28 Ways to Stay Cool With or Without An Air Conditioner

I don't know about the weather in your neck of the woods, but down here in Southern California, it's already shaping up to be a really warm summer. That's why I was so happy to put together our newest Homes and Hues feature: 28 Ways to Stay Cool This Summer.

While you'll have to head over to the site to get the full list, here are a few tips I find particularly useful:

  • Don’t cook indoors. Summer is the perfect time for grilling and it’s a great way to keep heat out of your house. If grilling isn’t an option, try using your microwave or set up your Crockpot or other electric appliances in your garage or somewhere else where they don’t heat up the house.
  • Take advantage of the basement. You might reserve this underground area for storage, but it’s generally a good 10-15 degrees cooler than the rest of the house, making it a perfect place to hide out during the peak of summer.
  • Add awnings. The U.S. Department of Energy says that adding awnings to your south- and west-facing windows can reduce solar heat gain in a home by 77%. Also, if you need to replace your windows any time soon, be sure to get double-paned windows, which provide better insulation.
  • Run your wrist under cool water for five seconds. One of your main veins is particularly close to the surface when it passes through your wrist, so cooling it down will spread the colder blood out throughout the rest of your body.
  • Think about snow (or swimming pools). The mind is a powerful tool and studies show that thinking about cool stuff can actually make us feel less warm.

Image Via Louish Pixel [Flickr]


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