The air-conditioning has become our best ally to survive the high temperatures of the last days. But houses that do not have these devices can become a real oven if we do not manage to drive away the heat that is installed in them.
Whether for financial or health reasons, many people decide do without air conditioning in the home. If that’s your case, here we show you seven little ones tricks that will help you cool the house and make the heat wave more bearable.
1. Keep blinds down and curtains closed
Once the house is ventilated with the air of the night or first thing in the morning, the coolest of the day, we will have to lower the blinds and close the curtains to prevent the sun from hitting the windows and that the indoor air acquires the same temperature as that of the street.
We must bet on light-colored curtains and light fabrics so that solar radiation is not concentrated on them. If you have a balcony, the best solution is to install an awning to avoid the sun.
2. Attention to fabrics
Not only the curtains should be light and light tones. If what you are looking for is to refresh your home, one of the simplest tricks is to change the sheets, bedspreads or covers for the armchairs and sofas by white or light colored fabrics and soft like silk, cotton or linen.
3. The most effective trick: a fan and ice
With a fan, ice and salt you can get a homemade replacement for traditional air conditioning. We place a metal bowl with ice and salt in front of a fan, if possible on the window frames directing the air inwards of the room. The salt will keep the ice water below freezing.
4. Avoid turning on appliances
Household appliances are sources of heat that load the environment without us noticing. Although some, such as the refrigerator or the computer, are essential, others such as the dishwasher, the iron, the oven or even the television in the central hours of the day should be avoided.
5. Create natural air currents
Those windows through which the air comes out must be fully opened, ensuring that they are always the ones that face the street. On the contrary, the windows through which the air enters we must open only a little. In this case they should be those that overlook interior patios, where the air is less.
In this way we achieve that natural air currents are generated in the house, when entering through one window and leaving through another.
6. Ceiling fans
If you have a ceiling fan in your house, you may already know that these devices need to be regulated twice a year, but it is worth remembering. In summer the blades must rotate counterclockwise to drive down a stream of air capable of cooling the environment. On the contrary, in winter these fans must turn to the right to move the hot air that accumulates on the ceiling throughout the room.
7. Plants against heat
Some plants such as ivy or vines help the sun shine less on the house and that less heat enters if we place them on the balcony walls. Inside the house we can refresh the environment with the large green leafy plants.
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.