Keeping Cool at Home in the Summer

If June has been any indication Nova Scotia is in for a very warm summer! But if you’re not lucky enough to have air conditioning you may be wondering how to stay cool when the weather heats up! Here are 10 tips for cooling off at home this summer!

1. Close the curtains! This is the opposite of our winter curtains tip, closing the curtains during the hottest part of the day will keep the sun from heating up your house too much. 
2. Adjust your ceiling fans to rotate counter-clockwise so they push cool air down. In the winter you’ll want to switch them to clockwise to pull the cool air up. This is also helpful even if you do have an air conditioner to help distribute the air throughout the house.
3. Keep it shady! Creating shady spots around your house outside will keep the inside of the house cooler. Install awnings or plant trees that will shade windows and walls during the summer to keep the house cool but will allow the sun in during the winter to warm things up. 
4. Draft protection isn’t just for winter! Keeping the cool air in your house in the summer is as important as keeping the warm air in during the winter. Make sure your windows and doors aren’t allowing too much air to escape during the hottest part of the day. 
5. Open things up, like windows and doors, in the evening when the temperature has gone down to allow the cooler air in.
6. Stay low! Heat rises, so if you can, hang out on lower floors or even the basement of the house to avoid the heat upstairs.
7. Make your own air conditioner! On really hot days a fan pointed over a bowl of ice is a great budget way to cool off. 
8. Wear cotton or linen fabrics, they’re more breathable and allow air in to cool your body down. Cotton sheets will also make sleeping in high temperatures easier. 
9. If you’re not lucky enough to have a swimming pool or can’t get to a beach, a backyard wading pool or even just a sprinkler can help on a hot day! Water on your skin helps keep your body cooler.
10. Stay hydrated. Water is your best friend on a hot day to keep from getting dehydrated and overheating. 

We hope these tips will keep you cool this summer but if you can’t beat the heat and decide to invest in an air conditioner check out our blog here for all you need to know!