Summer is almost here! With this beautiful sunny weather we are getting those summer temperatures as well. We already have had a couple of hot spells. Some of us might have already even turned those air conditioners on. How can we stay comfortable without them? Why do we really feel we need them? Read below to find 9 tips on how to minimize your use of air conditioning this summer.
For the past 10 years, I had used air conditioning very little – from a few days to a couple of weeks in a hot summer. How did I do this? I will share with you a few tricks.
1. Temperature Difference
Our bodies are naturally conditioned to keep at an optimal temperature. Sudden changes in temperatures put our bodies in a state of stress and they have to work hard to keep the optimal body temperature. Having sore throats throughout the whole summer can really spoil the fun. The trick is to minimize those large temperature differences.
2. Comfort vs Thermostat
Keep your body comfortable. If you have spent the whole day in an office at 21 C, you will find 30 C unbearable. Give your body some time to adjust.
3. Stagnant Air
When the air in the house is still, without any movement, our bodies are left to their own devices to cool. Moving air cools our skin and helps us stay comfortable.
4. Humidity
A hot, dry, sunny day at 25 C feels far more comfortable to us than a hot, humid day of 25 C. Our bodies cool by evaporating water through our skin. On a humid day, our skin cannot release as much moisture into an already saturated air. Keeping humidity down in the house will help our body’s cooling process and we will be more comfortable.
So how do we put all this into practice? Here are my 9 tips:
- Minimize your time in places that are more than 6 degrees C cooler than the outside temperature
- Keep air conditioning in your car high, open the windows and let the breeze cool you. By the time you get home, 25 – 26 C will feel very comfortable
- Adjust your thermostats based on the outside temperature rather than having the temperature pre-set
- Dress for the temperature rather than turning your air conditioning on. Put those shorts, skirts and dresses on!
- Wear clothing made of cotton, linen and hemp to help keep your skin cool
- Use fans, open windows and doors to create air movement to cool the place and yourself
- Use dehumidifiers rather than air conditioners to take the moisture out of air
- Close blinds and curtains to prevent direct sun light from entering the house and heating it up
- If you don’t already have them, plant deciduous trees on the south and west side of the house to provide cooling shade in the summer
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Until next time,
Eva
