When
the weather outside starts to feel downright treacherous and it seems
like there's no way to avoid an absolute sweat-fest, it can be tempting
to crank up your air conditioning to the max and stay inside. However,
if you're like most of the population, you have obligations like work
and school that keep you from staying sheltered within the comfortable
confines of your air conditioned home throughout the entire summer.
Plus,
most of us would also like to save money by reducing our average
utility bill, which can increase significantly during the summer months
due to a heightened reliance on air conditioning. With that said, here
are the top seven ways you can stay cool and comfortable this summer
without relying solely on the modern convenience of A/C:
1. Use an Assortment of Fans
Fans
comes in all shapes and sizes, so they're easy to position around the
house, on the porch/patio/deck, in the yard, and in the vehicle for easy
access to on-demand breeze. Check out the catalog of the leading fan
brand Lasko
to get an idea of the type of fans that you can use to cool off this
summer. The standard box fan is a good option for budget-conscious
individuals, while stronger oscillating fans are better for families
that want a rotating breeze for everyone.
2. Build a Gazebo or Shaded Area in Your Yard
Anyone
who has ever stood in the shade on a hot day knows the kind of relief
that blocking direct sun exposure can bring. If your yard doesn't have a
lot of shaded spots, you might want to consider assembling a gazebo,
umbrella table, or other shaded structure.
3. Use Spray Bottles and Misters
Spraying
yourself with a small spray bottle while sitting in front of a fan is
an incredibly effective way to cool down on even the hottest days. In
fact, this is the cooling method that nature has chosen for the human
body through natural selection, as it is the reason why we sweat
– air makes contact with sweat droplets to cool off the surface of our
skin. Instead of waiting until you're drenched in your own sweat, you
can activate this cooling process with a few occasional squirts from a
spray bottle or automated mister. Of course, putting ice cubes in the
bottle will help as well.
4. Upgrade Your Summer Hat Collection
It
might seem as though wearing a hat would make your head hot, but
certain kinds can provide shade for your face while you're on the go
without trapping body heat. For example, visors and weaved hats are a
start. If you have long hair, it's best to stick with visors because you
don't want a closed hat sitting on top of your hair in hot weather.
5. Park in the Shade
Getting
hot and sweaty is sort of like a chain reaction – once you overheat,
it's going to take a while to cool off. Getting back into your car after
parking it in direct sunlight is the fastest way to bake yourself into a
sweat-covered mess. When it's 80 to 100 degrees outside, the
temperatures inside a car that is parked in direct sunlight can be as
high as 130-172 degrees. When parked in the shade,
the temperatures in the car will be 10-30 degrees lower, and more
importantly, the seats and other interior surfaces won't be getting
heated up by direct solar radiation.
6. Cover with Sheets Instead of Blankets
Many
people can find it difficult to sleep without any sort of covering at
night. However, on particularly hot nights, you don't want to use a
blanket either, as the end result will ultimately be blasting the A/C to
bring down the indoor temperature. Instead, you can cover yourself with
a thin sheet and sleep in front of a fan to feel just as comfortable
without even having to use an A/C system at all. Since temps cool down
at night anyway, it's usually possible to completely eliminate the need
for A/C overnight just by using fans and covering with sheets instead of
blankets.
7. Make a Few Wardrobe Adjustments
Finally,
updating your summer wardrobe is one more step you can take to feel
cooler and more comfortable. Try to think about what kind of clothing
makes you the most uncomfortable during the hottest days and replace
them with light and airy alternatives. As an added bonus, you'll have an
opportunity to upgrade your knowledge of current fashion trends as
well.
Believe it or Not, Most People Could Stop Using Their A/C Altogether
Unless
you're living in an extremely hot area on a particularly hot day, in
the vast majority of cases you can get by with just fans, spray bottles,
cold drinks, and the other tips above.
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