The Out of Town Jew

During the summer the risk of heat-related illnesses and deaths rises. But honestly, I just decided to write this post after kvetching every time it’s hot and then finally doing my own research on how to keep our house cool. So, here are some easy and simple ways to keep your house cool, with or without air conditioning, and without really having to invest a lot of money.

1. Use fans in or near windows and perhaps even doors (that is of course if you feel safe enough to leave your door open) to blow in the cool air at night. In the morning or as soon as the heat starts to go up, close any doors and windows.
   
2. Close all blinds (blackout blinds are known to be better at keeping the house cooler) from late morning until early evening. When the sunlight shines in your windows it creates a greenhouse effect. If you do not have blinds or your blinds are not so great, and you do not want to spend the money on new blinds, use tin foil. Point the super shiny side out. It will keep aliens at bay and blind anyone who dares to look (sorry neighbors :/). Seriously though, I’ve seen a whole side of a fire department with tin foil windows. It may seem a little ghetto-rigged but know you’re not the only one doing it and you’re going to stay a whole lot cooler.

   Photo by Olya /Voloshka on Unsplash

3. Make sure to turn off any lights you really don’t need. Most lights can generate heat but energy-efficient LEDS are better at not generating heat. Many cities have rebates to help you replace your current lights with energy-efficient ones. You can view a list of LED rebates by region and bulbs that qualify for rebates at LED Light Bulb Rebates | ENERGY STAR LED Rebates.
4. This is a little extreme, but when you’re desperate anything helps. I’ve found that it helps to basically not use anything that generates heat (dishwasher, dryer, etc).
5. Keep a ceiling fan going during the day to circulate the air and make it feel a little cooler.  Make sure the blades are turning counterclockwise to move a breeze around, in the winter they should be turning clockwise to help distribute heat (there should be a switch of some sort on your fan). You don’t have to use a ceiling fan, any fan will work but just don’t place it near a hot area like the window, that will just blow hot air around.

   Photo by Hutomo Abrianto on Unsplash

6. Turn on your bathroom fans and kitchen vent, this will help suck out the warmer air, especially if you’ve taken a shower or cooked anything.
7. Don’t cook ANYTHING indoors. In the summer we eat cold food for breakfast and lunch, sometimes even dinner. Or we cook everything outside on the grill. This grill: Camp Chef Camp Chef Stainless Steel Barbecue Grill Box 3 Burner Stoves, is great because it’s portable (for camping/travel), and you can cook just about anything on it. I suggest buying the Camp Chef CGG24B Cast iron grill/griddle with it. I’ve even used the crockpot outside. For coffee (which I have to mention since we live in Seattle), I usually premake it at night (or cold brew and let it sit for 24 hours) and then quickly warm in the microwave. Try out this recipe for coffee concentrate.

   Photo by Alex Holt on Unsplash

8.  If you have a basement, move all your home activities (sleeping, playing, hanging out, etc) there for the time being. You could also consider just sleeping on the floor (any floor) since hot air rises it should be a little cooler.

   Photo by Jorge Zapata on Unsplash

9. Make your life easier by concentrating your efforts on a smaller area. Close doors to any rooms you are not using.
10. If all else fails, get out of the house, go to an air-conditioned place like the mall or a movie theater. Walk around Target (yes, I said Target, because I’m so sophisticated like that, haha). Or, if your car has air conditioning, just go for a mini scenic road trip.

    Photo by averie woodard on Unsplash

11. When the above tips have failed you, buy an air conditioner. Right now the best rated on Consumer Reports are:
    1. • Portable Air Conditioner:
         Friedrich ZoneAir P12B air conditioner
         
       • Window Air Conditioners:
         GE AHM05LW air conditioner
         

But make sure to do your research first before buying an air conditioner. Apparently, square footage and BTU do matter. Check out this page for more info. If you can afford a small air conditioner, close off the room where the air conditioner is so it will stay cooler. Make sure the door seal is pretty tight, you can place a towel underneath which will help to keep the cool air in.

What has helped you keep your home cool during the hot summer? Please comment below!