Beating the Heat This Summer

When summer weather is here the heat can be hard to escape, even inside your home. While the idea of blasting your air conditioning seems appealing, it starts to look less that way once you get your first summer electric bill. Here are some ways to keep cool, without blowing your electricity budget.

1. Use portable fans and ceiling fans. While fans don’t cool the same way that AC does, they can still be very effective. For an extra blast of coolness place a bowl of ice in front of the fan to create a refreshing mist of air. Placing a box fan in an open window can also accentuate the cooling of the room by creating a cross breeze. If you have AC, running a fan at the same time can help the cool air to circulate better allowing you to run the ac for shorter amounts of time, cutting down on your energy bill.
2. Avoid cooking on the stove. Trade your soups and casseroles for meals you cook on the grill or lighter things like salads and sandwiches. Using things like a crockpot or instant pot are also great ways to cook a meal without heating up your whole house.
3. Go to the library! Now that things are starting to open up there are places you can go to enjoy their air conditioning. The library is a great place to go whether you want to pick up some books to read or use their computers.
4. Keep your curtains drawn. Whether your AC is running or not keeping your curtains closed is a great way to keep your house cool. Sunlight streaming through the house increases the overall temperature making your AC work harder. In the morning before you leave for work close the curtains and you will find your house cooler for it when you get home.
5. Hangout downstairs. It’s common knowledge that heat rises, so it stands to reason that the cooler parts of your house are the downstairs ones. Find creative ways to hangout on your lower level (if you have one) and reduce the energy you use to cool your whole house.
6. Wear lighter colored clothes. Light colors reflect light which means you’ll be cooler when you wear them then when you wear dark clothes that trap heat. Looser clothing rather than tight fitted will also keep you cooler.
7. Keep hydrated. Staying hydrated is one of the best ways to keep cool. You can do this by drinking water or eating summer foods like cucumbers and watermelon. These foods are full of water and summer is the time when they are their tastiest. Leave water bottles in the freezer and take them out when you go someone where. Drink it through out the day as it unfreezes for water that is always cold.