydrated this summer!!
We cool off by playing in the sprinkler and making home made popsicles!
We are lucky in we live close to Niagara Falls so on really hot days we would walk around the falls because the mist would cool you off. We also go to the park with shade and the creek
Visiting a pool at a friend's while cooling off and spending QT together!
Last year I bought thermal curtains, and they seem to help. I keep them closed during the day. When I'm not working, I try to head somewhere to swim. If that is not possible, I go to a mall. I have to use the AC when I sleep though!
This is going to sound lame (and maybe it is!). We take our son to the library. Free air conditioning. Great play areas. And Mason loves looking for new books and DVDs.
CHEAP way to stay cool!
Also, we're fortunate to have a man-made lake in the city of Calgary. We go there a lot during the summer. Again, it's free!
If it's going to be a hot day, I don't open the windows or blinds/shades. It's amazing how much cooler it stays in the house!
I cool off by taking a cold shower
We keep the central fan on in our home which lowers the amount of time the compressor runs with our air conditioner system.
Standard fan + bowl of water. The bigger bowl, the better. Place bowl between you and fan. Turn fan on. Voila, you've just made low power aircon.
To cool off I usually run the AC on low to knock the heat out. I personally don't do fans because I can't stand the noise and keeping a fan plugged in non-stop can help raise the utility bill and burn the motor out faster. Using energy saving curtains also helps keep the extra heat out too. I'll usually go to the library if it gets super hot and I want to do something fun--our library is also located near restaurants and ice cream shops
Ice bucket in front of fan always works.
As someone who does not have central air, I find the best ways to cool off are:
1) Take a cool shower before bed and dust bedding lightly with a mix of cornstarch or baking soda scented with a few drops of lavender essential oil.
2) Drink plenty of water
3) Have ceiling fans installed in every room possible.
4) Spend as much time as possible in shady areas near the water.
We spend a lot of time at the pool and bbq a lot so we don't heat up the house.
I go for walks in the early mornings when it's cool and then take a cool shower. I think this starts my whole day off on the right foot so that the later heat is easier to take.
We are blessed with air conditioning, but before we had it, we would use fans and a bowl of ice in front of them as "air conditioning". It does help! The kids enjoy running through the cold sprinkler, and a dip in the lake nearby is always refreshing.
Lists are now a necessity for me as an extra check on meeting deadlines of all sorts. It definitely has the benefits you mention but I must use them as I get older.
My wife took care of her mother at the end and she has been so grateful for that experience. It was life changing and she felt blessed that she could do that. It gave her peace.
That's a very relevant topic! Three main things: proper clothes, less heating and more shade, and you can maintain your temperature low without running your AC 24/7.
We actually had a piece on our site covering exactly that topic, cooling off on a budget: http://debt-gone.com/practical-ways-to-save-money-on-air-conditioning-ri...
We oftentimes just open up a few windows to allow air to flow through the room we are currently in.
When my husband and I were first married, our little apartment had no A/C. We put in an A/C unit in the bedroom, but the rest of the apartment was like an oven. We used to go to Barnes & Noble to cool off.
The easiest way to cool off for my family is to just hit the beach or swimming pool. Its free and they both are just a short drive from the house.