Got a basement that is usually closed off? Open that door a crack - it's much cooler down there. Consider letting a faucet drip for them, too. Place plenty of bowls of water around the house. Sure, your cat loves sunbeams, but animals are susceptible to heat illnesses, too. Your neighborhood might have lost power, but how far does the outage stretch? Not everyone can afford a hotel, right? Consider evacuating to the library, mall, or just Target during the hottest part of the day. Is your car gassed up? Every so often, head to the car and crank that AC for a few minutes. You'll see the effects on your electric bill, and no doubt feel the results the next time you're living through a heat wave. Choosing lighter, brighter colors for your home will reflect that light and keep your home cooler. Dark colors absorb a lot of heat and sun, though. Are those dark blues and grays trendy right now? Yes. But when you do start thinking about home upgrades, make sure you're thinking about paint colors. It's obviously not something you can do tomorrow due to the aforementioned heat and, of course, that pesky budget. If it can go in the fridge before you eat it, put it there. Have you bought that giant bag of freezy pops yet? Are you stocked up on Jell-O and ice cream? How many boxes of Suddenly Salad are in your pantry? Cold food is a necessity in the summer. If your home is particularly warm, you could even let your kids have a "pool day" in a cool bath. Take a cold shower to cool yourself down. However, they're also raising your body temperature - the exact opposite of what you want to do. Hot showers can be so, so relaxing and cathartic. If you're not roaming your home in a tank top and underwear, what are you even doing? You're either alone or with people who have already seen your body. During the summer, wait to use the oven until later in the evening or first thing in the morning - or don't use it at all, if you can swing it. But it's also because of that gigantic box of fire in the corner, also known as the oven. Added bonus: Your AC won't have to work so hard to cool your house, saving you money on your energy bill.Įver notice your kitchen feels about a million degrees warmer when you're cooking? Sure, that's partially because you're moving around in a frenzy. If you open those vents an hour or two before bedtime, your room will have ample time to cool off before you crash for the night. Flipping that switch changes the fan's direction, circulating warm air upward and around the room, which makes it beneficial even in the winter.ĭo you spend all day downstairs? If you have central air, close the vents in the bedrooms during the day to ensure you're not wasting precious air conditioning on empty rooms. There is a small button on the side of every ceiling fan. You might be thinking, Half the year, my state is freezing cold. Start with the rooms you spend the most time in. Just do whatever you need to block out the sun and heat.ĭo you have rooms with overhead lights but no ceiling fans? Time to change that up. Since they're more expensive than regular curtains, start with putting them on windows that get direct sunlight. Most room darkening curtains are thicker and will also help keep your home cooler. Those sheers are very pretty, but they do little to block out the sun. Window coverings are great for giving yourself privacy or reducing the glare on the television, but they can also keep out the heat. Tips for Staying Cool(ish) in a Heat Wave If you do live in a place where Mother Nature has kicked the thermostat up to an unreasonable degree, there are ways to beat the heat - from choosing the right curtains and paint colors to dressing and drinking for the temps. Don’t resign yourself to melting just yet, though. But even those cooling mechanisms can fall short in the midst of this global warming hot sh*t (literally). In fact, a study conducted in 2015 estimated that 12.5% of Americans do not have air conditioning. So, how do you stay cool in a heat wave? That depends on your situation. While some people seem to adapt easily to this overbearing heat, the rest of us are altogether flummoxed by this fairly new phenomenon. If you're currently sprawled out under a fan, stuffing ice into your bra, and shaking your fist at the sun, know that you are not alone. It's bad and, unfortunately, will only get worse - heat waves, in part, drive the climate crisis, which then causes the conditions that make heat waves more likely. (and other parts of the globe) right now, millions of people are feeling the effects of oppressive heat waves. ![]() ![]() Like, puddling when you step out the door, ass-crack sweat, ungodly smells coming from your constantly perspiring teen kind of hot.
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