We love the summer, but sometimes those hot days can be a little too much to handle. It’s not that we want to go back to freezing winter temps. It’s just that we want a home that’s bearable.
So, if you want to have a comfortable, not-too-hot home this season, here are 16 ways to stay cool without cranking up the AC.
If you still want to relieve the warmth with AC, here are top choices:
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Cook outdoors
One of the perks of summer living is that you get to cook outdoors. And doing so can keep your kitchen and home from getting too hot. If possible, replace your stovetop and oven cooking with outdoor grilling.
It might take a little getting used to, but you’ll love the taste of grilled foods. And luckily, many of your favorite foods taste amazing off the grill, including meat, fish, veggies and even fruit.
If you can’t grill outside, be sure to turn the fans on in your kitchen to keep the hot air moving out.
Be strategic with doors
Are there certain rooms you simply don’t use very often? If that’s the case, keep the doors to these rooms closed. This helps to keep cool air in the rooms you’re actually using.
However, during the evening hours, it’s good to keep doors open – especially if it encourages breezes to flow throughout the house, cooling it down naturally.
Keep windows closed
During the day, if there’s no breeze cooling down your home, it might be a good idea to shut the windows altogether. You can open them again in the evening when the temperature drops.
Get even smarter with windows
Now, it’s true we just said to keep windows closed. However, if you have windows on both the downwind and upwind sides of your home, here’s a smart hack that can keep your home cool.
For windows on the upwind side (where the wind is coming from), open the bottom section. Then, for windows on the downwind side (where the wind is blowing to), open only the top section.
Go ahead and try it – your friend and family will be so impressed!
Draw the curtains and close the blinds
Sure, it’s nice to have lots of sunshine pouring through the windows, but this can basically turn your home into a hot greenhouse. Instead, keep the curtains closed.
Better yet, invest in thick materials to keep your rooms cool. This is especially important if you have windows facing the south and west, which get the most sun.
Install outdoor window shades and awnings
If you love the natural light in your home but want to avoid the hot rooms it leaves you with, consider using shades and awnings on the outside of the house.
This way, you still get the natural sunlight but avoid much of the heat. Even propping up a big umbrella in front of a particularly bright window can help to keep the room cooler.
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Turn the lights off
Light bulbs are bright but they can be pretty hot, too – not what you want when the temperature is toasty.
So, as long as you have enough natural light, turn the lights off. You’ll save not only on electric bills but also on additional heat, too.
Save your chores for nighttime
Vacuums, along with washers and dryers, can create a lot of extra heat. And besides, who wants to clean when it’s hot out? You’ll only end up a sweaty mess.
So, save laundry and cleaning for the evening when the temperature drops a bit.
Use bathroom and kitchen fans
Normally, we only use bathroom and kitchen fans when we’re actually using those rooms. And during the summer, that’s an absolute must!
But it can be useful to switch them on when it starts to feel particularly hot and sticky.
Unplug
Electronics produce heat, even if you’re not using them. And it’s safe to say that most homes have their fair share of electronic devices.
So, if you’re not using them, just unplug them. It might not seem like a significant step, but every little bit counts.
Spin your ceiling fan in the right direction
It goes without saying that using a ceiling fan helps to keep your home cool and breezy throughout the summer. But most ceiling fans spin in two directions, and you want to be sure your fan spins in the right direction.
For hot weather months, the fan should spin in a counterclockwise direction, or to the right. This pushes cool air down. To check your fan, locate the switch located above the light fixture, and adjust it as necessary.
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Keep more houseplants
Apart from being natural air purifiers, houseplants can also provide a cooling effect – especially if you place them near windows where they can absorb the sunlight.
Just be sure you choose plants that actually like direct sunlight!
Plant a tree or shrub
Now, this is a much bigger investment than simply buying small houseplants. But if you’re a homeowner, finding a tree for outside your home can help to keep the inside cool.
That’s because trees can provide shade, block solar radiation and help to lower the temperature. Some of the best trees to consider are banana, palms, dwarf fig trees, mimosa and crape myrtle trees.
If you still want to relieve the warmth with AC, here are top choices:
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Switch your sheets
In the winter time, there’s nothing like crawling into a cozy bed lined with flannel sheets.
But in the summer, these will make nighttime a nightmare. Instead, look for cotton and/or linen blends, which are lighter fabrics – just what you want during hot summer nights.
Lay low
Heat rises, and if your bedroom is on the second floor, there’s a good chance your room is hot and not conducive to restful sleep.
Consider sleeping in downstairs rooms, or even placing your mattress on the floor where it might be cooler.
Fan hack
The obvious way to cool a room without AC is to use a good old fan. But you can take it one step further by placing a bowl of ice in front of it. When the fan blows air your way, it becomes a slightly cooler breeze thanks to the cold ice cubes.
Bring on the heat! Now you have 16 ways to keep your home cool this summer.
