How To Cool Your Home Without Turning On The A/C
When we daydream about summer, we can be so focused on beautiful sunsets, delicious ice cream cones, and the latest fashion trends (hello linen pants and boxer shorts) that we forget just how hot it can get. After a long day of meeting friends for lunch, running errands, or just exploring the neighborhood, we're sweating buckets by the time we make it home. That's when knowing how to cool a room comes in handy — and it's more than just grabbing your favorite cooling products from Amazon, especially if you don't have A/C in your home.
Even if you have central air, running your A/C at all times isn't always the most cost-effective or eco-friendly idea. Given the fact that so many people work from home, it's important to make sure your space is as comfortable as possible. Keep reading for our best tips for keeping your home cool, without upping your utility bill.
1. Open the Windows in the Morning and Evening
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On hot days, it might seem like a good idea to open the windows to help with airflow. However, if it's hot outside, that will only bring the hot air into your space! Instead, specialists from Magnet suggest that you open them in the morning when the day hasn't gotten hot yet and after dinner when the heat of the day starts to cool down.
This is an especially good idea if your space gets stuffy easily because opening the windows in the morning will allow the overnight air to leave the room.
2. Cook Strategically
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The last thing we want to do on a hot afternoon is stand over a stove. Try adjusting your schedule so that you can cook earlier in the day, or swap your recipes for cold dishes like this Watermelon-Peach Chilled Soup. You can also prep everything ahead of time, throw it in the oven, and hang out in another room while it bakes.
If your kitchen feels extra hot, turn on your oven's exhaust fan (which gets rid of smoke and odors) since it will suck out some of the heat from the air.
3. Keep the Fans On
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Not only will keeping your fan on help with the airflow year-round, but you can set it up during hotter months to keep a room as cool as possible. Make sure ceiling fans turn counterclockwise to suck all the heat up to the ceiling and push cool air down. Just don't forget to turn it clockwise once autumn comes!
4. Close the Curtains
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Similar to opening your windows strategically, closing your curtains at certain times of day can help cool your space down. They'll block out the heat of the sun during the afternoon, and keep your living room, kitchen, or bedroom in the shade. You can go with blinds, regular curtains, or blackout curtains depending on your preferences.
5. Grab Heat-Absorbing Houseplants
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We're always open to the idea of adding some new houseplants to our collection, so why not grab a few that can make your room feel cooler? Plants that transpire (or "sweat"), such as snake plants, Chinese evergreens, and palms, will remove heat from the air as water and nutrients leave their systems.
How do you cool a room? Let us know on Twitter and subscribe to our email newsletter for more home tips.
This post has been updated.
Lead image via B+C.