Summer is a great time to get outdoors and enjoy the sun. However, too much sun and heat can diminish the fun. Staying cool during heat waves can be a challenge, but there are ways to mitigate the effects of the heat. Continue reading for tips on how to stay cool this summer.
Food and Drink
What you eat and drink impacts your health; certainly, that is true during the summer. Staying hydrated by drinking water is essential. Minimize the number of caffeinated and sugary beverages.
Your body stays cooler when you eat more frequently. These should be lighter meals in quantity and type of food. The fresh fruits and vegetables available in the summer should be the focal point of your meals. Additionally, you do not want to heat up your house by using the oven; stay cool during heat waves by grilling outside.
Create and Use Shade
Your window treatments can work in concert with your air conditioning unit to cool your home. Closing your blinds and curtains to keep the sun from warming your rooms is an important step to take to reduce the heat in your home. Preventing the sun’s heat from entering your home will cool your home and lessen the strain on your air conditioner.
While it will take some time to have an impact, strategically planting trees in your yard is an effective way to stay cool during heat waves. Shade trees provide a place for you to sit and enjoy being outside. They also help lower the temperature of your home. In addition to trees and ready to provide immediate relief from the heat, add awnings to your home.
Insulate and Circulate
Just as you inspect your home in the winter looking for ways that heat is escaping, the same steps in the summer are needed. Properly insulated homes will retain the cool air. You do not want cool air from your air conditioner seeping out through an ineffectively sealed house. An airtight house will be well-cooled and well-heated.
Another way to stay cool during heat waves is to use fans in your house. Purposefully placed portable fans and ceiling fans can assist your air conditioner in cooling your house.
