Tips for keeping cool in the heat!

Sweet fiddlesticks it is warm out there at the moment (that is, of course, when it stops raining). I was facing the oft-encountered challenge of distinguishing between the muggy air and my own sweat this week when I began devising various strategies to cool myself down as quickly as possible. When the screaming became too much I put my clothes back on and decided there must be better methods out there that also don’t involve cranking the AC and leaving a sizeable portion of your estate to CUC.

As a renter I am not in a position to embark on any ambitious home-renovation projects so I need ideas that are quick and creative (and as a Scotsman I definitely need ideas that are cheap!). Here are a few tried and tested methods to keep you cool as Mother Nature keeps turning up the thermostat.

Unplugging Electronics

Many of the electronic items in your home consume electricity and produce heat when they are plugged in, even if they are switched off. Unplugging any unused electronics and appliances will lower your electric bill and keep your apartment cooler. For example, a 42″ LCD TV in a small bedroom raise the temperature by as much 10 degrees. 10 DEGREES! Unplug it.

Lighting

Lights produce heat as well as light, so make sure you are turning off lights when you leave rooms and using the minimum number of lights and lamps that you need. Choosing the right bulb helps too. Traditional incandescent bulbs can produce a great deal of heat so switch your bulbs to a compact fluorescent, they also use less energy thus lowering your CUC bill.

Give the oven a rest

I really thought this one went without saying, until I was at a friend’s house for dinner recently. The chicken and vegetable thingy was delicious but I probably could have done with less sauce due to the fact that I was creating my own from my forehead. They had used the oven to prepare dinner, the single fastest way to heat up your apartment around here. Step away from the oven, step towards the microwave, or eat cold dinners and ice cream for a while.

Drink Water

Keeping hydrated helps your body cool itself, not least to keep your sweat glands topped up! Drinking iced water is also a quick way to cool your core temperature – keep a topped up pitcher in your fridge and visit her often.

Fans & Dehumidifiers

My friends back in the UK occasionally send over their record temperature for the year saying, “See! It’s just as hot here as it is over there!” to which I reply with an explanation of what humidity is. Humidity is the killer in summer, and you’d be amazed what a dehumidifier does to the temperature of your home just by removing the moisture from the air. Combine this with a few portable fans to help circulate the air around your home and you will be dancing! By the way, don’t use a dehumidifier at the same time as the air conditioning, as it will cause the AC unit to consume more energy.

Looking For Leaks

Gaps around windows let the warm air in and the cool air out; check yours to make sure they are properly sealed up. The gap beneath external doors are also famous letting the outdoor air in, a simple draft excluder (heck, even an old towel) will solve that one.

Get in your birthday suit

Not a good idea in public, but you better believe at my house you should definitely knock before entering. And you should probably follow the next tip too.

Shut your blinds

Not only to save your modesty. Keeping the blinds closed during the day keeps sunlight and heat out of your home.

Budget AC

A neat little trick – Keep a bowl in the freezer (glass is best), when you need it take it out and fill it with ice cubes and place it in front of a fan for a super efficient way of cooling yourself down!

Cold Showers and Mist Sprays

While drinking iced water cools from the core, cold showers and a refrigerated spray bottle filled with water are great ways of cooling your surface.

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So there you have it, next time you are feeling the heat don’t reach straight for the AC, try one or more of the above and save yourself some money while burning a little less fossil fuel at the same time. If you need an additional fan or want to indulge with an electric mister this summer then there’s no need to buy one, we have a great selection of cooling instruments for rent that you can check them out online here.

Whatever you do, if you come round my place remember to knock, if you just walk in that is not my fault.