Sparsely informed: I froze a water bottle and manage to avoid heat inside my home despite it being 33 degrees Celsius.
It's August 1st, and the mercury is rising, approaching the 30-degree mark. But not everyone can afford to install an air conditioner, and running a split system can significantly increase electricity bills. Fortunately, there are several ways to cool down an apartment using common household items and natural methods.
Blocking Sunlight
One of the most effective ways to reduce heat gain is by blocking sunlight. This can be achieved by using curtains, blinds, or reflective materials on windows, especially those on south- and west-facing windows. Blackout or lighter-colored curtains maximize reflection of heat.
Ventilating at Night
Opening windows on opposite sides to create cross-ventilation allows hot air to escape and cooler night air to enter. Combining this with fans can enhance airflow, making the apartment feel cooler.
Using Fans Strategically
Placing fans near open windows or over ice/water bottles can circulate cooler air. For example, putting a bowl of ice or frozen water bottle in front of a fan creates a DIY evaporative cooler that chills the air as it blows over the ice.
Dampening Floors and Curtains
Dampening floors and curtains with water can help produce evaporative cooling, which reduces temperature indoors.
Keeping Lights and Appliances Off
Preventing additional heat from being generated indoors by keeping lights and appliances off during the hottest part of the day is also beneficial.
Using Breathable, Light-Colored Fabrics
Choosing cotton materials for curtains and bedding helps keep interiors cooler by allowing heat to escape more easily.
Introducing Indoor Plants
Indoor plants can aid cooling by transpiration, where plants release moisture into the air, slightly lowering temperatures.
Color Choices
Painting walls, ceilings, and woodwork in light colors reflect more sunlight and help keep rooms cooler.
By combining these low-cost, household solutions—sunlight blocking, night ventilation, fans with ice, water evaporation, and shading—indoor temperatures can be significantly reduced without the need for air conditioning.
Additional Tips
- Cold air spreads from each cold container, creating a refreshing coolness even in areas heated by the sun. A small table fan can be used to distribute the cool air from the melting ice.
- Simple household items like frozen water can improve the microclimate without extra costs. Frozen bottles can be placed throughout the apartment, including at the entrance, windowsills, near the balcony, and in large rooms like living rooms.
- Ice-filled bowls, pots, or regular basins can also be used to create a cool zone in a room. Prolonged direct contact with ice should be avoided to prevent overheating or inflammation. The method requires periodically returning the bottles to the freezer to maintain the cold reserve.
- Ice bottles and bowls should be placed on a tray or towel to prevent water damage to furniture. Hanging the frozen sheet near a window or on a draft can help cool the room.
- These methods are recommended for use not only at home but also at the cottage, office, car, or on a picnic on sunny days. Applying frozen water bottles to areas with large blood vessels (neck, wrists, temples, forehead) can quickly cool the body.
- Freezing a wet cotton sheet and using it as a blanket can cool the skin and lower the room temperature. Replace frozen containers as they melt to maintain consistent coolness throughout the day.
- Placing several plastic bottles filled with frozen water in front of a fan can lower the temperature around a resting spot. The melting of ice absorbs heat from the surrounding space, rapidly lowering the temperature of the air nearby.
These low-cost, easy-to-implement solutions can make a significant difference in keeping you cool during the hot summer months.
- Incorporating breathable, light-colored fabrics like cotton for curtains and bedding can contribute to a cooler home, as they allow heat to escape more easily.
- Employing food-and-drink items, such as frozen water bottles, can enhance the microclimate within an apartment without significant additional costs.
- By taking advantage of fashion-and-beauty products such as wet cotton sheets, you can cool your skin and lower room temperature.
- Partaking in lifestyle practices like planting indoor plants can aid cooling, as these plants release moisture through transpiration, creating a slight reduction in temperatures.
