Save Energy and Stay Cool
As temperatures climb in the summer, so does your energy bill. How can you handle the dog days without blowing your budget or overheating? Read on for some of our favorite tips to beat the heat!
No. 1 Fan
Fans are your friend! Make sure your ceiling fans are set to turn counterclockwise, which will send a cool breeze down toward the people in the room. When you go to sleep at night, if you want to use a window fan instead of running your air conditioner, make sure the fan is blowing out, not in. Your fan will blow warm air out of your bedroom and replace it with cool outside air (but only if the air outside is a lower temp). To save even more on your electric bill, you can make a DIY air conditioner by setting a fan to blow over a container of ice. The icy temps will waft on the breeze, bringing you relief.
Embrace the Darkness
It’s a no-brainer that most summer heat comes directly from the sun. So as nice as it is to throw open the curtains and greet the day every morning, consider keeping your blinds closed to block the sun’s energy from entering through your windows. Keeping your home darker will help keep it cool, and you can still go for a walk outside if you crave vitamin D!
Bust Out the Barbecue
Ready to get your grill on? Cooking outdoors in the summer is not only fun, it’s practical! To keep your home cool inside, it’s best to keep oven use to a minimum. Heating up those leftovers can raise your whole home’s temperature in no time.
The same goes for other heat-emitting appliances, like dishwashers and clothes dryers. Try air drying your dishes by cracking the dishwasher door after the cleaning cycle, and string up a clothesline to dry your clothes the natural way. Plus, they’ll smell divine!
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
One easy way to stay cool (and safe) in high temperatures is to drink a lot of fluids. As your body temp rises, you will sweat more—it’s your body’s way of trying to regulate its own temperature and keep you comfortable. The downside is that sweating removes moisture from your body, so you will need to drink more water to replace the fluids you’re losing. On super hot days, try to avoid drinks that don’t hydrate as well, like coffee or alcohol.
Sprinkler Party!
Still feeling sweaty? Get into your swimsuit and have a sprinkler party! Cool down with water, which will lower your body temperature as it evaporates, then chill out in the shade with a refreshing drink. You can handle these dog days and stay within budget—remember, fall is right around the corner!
