An average air conditioner can serve for as long as 20 years. Of course, that number can vary depending on the frequency of use and how well maintained the AC is.
In the course of this period, though, there is a chance it may fail – sometimes when you need it most. Getting it fixed may take some time. And that means some serious heat issues to deal with.
But you don’t really have to put up with all that heat. No one should have to. That isn’t even an option as you might just end up in a critical condition or, worse, dead.
That’s why you can’t take chances here. Knowing a thing or two on how to cool a house without AC puts you in control of the situation.
Well, in this post, we will discuss several ways you can tone down the heat in the event that your AC has malfunctioned.
Engage Fans
With a broken AC, fans are a no-brainer alternative of staying on top of the heat situation.
Blasting them at full throttle can have an effect. But for more concrete results, you’ll have to get a bit tactical in your approach.
First off, you can set ceiling fans to spin in a different direction from which they are used. And this is a pretty simple thing to do – just set the switch to a counterclockwise direction and enjoy the cooling effect.
Secondly, you can make use of window fans – most appropriately at night. When darkness falls, put the fans near the windows and let them spin on. They (fans) pull in a cool breeze that is efficient in dealing with the heat.
Combine window fans with the step below for a more cooling effect.
Switch Up the Routine for Curtains and Windows
Windows, curtains, shades, and blinds all have a significant effect on the amount of heat inside the room they serve. Because they determine the amount of sunlight that gets in depending on how they are turned – the wider open they are, the more sunlight they let in and the hotter the house.
And if your AC broke down, you don’t need all that heat. So blocking the sun will do you a lot more than you can imagine.
During the day, just make sure the windows and blinds are closed, curtains are drawn and the shades lowered. This preserves the coolness drawn in the previous night by the window fans.
Additionally, installing thick and dark curtains with a white reflective backing will further reduce the heat brought about by the sun’s rays.
Avoid Carrying Out Any Heat-Generating Activities Inside the House
This has mostly to do with firing up those electric appliances. All along, they’ve definitely made life easier.
But when you are trying to figure out how to cool a room without AC, then you better steer clear of that convenience, at least for the time being.
That means you have to make do without the services of the oven, dishwasher, stove, dryer, and any other appliance that is going to add on to the menace.
The good thing is that you’re only holding back during the day. At night, you can go all in as the temperatures are cooler and you’ve put to use the above two tips.
As for the food, if you have an outdoor grill, then this is the perfect time to put it to good use.
Thrown in Some Ice
Ice has the effect of spreading that numbing coldness to anything around it – that is if it is close enough.
But you don’t have all the time in the world to be bent over some tiny piece of frozen water all in the name of dealing with the sweltering heat. In fact, you won’t feel much of an effect.
How to cool down a room fast this way?
To magnify the above effect of ice, then it’s only natural that the size is also a few times bigger. Just grab a big block of ice in a container and place it at a point of your choice. You can even have more than one if you so wish.
In the absence of a block, a large bowl filled with numerous small ice cubes will serve the purpose just fine.
These services shouldn’t be a problem if you’re in Richmond. Of course, cooling is on the menu too.
Cool Yourself Too
Even if you know how to keep a room cool in summer without AC and cooler, taking a moment to concentrate on yourself in matters of heat is just as important.
But how do you go about it? Here are several ways:
- Have a wet towel hang around your neck. For better results, line up several of them. That way, as the one in use loses its cooling effect, you quickly replace it with another and the cycle continues. Make a point of freezing these towels as you use one. You’ll love that cold amidst the heat.
- If for some reason you have to sit in the house, have a bowl of ice near you. While at it, include a fan in the mix to bring in an air-conditioned feel.
- On top of the above point, wearing damp clothes is also a nice strategy in combating the heat. This has the same effect as the towel above. But not any piece of cloth will do it. Go for the loose-fitting ones.
- For the extreme, consider sleeping on damp sheets.
Amidst all these, keep your water intake as high as you can manage. Avoid diuretics show you body doesn’t lose water too quickly.
Final Thoughts on How to Cool a House Without AC
Having an air conditioner is a nice thing for sure. But what if it unexpectedly develops a hitch in the middle of, say, summer?
It would have been a disaster, to say the least. Thankfully, knowing how to cool a house without AC isn’t as hard as it may appear. A couple tweaks to your general life rhythm is all you need – it is only for a short while.
Continue reading our blog to learn more life hacks and information to make your life easier.
