Summer won't "officially" be here for a few more days, and we've already had temps in the mid-90s! Our aging air conditioner finally died at the end of the season last year. I've thought about buying a used window unit as a replacement, but since I just recently rebuilt our emergency savings fund, I am trying to hold out as long as possible. Without the air conditioner, my electric bill is about $70 less this month as compared to this time last year. If these savings continue, I may consider buying a replacement at the end of the season, when they go on sale. Until then, the following are my low cost, budget friendly tips to beat the heat and keep cool this summer without air conditioning.
Increase Air Flow and Cross -Ventilation
Increasing air flow is one of the simplest ways to feel cooler. I've lowered the top sash of all eleven of our double hung windows, and I keep both my front and back door open. I keep all of the doors open to all of the rooms, and I've put a large standing fan at both entrances, as well as my hallway. This helps to keep the air moving throughout the house, so it feels less stuffy.
Cook Outside
Since it's so hot, we've been eating a lot of salads, as well as grilling our meats outside. While I prefer cooking over an open flame on a charcoal grill, I've also resorted to using an extension cord outside to plug up our electric grill as well as a crock-pot. This way I can cook outside and not heat up the inside of the house.
If you don't have a porch or deck, or if you live in an apartment, consider using a crock-pot and extension cord outside on the balcony for at least some of your meals. I use the power of the sun to make tea by placing a large clear container with a snug fitting lid outside in the sun for a few hours. Just fill it with water and a few tea bags and you are ready to go.
I also use a simple homemade solar oven to bake breads outside. This can be a great activity to do with children, and I found the instructions by doing a search online. I built mine using two cardboard boxes, aluminum foil, and some glass from an old picture frame.
Power Down Your Electronics When Not In Use
While many electronics such as your desktop, or TV, don't use a lot of power when they are in sleep mode, they can still give off some heat when you leave them plugged up. I've shut down my desktop, printer and TV and leave them turned completely off so that they aren't adding to the heat.
Of course, I still have to work, so I've been using my laptop or iPad to work outside on the porch, where it's cooler, and doesn't heat up the house.
This is also safer for these types of electronics, as they can spontaneously combust if they get too hot. One of my friends recently discovered that this is true. He is also struggling to get by without air conditioning and recently his computer caught on fire, internally, when it was in sleep mode. He had turned off his fans and left all of his windows shut when he went to work for the day.
This lack of air flow, combined with the lack of air conditioning, and the amount of heat that is still produced with a computer in sleep mode, was enough to cause the computer to catch on fire. The metal casing helped to keep the fire from spreading outside of the computer, but it still melted the heat sink, motherboard, power supply and other circuitry, ruining his computer. Luckily he returned home just as the wall next to the case began to blacken and smolder, so he was able to put out the fire before it spread to other parts of his house.
Increase Fluids Inside and Outside of the Body
If you are dehydrated, you are going to feel the effects of the heat more quickly. So, we drink lots of ice water and eat a lot of chilled foods with high water content such as watermelon, pineapple and oranges. I like to freeze seedless grapes and eat them as a snack during the day, because they are a low calorie, tasty, low cost treat that helps me to feel a bit cooler when I eat them.
I also keep a spray bottle in the refrigerator that I fill half with water and half with ice cubes. Whenever I get to feeling too hot during the day, I spray some of the water at my wrists and ankles, as well as my neck area, and face.
I take a short, cool shower in the middle of the day, without soap, and then dress in light, loose clothing to help cool off without drying out my skin.
I check my local humidity each day, and on days that are less humid, I take a white or light colored sheet and soak it in water, ring it out, and hang it over the window. As the water evaporates, it helps to cool the air as it blows through the window, and it can also help to catch some of the dust. I also try to use white or light colored curtains on my windows that get the most exposure to the sun. It helps to reflect the heat of the sun so that it doesn't enter the house.
One other trick that can help cool a room in the short term is to rinse out and save your empty gallon milk jugs and 2 liter soda containers. Fill them with water, leaving a bit of room for expansion and then freeze them in your freezer overnight. You can then place them in front of a fan and it will help cool the air for a little while as it melts. You will want to place a plate or pan underneath them to catch the condensation from the container as the ice inside melts.
While I've not personally done this, I have friends that have searched online for "homemade air conditioner" or "DIY Sump Pump," and have found instructions to make a low cost, homemade cooling device that really will noticeably cool the air in a room for several hours. The project uses a five gallon bucket or small cooler, a fan, and ice, and appears to be very easy to make.
Visit Cooler Places During the Hottest Parts of the Day
Going to the beach, lake or pool on a hot summer day is a great way to beat the heat and stay cool. You can also go window shopping in a mall or shopping center that is air conditioned.
If you are like me and on a budget, and find that shopping is too tempting, consider visiting your local library. Most are air conditioned and offer comfortable chairs where you can rest and read the paper or a good book. Many also offer free Wi-Fi access and provide computers with computer internet on a first come, first serve basis for their patrons. Similar choices include museums, galleries and other indoor attractions.
If you like hiking and camping, these can be great activities to cool off during the summer. When choosing where to go to beat the heat, I look for places that are higher in elevation and that have a lot of tree cover. For me, this usually ends up being sections of the Appalachian Trail or any of the numerous nearby parks and forests that are usually located along its path. I've found that even in the hottest summer months, the temperatures remain in the mid to lower 70s in those areas that are at a higher elevation and have a lot of tree cover.
These are my budget friendly tips to beat the heat and keep cool this summer without air conditioning. I love receiving feedback from my readers! Let me know in the comments section below if you've tried any of these tips or if you have other ideas for staying cool in the summer.
