Cost Free Ways to Cool Down Your Home

Many folks don't have central air or a window air conditioner. But they've learned how to cool their homes without that added convenience. Maybe you've been sweltering through a hot summer, hoping to find some relief from the heat, and you need some keeping-cool pointers. Here are several ways to cool your home or apartment that are cost free or close to cost free.

Get cool air when it's available. One of the best ways to cool your home is to exchange room temperature air for fresh cool outside air. Early in the morning, when temperatures outside are usually below room-temperature, open as many windows and doors as you can. Get a cross breeze flowing. You might even want to set a fan near an open window to blow in fresh air and circulate it around the room. Open all bedroom windows and doors to help cool every part of your home with cooler outside air.

Close off the sunshine. As soon as the morning sunshine pours in through the window, it brings in heat. On the side of your home that gets the morning sunshine, close all the windows, drop blinds, and close the curtains. By keeping the sunshine out of the room, you keep heat from penetrating into the room too. The windows on the shady side of the home can be closed soon after that or as soon as the outside temperature is close to the inside temperature.

Open up the garage. If you have an attached garage, you know how warm it can get inside your garage on hot days. That heat seems to hover, and when you enter the garage from your home, you get hit in the face with warm air. Why not open the overhead garage doors and get an air exchange? Often, the outdoor air is cooler than the air in the garage. Cooling down your garage can help your home feel cooler.

Build your home with comfort in mind. When you build your home, think about attic vents and fans. Think about the reflective color of roof singles and the placement of shade trees. Think about the reflective heat of hard stone surfaces and pavement. What may seem like a dream home on paper, may not seem like a dream home in the heat of summer or when you get those high electric bills.

Whether you're a renter or a homeowner, there are several cost-free ways you can help cool down your home on hot days. Use cooler morning temperatures to your advantage, get cool breezes blowing through your home, and monitor your window blinds. Experiment with your situation, and you'll discover how to cool down your home--even if you don't own an air conditioner.