Summer is an exciting time of the year, but not when your air conditioner conks out.
To keep yourself cool when the air conditioner is broken, you have several options, like using your fan and going out for a swim.
You’ve come to the right place if you need more ideas. Here, I’ve compiled 10 strategies to beat the heat while waiting for the technician to repair your AC unit!
10 Ways to Keep Cool When Your Air Conditioner Breaks Down
Since repairs already cost hundreds of dollars, buying a new cooling device may not be an option for some of us.
With this in mind, I handpicked inexpensive ways to survive the blistering summer days without your air conditioner.
1. Switch On Your Fans
From a scientific standpoint, fans do not necessarily make the air cooler. In a confined space, this electrical appliance functions when an electric current runs through the coil of war. As the current increases, the wire gets hotter.
What fans do is that they blow air that helps evaporate sweat from our skin. This, in turn, lowers our body temperature.
If you have a ceiling fan, here’s another trick: Set it to rotate counterclockwise. This lets it pull up the cool air and spread it across the room.
2. Shower or Swim
Nothing is more refreshing than a shower or bathing in your tub on an intensely hot day. Alternatively, you can take your whole family or housemates out for a swim.
When it comes to water temperature, you can count on cold water to freshen you up instantly.
However, experts argue that warm water is more effective if you want to feel cool longer. Sweating or wet skin can increase the amount of heat loss in our bodies.
3. Opt for Breathable Fabrics
Choose fabrics that wick away moisture and promote good airflow, like linen and cotton. These fabrics make for comfier bedding in warm weather but are an excellent choice for your summer outfit.
Speaking of clothes, conventional wisdom dictates that we should wear light-colored fabrics instead of black on a hot day. But the truth is that it does not matter.
If you want to stay fresh, find clothes that protect you from sunburn without preventing your sweat from evaporating.
4. Give Your Oven And Stove a Break
Believe it or not, using appliances like stoves and ovens can contribute to the rise in indoor temperature. So, steer clear of these heat-generating devices during the hottest time of the day. If you must cook, do it at night when it is cooler.
As a substitute, heat your food in a microwave as it generates less heat compared to an oven. You can even get creative and look for no-cook recipes.
5. Use Your Curtains or Blinds To Block the Sunlight
Understandably, many homeowners take advantage of the natural light to brighten up rooms without using electricity. But if your AC is not working, it can increase the temperature of your house.
Even if your fans are switched on, you can utilize your curtains to block the sunlight during the day to lower the temperature slightly.
6. Hydrate Yourself
Besides helping our kidneys work properly, dissolve nutrients, and improve our skin, water is essential in regulating our body temperature.
That said, sipping water is not the only means to hydrate. You can also drink smoothies and eat fruits like watermelon and grapes.
7. Use Your Dehumidifier
Hot air often results in high levels of humidity. In your home, humidity increases when you leave standing water in the tub or cook in a pot without putting its lid on.
If you live in a particularly humid area, get a portable dehumidifier and run it with your fans. This will surely improve the air quality of your home and lower the indoor temperature.
8. Cool Down With Cold Towels
In Japan, hotels and restaurants traditionally provide guests with a wet hand towel called ‘oshibori.’ These towels are soaked in either hot or cold water.
Hot towels are served to visitors during winter, while cold ones are offered during summer.
Oshibori towels are very easy to make. Bathe your towels in ice-cold water and wring the excess water. Put one around your neck and store the rest in your freezer for later use.
9. Put On Some Sunscreen
Some of us can’t stay indoors for the rest of the day. So apply some sunscreen when you need to do some yard work or run errands.
Several new products provide some cooling effects on the skin. Even then, traditional sunscreen can do a decent job of preventing sunburn, making our skin feel much warmer.
10. Leave Your House
If your house is too hot, leave and return in the evening when it is cooler. There are many places to visit in your neighborhood, like your local library, mall, or coffee shop, where air conditioners run full blast.
How Do People Live With Broken AC?
The most effective way to increase your heat tolerance is to gradually spend more time in a hot environment for one to two weeks.
Note that many people do not tolerate the heat well. Those with high blood pressure, for instance, are at greater risk.
Does Putting Ice Near a Fan Work?
Placing ice packs in front of your fan can make the air feel cold. Likewise, attaching a plastic container filled with ice can also help your fan blast cool air, as seen in the video below.
The catch is that these strategies have limitations. Your fan can cool only the area where the air is directed for as long as the ice has not melted.
