New York City just survived the first summer heat wave of the year, and we’re sure there’s more to come. Even if you’re fortunate enough to have central a/c in good working condition, you probably felt the oppressive effects of the heat and humidity in the warmer spots of your home and every time you ventured out. If you don’t have a good cooling system in your home you probably can’t wait for fall to arrive!
Here are some timely tips for beating the summer heat.
- Fans. Lots of fans! – Did you know that a good strong fan can lower the temperature of an area by a couple of degrees? They can also circulate cool air, remove hot air and just make things more pleasant all around. A few tricks:
- Use a fan to circulate cool air to areas where it doesn’t normally reach
- If the outside temperature is cooler than inside, you can use a fan pointing OUT your window to more quickly pull hot air out of a room.
- Clip-on and portable fans are great! They’re inexpensive and versatile and you can put them anywhere. The larger portable fans take a lot of D batteries, but you’ll get hours of use on low speed. Small portable fans that can be charged via USB are economical to run.
A clip on rechargeable fan like this OPolar battery-operated rechargeable fan clips practically anywhere, runs all day on just one charge, and circulates more air than you would expect for its size!
- Hydrate – Drink plenty of water, plain or bubbly. Flavor-infused water, both sparkling and clear, is a hot trend right now, so even if you’re not a big fan of drinking water you’re sure to be able to find a flavor you like. Watch out for flavored waters with added sugar – those will make you feel warmer and thirstier.
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine – Even though they’re liquids, beverages with alcohol and caffeine will dehydrate you and can raise your body temperature besides, making you feel all the more uncomfortable. We know this is a tough thing to ask, especially with outdoor summer BBQ’s and parties, but if you can’t completely avoid them, at least try to go easy on alcohol and caffeine consumption.
- Insulating drapes / sun blocking window film – Thermal drapes aren’t just for winter! Using insulated drapes to keep out the summer heat, or applying a non-adhesive heat blocking window film to your windows will help keep the inside temperature down. This will make it much easier for your a/c or fans to keep up - not only making your more comfortable but saving on energy costs too. Window films are inexpensive and easy to install – you can cut to size and they attach via natural static, without glues or adhesives. They can block up to 99% of harmful UV rays and filter out 85% of infrared rays.
- Avoid strenuous activity – Go light on your workouts or at least try to limit strenuous activity to the coolest times of the day – early AM or late at night. Watch out for humidity, which can make the “real feel” temperature much higher than the thermometer indicates, and check air quality conditions before venturing out.
