How on earth can you stay cool in this weather?
Many new homes have central air, others make use of window or wall air conditioning units. There are some homes that just don't have AC. Getting overheated is no laughing matter, stay indoors as much as you can. But without that AC, how can you stay cool when the temps soar to 90+?
A few tips on staying cool in this unbearable heat:
- During the day, keep those windows, shades, blinds and curtains closed! At night, open the windows up as soon as the temps outside drop to below the house temperature. Pull the cooler air through the house at night with one fan pushing the air in and another pulling it out.
- Aim a fan at you. Spritzing yourself with cool water while in the path of the fan does help.
- Take a cold shower!
- Run cold water on your wrists. Works like a charm.
- Put a cold washcloth on your neck.
- Make what I call a personal swamp cooler. Freeze 2 liter bottles of water and rock salt. Use 70% water and 10% salt. Don't overfill the bottles, leave about 20% empty for expansion when freezing. Place them in bowls in front of a fan, you will be surprised at how this will cool you down! You can even refreeze the bottles. Don't forget to put the frozen bottles in a bowl to protect the table from getting wet as the bottles unfreeze!
- When I lived in Arizona and we didn't have AC, we would hang burlap sacks outside the windows and set up a hose to drip a very slow but steady stream of water at the top. Any wind blowing through the wet sack would would blow in cooler, especially at night.
- If you are using ceiling fans, make sure they are set for summer and not winter. Otherwise it will defeat the purpose!
- Drink plenty of cold water. Some places advice 8 oz every hour. If you have kidney problems that much is not recommended!
- Eat cold meals. Not only does this help you feel cooler, but... saves on turning on the stove or oven!
- Grilling outside is also a far better option than heating up the kitchen.
- Keep the lights off.
- Put your feet in a bucket of cold water. I use this when I am outside with my grandkids, and boy does it help!
- Wear loose fitting, light colored clothing.
If all else fails, check for public cooling centers, or get to the library or a grocery store!
Staying cool in Southern Litchfield County is no easy feat these days, but using your head and trying a few of the tips above will certainly help. And don't forget our 4 legged friends. Leaving them outside or in a car is a big no no! They need plenty of fresh water and need to be inside during these hot summer days, just like we do.
Or you could always stare at the photo below... it just might help!
