Tips to Combat the Summer Heat
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Summer is upon us! Soon we will be loving the long days and short nights – especially those of us with air conditioning at home, or who live in basements where the temperatures stay cool for sleeping.
For those of us who lack these amenities, here are some tips and tricks for keeping your house cool when the temperatures become too hot to handle.
Most notably, staying ahead of the heat is always best. So, if you can plan for it, here is an elaborate process to follow each day:
1. As soon as the outdoor temperature is less than the indoor temperature, open the windows.
2. If the outdoor temperature is greater than the indoor temperature, keep everything closed, including window blinds! Often heat can be reflected into windows even on the north side of the building if the windows are not blocked or inhibited.
3. Watch the heat in the morning and be sure to close everything up again as soon as the temperature outside is greater than inside.
4. Wet down the outside areas, like patios, if they are under windows/doors. The evaporating moisture will create a slight breeze, and as heat rises, that breeze will take the heat up and away from your home.
5. If you have windows higher up (upstairs), open those so that they can let the heat escape! Heat rises and this will draw cooler temperatures into the lower parts of the building (where you have also opened windows).
6. Fans are great for moving the air. Even if you can’t pull in colder temperatures, the breeze can cool your skin, especially if you use a spray bottle to mist your skin so the evaporating water can carry heat away.
Here are some other ideas for helping your body to stay cool this summer:
1) Stay hydrated with clean cool fresh water, ideally. Adding slices of fruit can help make it more refreshing.
2) Keep your doors closed as much as possible.
3) Instead of cooking on the stove and in the oven choose salads and cold foods, or cook outside to keep the heat out of the house.
4) Cool water soaked onto a paper or cloth towel and placed on the back of the neck will often help you feel cooler. Taking a cold shower or a quick dip into a pool of water, or even a spritz of water and a hand fan will help. Natural fibers such as cotton and linen allow air flow to the skin. Wetting your hair or hat can also help you stay cool during the heat of the day.
You can put a bowl of ice or a frozen water bottle in a bowl (to catch the melting) in front of a fan. To make a low-tech swamp cooler, get an old picnic cooler (the hardshell plastic type) and a fan. Cut a hole in the cooler side (for the fan) and top (for the air to come out). Fill the cooler with ice and be sure to direct the air flow where you and any other living beings will be resting.
Using a dehumidifier can also help the room feel cooler.
5) Store any lotion you frequently use in the fridge for quick, cool relief.
6) Leave the house altogether and head for a shopping mall, movie theater, public library or other such public space with air conditioning, to stay cool.
7) Avoid direct sunlight, or black asphalt. Head into the woods, especially near flowing water!
8) Choose lightweight sheets and bedding. Also, the lower your bed nearer to the floor, as heat rises, to stay cooler. You could even try sleeping in a hammock outside! Or try a damp cloth as a blanket.
9) If the heat is dry, drinking a hot beverage (such as tea) will cause you to sweat, which will actually help cool you.
A little creativity can help you make the sunny summer not only memorable for the right reasons, but comfortable, as well.
Community Editor. Interim News Editor / A&E Editor
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