Surviving the Summer Without Central Air Conditioning

Summer is officially here, along with all the things we love about it — and a few that we hate about it. Like heat waves.

While most people like to crank their AC during the hot summer months, there are a few different ways you can survive the summer without central air conditioning. This is good news for anyone who doesn’t have central AC in their building, because it proves that it’s possible to get back to your normal routine without being impacted by the heat. I mean, you wants to cook or clean when even blinking causes you to break out in a sweat?

Without further ado, here our top tips for surviving the summer without central air conditioning:

Open or Close the Windows

While you might think that having your windows open is a good way to get a cool breeze going, it’s actually doing the opposite. Temperatures change throughout the day. When it’s the middle of the night or early morning, it’s likely to be much cooler out. These are the times when you should have your windows open, and you can even put a fan in one to help pull the cool air in. Just make sure to close them before it starts heating up outside in the afternoon. That way, you’ll trap the cooler air in and keep the hot air out.

Close the Curtains

Keeping your curtains closed, especially for any windows that directly face the sun (south and west-facing windows), will help keep a good amount of heat out of your home. Better yet, invest in blackout curtains. Blackout curtains do an excellent job of keeping sunlight out, naturally insulating your home in the process. Neutral-colored curtains with white backings can also reduce heat gain by up to 33 percent!

Crossbreeze Fans

When people don’t have AC, they normally get fans. To get the most out of your fans, you’ll want to create a crossbreeze by placing two of them on opposite sides of the same room. This will help move cool air throughout the room.

Counterclockwise Ceiling Fans

Did you know that your fan is supposed to be adjusted seasonally? In the winter, it’s best to have it spinning clockwise in order to circulate warm air by pushing it upwards. In the summer, however, it should be spinning counterclockwise in order to push air down and create a wind-chill effect.

Cold Shower

If you’re really hot, taking a quick cold shower will help cool you down for a while. Chances are you’re going to shower at some point each day anyway, so why not try making the water cooler than normal? This can be especially refreshing before going to bed.

Drink Ice Water

Drinking ice water is a great way to bring your body temperature down. When it’s hot out, you should be drinking even more water than normal to ensure you don’t get dehydrated. It also helps on those days when you can’t stop sweating.

Cold Treats

Forget hot comfort food! It’s best to eat a lot of cold things in the summer heat to keep cool. Popsicles are an excellent choice. You can even make your own healthy version by blending fruits and freezing the juice in a popsicle tray.

Cook Outside

There are several reasons why barbecuing is so popular in the summer. The obvious reason is that it’s nice enough to be outside, but it also helps to avoid using the oven indoors — something that’s pretty important if you plan on surviving the summer heat without AC. Turning on the oven really warms up the whole apartment.

Wear Breathable Materials

Dressing appropriately for the weather will definitely help you stay cooler, but the types of materials you use also make a difference. When it’s really hot out, it helps to wear flowy materials made from breathable fibers, like cotton, linen, and rayon.

Change Your Sheets

Finally, trying to sleep in the heat can be a living nightmare. To help heat-proof your bed, consider changing your sheets out for ones that are temperature regulated, or even soft and thin with a silky cool touch.

Still too hot to sleep? Throw them in a ziplock bag and put them in the freezer for a bit! You can also freeze water bottles and put them in the bed, or bags of rice.

Go Out

When you don’t have AC, the best thing to do sometimes is to get out of the house and go somewhere else to cool down. The air is likely moving more outside than it is in your home on days that are really hot and humid, and the breeze can feel nice. Consider taking the family down to the community pool or the beach. If you think it’s too hot to be outside and your house is too stifling to even move in, you can always head down to the public library, shopping mall, or even a friend’s house to take advantage of their air conditioning.