Everyday money

How you can cool down your house without an air-con

Nov 10, 2016

If your power bill skyrockets during summer, then it might be because you’re using your air-conditioner too much.

While it’s natural to just reach for the air-con remote when the weather starts to heat up, there are other ways to cool down.

How about you put down the air-con remote and switch to cheaper methods of keeping cool.

Here are 9 ways you can cool down your house without using an air-conditioner.

1. Cook on your barbecue or outdoor stove

If it’s a hot night, the last thing you want to do is cook in the oven. A 250 degree oven can quickly warm your kitchen up and make your home feel even hotter than it already is, and if you turn on your air-conditioner it’ll have to work overtime to try and cool things down. Why not take your cooking outside? Not only can you get the fresh night air, it’ll be a good excuse to use your outdoor entertaining area and barbecue.

2. Crack open a window at night

Sleeping with the air-conditioner on can be one of the biggest wastes of power and money. After all, you’re sleeping anyway! With the temperature dropping at night time, why not make the most of the relief from the heat by opening a few windows before you go to bed? Just remember to close them in the morning before it gets too hot! If you’re feeling clever, try using a combination of fans and the breeze from the windows to make the most of the cooler night air.

3. Cool down your bed

If your bed is feeling warm and uncomfortable, there are a few things you can do to cool it down without resorting to using your air-conditioner. Are you always looking for the cold side of your pillow? Well, there are products on the markets call Chillow, which are cold pillows for your head. You can also use your hot water bottle for your feet by filling it with water and freezing it for a few hours. The frozen hot water bottle will keep your feet cool throughout the night. You can always try changing your bedding too for lighter, cooler sheets and pillowcases – opt for satins and light cottons to keep you cool.

4. Shut your curtains and blinds

It turns out that as much as 30% of heat in your home comes from your windows. Windows can actually turn your house into a mini greenhouse. So, by shutting your windows and blinds, you can actually take the heat out of your home – without having to open your windows during the day and letting the warm air into the room. Awnings outside your windows can also help keep the heat out of your home.

5. Open the doors inside your house

Shutting the cool air in one room is going to heat the rest of your house up. Instead, you should open up all the rooms in your house and let the air flow naturally. This is particularly handy at night if you’ve got windows slightly open to let the breeze in.

6. Change the setting on your ceiling fans

Did you know that your ceiling fans have different settings for the seasons? In summer, set your ceiling fans to counter-clockwise and put them on a higher speed. Apparently, by doing that you’ll create a wind-chill breeze that’ll keep you much cooler.

7. Try keeping your body cool

Let’s face it, most of the time you’re feeling hot it’s because you body is also hot inside and out. So, instead of trying to cool your surroundings, why not cool your body down? Try wearing loose fitting, light clothing for a start. You can also keep yourself hydrated, drinking plenty of water and icy cold drinks and if that still doesn’t work, try applying a cold or damp towel to the pulse points of your body such as your wrists or neck. If your body is feeling cooler inside and outside, your less likely to need an air-con to change the climate around you.

8. Use your exhaust fans to suck up warm air

After you take a shower or cook, steam and hot air can float through your house. Try turning on your exhaust fans to suck up all the hot air and steam. Turning on your air conditioning will just make your air-conditioner work over time.

9. Turn your fans into misters

Apparently, you can easily turning your fan into a misting device. Get a large desktop or stand fan, fill a bowl with ice or ice pack and position the bowl at a angle in front of the fan. It turns out the air from the fan will whip the cool air off the ice and blow an extra-chilled spray in your direction.