Summers in Australia are known for being very hot, and the heat can seem unbearable at times, but if you live in an area that normally has a colder climate, many homes do not have air conditioning, and surviving in the extreme temperatures becomes a challenge. We’ve all been there tossing and turning in bed, struggling because our sweat has us glued to the sheets. The following steps can help you keep cool during a heatwave even if you do have an air-conditioner at home.
Make a DIY Air Conditioner
Having the AC running the entire summer can be very expensive. You can make your pseudo-air conditioner on the cheap with some basic materials, such as styrofoam and a fan.
Take Advantage Of The Cooling Power Of Water
Fill buckets with cold water and soak your feet in it. Wet towels and bandannas can have a cooling effect if you wear on the shoulders or head.
Take cold showers or baths, and consider using a spray bottle filled with cold water for refreshing spritzes throughout the day.
Don’t Forget To Eat And Drink
We often lose our appetite when it’s hot outside. If you’ve been working in the sun all morning, you might not be wanting to eat something like a peanut butter sandwich and chips for lunch. Even so, you’ll still need to make sure you eat and replenish your body’s resources. Go for light, small snacks throughout the day, and try to eat more fruits and vegetables.
Don’t take dehydration light-heartedly either. Your body goes through water very fast, and if you start to feel dehydrated, you have to start replenishing your fluids immediately. Signs to watch out for include fatigue, headaches, and a dry mouth.
Get Cold Comfort
This is a four-season tip for keeping utility charges down. Buy a hot water bottle. In winter, you can fill it with boiling water for toasty toes without cranking up the thermostat. And during the summer, just stick it in the freezer to create a bed-friendly ice pack.
Get Loose
Less is more when it comes to summertime clothes. Go for a loose, soft cotton shirt and shorts or underwear. Going full nudie during this heat is very controversial. Some people believe it helps keep them nice and cool, while others claim to go all-natural means sweat stays on the body instead of being absorbed by the fabric.
But in the end, it’s all up to your personal preference.
Keep Your Blinds Closed
As simple as this tip may seem, up to 30 percent of unwanted heat comes from your windows, and utilizing shades and curtains will save you up to 7 percent on bills and lower the overall indoor temperature. In other words, if you close your blinds you will prevent your home from becoming a miniature greenhouse, which is especially the case with south and west-facing windows.
Better yet, look into Shade Solutions QLD and invest in blackout curtains. Blackout curtains will block out the sunlight, and insulating the rooms in which they’re installed.
Create A Cross-breeze
Position a fan across the window, so the wind from outside and the fan combine in a cooling cross-breeze.
If you want to take it to another level go wild and set up multiple fans throughout the room to make the airflow even more soothing.
Avoid Using Heating Elements
Summer might be a great excuse to eat outdoors, but some foods and drinks aren’t that enjoyable when they are heated by the sun. You can make a cooler for your food and drinks with just two containers or create ice blocks for your cooler using old milk cartons.
When it’s too warm to cook, consider making cold meals, relying on electrical appliances like the versatile rice cooker, or try some no-cook or oven-free recipe ideas.
Get Low
Because the hot air rises, you can set up your bed, hammock, or cot as close to the ground as possible to beat the heat. If you live in a one-story home, haul the mattress down from a sleeping loft or high bed and put it on the floor.
But, if you live in a multi-floor house or apartment, sleep on the ground floor or in the basement instead of an upper story room.
Be Creative
Point box fans out the windows so they push hot air out, and then adjust ceiling fan settings so the blades run counter-clockwise, and they will be pulling hot air up and out instead of just spinning it around the room.
Keep Your Moisturisers In The Fridge
On a hot day, you can get a bit of much-needed revival by applying a cold moisturiser.
By keeping your moisturiser in the fridge will create this cooling effect without any hassle.
Surviving the hot summer without AC seems impossible but, our grandparents did it and they survived. The sizzling summer heat is hard on our bodies, our moods, and our electric bills, but don’t let the temperature get you down!