A modern homeowner might wonder how people got on during the summer before the advent of modern air conditioning. Certainly, not everyone could spend all summer up in the mountains or at the beach. This is true, and people still managed to survive the summer heat. Even now, according to Tommy Smith Weston FL, people who lack central A/C can stay perfectly cool through even the hottest summer. Here’s how they do it.
1. Install a window fan
An electric window fan, not even a room unit air conditioner, can be deliciously cool on a hot night. This is especially true if it is run with a ceiling fan. If a homeowner really wants a summer bedroom to be frosty all night, put a bottle of frozen water in front of the fan.
2. Drink cold drinks and eat cold foods
Drinks with ice in them are fun and make a person feel chilly on a hot day. Put cold compresses to the pulse points and keep a bowl of cold water on the floor by the bed. When it gets too hot, dip the toes in.
3. Don’t cook indoors
Lots of nutritious foods, such as salads, can be made without turning on the stove. Summer is the time to ask for take-out or to use the backyard grill.
4. Close the doors
Homeowners know to close the doors during the winters to keep heat from escaping into unused rooms. The same thing applies to keeping the precious cool air in one room and out of another that is not being used. This works especially well at night, when temps are usually cooler.
5. Put the bed linens in the fridge
Put the sheets and pillowcases in the fridge for a few hours and take them out just before bedtime. Make the bed, and hop in. Some people spritz their sheets with water before putting them in the refrigerator. Use cotton sheets in the summer, which are much cooler than the flannels used in the winter.
6. Make ceiling fans go counter-clockwise
Homeowners are always surprised at what a difference this makes. When the fan spins counterclockwise it causes a windchill that makes the room feel cooler. When the fan spins clockwise, it pulls warm air up and distributes it around the room.
7. Buy a special pillow
Buy special pillows made to stay cool. They’re filled with water then the air is pushed out of them. This makes them cool down spectacularly without having to be put in the fridge or freezer.
8. Use a hot water bottle
Fill a hot water bottle, put it in the freezer, then tuck it beneath the blankets at bedtime.
9. Sleep on the floor
Hot air rises and cold air sinks. The lower a person sleeps, the cooler they are.
10. Crack the windows a bit at night
When the night comes and the air cools down, crack the window a little if the surrounding area isn’t too buggy. Close the window again when the sun comes up.
11. Close the blinds
This may not be for people who absolutely love floods of sunlight in all their rooms, but for everyone else closing blinds and shutters and drawing the draperies can cut down the heat amazingly. It also saves money on electric bills when the A/C unit doesn’t have to work as hard. In some cases, the room temperature can plummet as much as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Blackout curtains make the room even cooler.
12. No more incandescent lights
It is surprising how high even one incandescent light can raise the temperature in a room. Not only that, they are astonishingly energy inefficient. Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. According to Tommy Smith Weston FL, they are far more efficient, last much longer and do not have the cold, flickering blue light or those old fashioned fluorescent tubes.
