How to Stay Cool Without AC This Summer

Throughout Colorado there are many homes and apartments without air conditioning. With mild seasons and cool nights throughout the summer it is often not needed as you can lower the temperature in your home by opening the windows and letting the breeze roll in.

Lately, temperatures seem to keep rising every year and in the middle of summer when the thermostat reads over 90 degrees, it can be cause for concern. To help you stay comfortable during these periods of high heat, we’ve put together a few tips for keeping your home cool without the use of AC.

If you already have air conditioning and are looking to be more efficient with it, you can use these tips alongside our energy efficiency guide to save money on your electric bill this summer.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated is important year round, but especially so during hot summers. Not only will drinking water help with sweat production, which keeps you cool when it evaporates, but also with keeping your body relaxed. When you are dehydrated your heart has to work harder to pump blood, requiring more energy and creating more heat. If you are hydrated, this won’t be an issue and it will be easier for your body to maintain a comfortable temperature.

Use a Cooling Pillow or Sheets

Trying to fall asleep at night when the temperature of your room is rising is almost impossible. To prevent sleepless nights due to heat, start with a cooling pillow or sheets to help make sleeping more comfortable in the heat.

When it comes to pillows, there are a few types. Some use breathable materials that help disperse heat, some use water or gels to remain cool, and others use phase change materials that absorb or release heat when they change from a solid to a liquid, or vice versa.

Cooling sheets use natural fibers that offer better breathability than synthetic sheets and work to wick away any perspiration on those especially hot nights.

Turn on a Fan

Using a ceiling or floor flan can help the inside of your home feel cooler by a few degrees and can be the difference between sweltering heat and finding comfort. Fans also require less energy than an air conditioning system and are great for smaller apartments or single rooms.

If you have more than one fan you can use them together to move air throughout your home, further improving their ability to cool things down. For example, place one fan in the window and use it to blow hot air out. Use another fan to pull air in, and together they’ll quickly push the hot air out of your home.

Keep the Shades Drawn

Direct sunlight is a major cause of heat in a home and all too often we forget to close our blinds and windows during the day to block this sunlight. Before you leave your home, in the morning or on the weekends, close your blinds and curtains. This will prevent your home from overheating so that you won’t have to work as hard to get the temperature down later on.

Taking it a step further you can even purchase insulated curtains that will not only block the sunlight, but do a better job of maintaining your homes internal temperature and preventing it from rising. This is done through the use of foam for insulation and thermal materials that dissipate the heat.

Skip the Shower

Taking a cool shower will help you feel better, but the shower will still introduce moisture into the air, creating humidity. This humidity will then make your home feel warmer than it actually is. This is because any moisture in the air makes it harder for the sweat from your body to evaporate meaning you can’t lower your temperature as quickly as you can in dry climates.

Instead of a shower, try a cool bath. You’ll still be able to lower your temperature by being in the cool water, but you won’t have to worry about that water turning into moisture in the air. When you get out of the bath you’ll also feel much cooler due to the water evaporating from your skin, just like sweat would.

Invest in an A/C Unit

Summers seem to be getting hotter, and at some point it can be hard to cool things down enough to stay comfortable. If you’ve tried all of our tips for staying cool without AC, and still can’t get your home to a reasonable temperature, contact us to learn more about your options. We can work with you on installing everything from a compact mini-split system to a larger swamp cooler that can be used to keep your whole home cool.

Need HVAC Service?

Contact the experts at Carbon Valley Heating & Air.

Call us at 303-833-4466!

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