Beating the Heat Without an Air Conditioner

Think cool, act cool, dress cool, do cool things, go to cool places to beat the summer heat without an air conditiner.
Use the following cool tips as your guide.

COOL TIPS
1. This is the time to use your window and ceiling fans. Running the ceiling fan counter clock-wise is an effective way to cool a room or an area.
Place a container of ice in front of the window or portable fan and enjoy this cooling effect.
"This was the first attempt at building an air conditioner made by Dr. John Gorrie (1803-1855), an American physician, Apalachicola, Florida. During his practice there in the 1830s, Dr. Gorrie created an ice-making machine that essentially blew air over a bucket of ice for cooling hospital rooms of patients suffering from malaria and yellow fever."

(Source: Jones Jr., Malcolm. "Air Conditioning", Newsweek. Winter 1997.)

2. Open the windows at nights when the temperature has cooled down to enjoy the fresh cool air. A window fan will add to the coolness of the night.

3. Close the windows, curtains, shades and blinds in the day time to avoid the intense heat of the sun.

4. Use heat reflecting films on the windows to reduce the amount of heat coming through this will make a significant reduction on the indoors temperature.

5. Install an attic fan if this is possible. It is worth every penny you will spend to reap the benefits of the coolness it will provide.

6. Wear light, cool, loose fitting cotton or linen clothing; these materials tend to make you feel cooler. White and pastel colors also attract less heat unlike dark colors that attract the heat and can make you feel extremely hot.

7. Wear shorts and cool summer tops when appropriate rather than slacks or jeans this will make you to feel cooler.

8. Avoid physical activities like long walks, running or jogging during the heat of the day.
Wait for the heat to cool down or go to the gym where it is nice and cool.

9. Avoid the use of heating appliances like the oven, hair dryer and the clothes dryer this will keep the temperature inside cooler. Cook outside on the grill or eat out.

10. Eat less food, drink more water, fresh fruit juices and enjoy more fruits and salads.

Act cool by wearing your sunglasses, a hat, sun screen and drinking cool lemonade.

Do cool things and go to cool places such as taking cold showers, go swimming at the pool, go to the beach, visit the library and read a cool book or go to see a cool movie.

Before you know it the summer will be over and you will be thinking about how to beat the winter by reducing the high heating bills.