Ten Clever Ways To Stay Cool In Your Apartment Without Ac

Summer, the season of hot days, hot nights, and even hotter apartments without AC. Being stuck in stale rooms with only an oscillating fan to recycle heat-ravaged air can prove more debilitating than stepping outside. While many of us seek the refuge of our apartments and homes during seasonal heat waves, others go without the modern conveniences of AC or window cooling units. These few suggestions can help keep you cool during the hot summer months if you find yourself without one of our most coveted summer appliances.

1. Open Windows

Most places cool off significantly in the evening. Pay attention to the weather outside, and every time the temperature is cooler than it is inside, pop those windows open to let in some cool air. Just make sure you get the windows closed again before the sun starts to bake your apartment in the morning.

2. Close Doors

The less of your home you’re trying to keep cool, the easier it will be to cool it. Close doors to rooms you aren’t using as frequently to contain your cool air into a more limited space.

3. Curtains

Curtains or blinds need to become your new best friends. The summer sun through a glass pane can magnify rays and amplify heat, making your home an even more susceptible option for a sauna. The more sunlight you can block out, the cooler you’ll be able to keep your home. Blackout curtains prevent even more light from bleeding through, making them an ideal option for natural cooling methods.

4. Box Fans

Under the right circumstances, a box fan can work cooling wonders for your home. Opening windows with a properly positioned box fan can help pull cool air into your house (as long as the temperature is cooler outside than in). Additionally, opening a second window can allow the hot air to flow out. Setting a bowl of ice behind the fan allows for cooler airflow for added effectiveness. 

5. Incandescent Bulbs

If you haven’t made the switch away from incandescent bulbs, summer is your best time to rethink these extra sources of heat. Incandescent bulbs radiate heat more than fluorescent bulbs. Even these little changes can counter the few degree difference from discomfort to tolerable.

6. Change Sheet

Breathability does wonders during hot summer days, making thin cotton sheets an excellent option for maximum deterrence. Consider swapping out your bedspread for something lighter, or even ditching it altogether during the hottest periods of the season.

7. Rubber Water Bottles

Their reputation speaks volumes in the winter months, heating cold beds and pillows under the comfort of protected rubber. But many people can alternatively use those bottles for bringing down the temperature in your bed with ice cold water. Pop them in the freezer during the day, then place them at the foot of your bed during the night to help keep you cool.

8. Bathroom/Kitchen Vent

Always remember to run your bathroom vent during and after your showers to suck out the steamy, hot air before it fills your home. Additionally, turn on the vent above your stove anytime you’ve had the stovetop or oven on. This will help to pull some of the hot air out of your kitchen.

9. Cold Treats

Lowering your body temperature is invaluable on hot days with no other means of cooling down. Eating or drinking cold beverages or snacks can lower your body temperature to more comfortable levels, while also providing you with some extra nutrition and hydration. Freeze some grapes or homemade smoothie popsicles for something cool to enjoy while bringing your body temperature down.

10. Change Your Menu

Consider planning meals you either cook outside on the grill or take minimal heated prep work in the kitchen. Keeping the stove and oven off during the day will significantly help keep the temperature down in your apartment.

Unfortunately, only so many options are available when it comes to cooling down in such hot summer months. But with these added adjustments to your daily heat waves, you should begin to notice more comfortable temperatures compared to the stagnant oscillating fan in the corner of the house.