How to Keep Your Cool in Summer Heat

Now that Mother’s Day has passed and school is nearly out, summer is around the corner. As much as I love summer, I must confess I don’t necessarily love the heat that comes with it.

The other part of summertime I don’t like is having higher bills from trying to keep cool. If you have the same struggle, here’s how to keep your cool in summer heat.

Use House Fans

If you have ceiling fans or portable, oscillating fans, turn them on to keep your cool in summer heat. Then, turn your air conditioner up a few degrees. This is one of the ways you can lower your summer household budget.

Don’t Use Your Oven

When you cook with an oven it heats up the whole house. While this is nice in winter when it’s cold, during summer months it makes it harder to cool off. One thing I do to combat the heat is use smaller appliances for cooking instead of my oven.

My summertime cooking choices are my crockpot, toaster oven, stove top, and microwave. Using them lets me keep the oven turned off.

As a result, my air conditioner doesn’t work as hard. The result is that the house stays cooler, and my electricity bills are lower.

Open Windows

Whenever you’re lucky enough to have an evening breeze, open the windows and cool down your house. This will help you keep your cool in summer heat and lower your utility bills too.

See a Movie

I don’t know what your local movie theatre is like, but the ones I’ve been in are usually cold. You can use this to your advantage in summer months to stay cool. Just go to a movie for a break from the heat.

Go Swimming

Take a dip in a cool lake, pool, or other recreational body of water. This is just one more way to keep your cool in summer heat.

Getting your body temperature down can cool you off enough to prevent use of your air conditioner.

Use Vegetation

Have you ever thought about the landscaping in your yard? Some trees and bushes will provide shade that can keep both you and your home cooler during the summer heat.

Keep Up with Maintenance

If you’re not keeping up with maintenance around your home it can cost you more money each month. Fix leaks around doors and windows. Change furnace filters at least monthly and have ductwork cleaned.

Eat Cool Foods

As wonderful as popsicles are, they’re even better when it’s hot outside. But you can also enjoy cold sandwiches, ice cream, cool salads, and other foods that aren’t hot. These are a few more ways to keep your cool in summer heat.

Install Whole House Fans

Installing whole house fans can keep you cooler in summer. They can create a cross breeze with open windows. Also, they allow you to send hot air out of the top of the house.

Buy a Programmable Thermostat

Another way to keep your cool in summer heat is to buy a programmable thermostat. They’re relatively inexpensive and pay for themselves in short order.

Close Things Up

If you’re looking for other ways to keep your cool when summer heats up, try closing thing up. As an example, close vents and returns in rooms you aren’t using. Then close the doors.

But don’t stop there. Try closing blinds and drapes also to keep the heat and sun out.

Wear Cotton

The clothes do make the man, and woman, when it comes to summer heat. Wear cotton to stay cooler and beat the heat during warm months.

None of us can change the fact that summer will be here soon. But you don’t have to suffer when the thermometer starts rising. Use some of the ideas here to keep your cool in summer heat.

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What other ways do you beat the heat in summer?