No A/C at home or A/C not working? Here are 7 tips to stay cool at home even when you don’t have air conditioning.
- Go Damp! – on a dry day, hang damp sheets in front of your open windows. The sheets act as mini-swamp coolers every time the breeze blows. Instant cool!
- White Out – Use white curtains or shades and keep them closed. If your window coverings are white to reflect the sun, you will be blocking up to 45% of the heat from outside according to the US Department of Energy.
- Close it Up – be sure to close your fireplace damper. If you leave the damper open, it actually draws hot air from outside.
- Keep the Heat – outside! – Cook outside in the summer. Use a grill with a pot burner and you can prepare an entire meal while keeping the heat where it belongs, outside! Try serving spicy foods that make you sweat and you’ll get the extra benefit of cooling when the sweat evaporates.
- Light it Up – using compact fluorescent bulbs reduces the heat from lighting by 70% over older incandescent bulbs.
- Freeze it Out – here’s a trick – fill a cotton sock with rice and place it in the freezer for at least 2 hours. The rice stays cold for a long time due to its density. Viola! You now have a cold compress. Use it on your neck or slip it between the sheets to cool off the bed for sweet (not sweat) dreams.
- Gotta Get Away! – Go for an A/C chilled ride in your car! If your car’s A/C is not blowing cold, it probably is low in refrigerant. Refrigerant leaks out as the rubber components of your A/C system get older and more brittle. You can make your car factory-room cold again in about 10 minutes with A/C Avalanche®. A/C Avalanche®, uses Smart Clip technology, so that you can quickly add just the right amount of refrigerant for optimal a/c cool. Plus A/C Avalanche®, contains additives to seal the rubber leaks in your A/C so that you stay cool all summer!