Keepin’ Cool: 10 Tips For The Dog Days of Summer

If you don’t have an air conditioner or the cold air is restricted to one room, one of the hardest parts of summer is just trying to stay cool! It can make you yearn for January when it will be -20 degrees and you will be shoveling out your driveway in whiteout conditions.

 

But it doesn’t have to be this way! Here are ten tips to help you beat the heat and conquer the dog days of summer.

 

1. Make everything breathable

 

Ditch polyester and go cotton. Shirts, bed sheets, underwear – allow air to actually make it to your body!

 

2. Close those curtains

 

Keep the curtains and blinds closed, especially wherever your home faces the sun! They can reflect the sun’s light, preventing a lot of unnecessary heat from warming up your already too-warm house. Maybe even go with blackout curtains – these can reduce the heat energy coming off your windows by almost 35%.

 

Once the day’s heat has peaked, though, you should open up your windows. The warm air will escape, the cool air will come in, and you’ll feel better!

 

3. Drink plenty of water

 

This one’s kind of common sense, but we can forget to drink water, replacing it with sugary beverages that are terrible for our health. Keep a pitcher in your fridge at all times, and keep a reusable bottle on ice when you’re outside working on the landscaping. The most effective way of preventing overheating is to drink cool water, as much as you feel is necessary.

 

4. Make your home air-tight

 

To keep the cold air in, make sure your doors and windows are sealed tight and your attic is well insulated. Consider even insulated window films as an extra defense against the sun’s rays.

 

5. Ceiling fans

 

Get it going fast in a counter-clockwise direction to create a wonderful downward flow of air.

 

6. Cook outdoors!

 

Your oven is making summer unbearable, so why not get behind the grill and make more of your barbecue this summer? Disperse that heat into the atmosphere instead of the close confines of your kitchen!

 

7. If you need to cook indoors, keep the exhaust fan on while cooking

 

Same goes for your bathroom fan while taking a steaming hot shower – they pull the hot air out of your house. Maybe take colder showers, though.

 

8. Use your fridge and freezer

 

Well, don’t use it too much; don’t keep the doors open or anything! But having cold compresses, washcloths, and maybe a shirt or two… it all depends on the size of your appliances, but you may want to just move your closet into a chest freezer for July and August.

 

You can even put ice gel packs on your mattress between the sheets to cool off your bed before hitting the hay. It might just help you sleep well!

 

9. Relocate to your basement or lower level of your house

 

This one sounds kind of silly, we know, but “hot air rises” is the most commonly known law of thermodynamics (try naming another!). Sleeping “low” is a good way of staying cool during the summer.

 

10. Update your air conditioning!

 

You knew this was where we were going, right? You can use all the above methods to feel cool and reduce energy costs, but having proper air conditioning can work wonders, especially if you’re older or have pets.

 

So if you need an upgrade, or are looking to get it in the first place, give us a call. We can help you stay cool this summer and help you make it cost-effective!