India has harsh summers, and not all homes have air conditioning. Even if it is, it isn’t always feasible due to power outages and growing electricity prices. What’s the other option, then? A combination of smart materials, common sense, and some tried-and-true home hacks.
A few easy adjustments can help you fight the heat without breaking the bank or remodeling your entire home. These useful suggestions will help you keep things cool indoors, whether you’re trying to find out how to keep room cool in summer without Air Conditioning (AC) or you simply want to reduce your cooling costs.
Let’s look at nine simple yet efficient techniques to keep your area cooler, even on the hottest days.
Why Avoiding Air Conditioning Makes Sense
Although air conditioners provide immediate relief, they have certain drawbacks, such as high electricity costs, elevated carbon emissions, and, in certain situations, an over-reliance that makes you feel hotter as soon as you step outdoors. Furthermore, not every house is built to accommodate air conditioning, and frequent power outages can render it unreliable during the hottest summer months.
On the other hand, when done correctly, natural cooling techniques are affordable, safe for the environment, and surprisingly effective. Additionally, they lower interior humidity, enhance ventilation, and contribute to a more balanced indoor climate.
Therefore, you’re already on the correct track if you’re asking how to stay comfortable while using less energy or how to keep a room cold without air conditioning. Naturally, let’s get started on the doable strategies for keeping your home cool.
Blackout Curtains: Your First Line of Cooling a Room
Take a look at your windows before you even begin to worry about how to keep room cool in summer without air conditioning (AC).
An immediate oven is created when sunlight streams in.
Use thick shades, blackout curtains, or even the time-tested chik (bamboo blinds, baby!) to block the heat. You’ll notice a difference if you pull them closed during the hottest hours of the day. At least your room won’t feel like Satan’s balcony, even though it might not feel like Shimla.
Choose light-colored or white drapes since they reflect heat rather than absorb it like dark shades do.
Cross Ventilation = Free AC Cooler
Do you know what nature’s AC is? Cross ventilation is the term for it. To allow air to circulate freely throughout your home, open windows or doors on opposite sides.
Without the turbulence, it’s similar to building a natural wind tunnel in your living room.
Better still? A bowl of ice or cold water should be placed in front of the window that lets in the wind. Voila! DIY refreshing breeze in an instant.
When you’re trying to figure out how to keep room cool in summer without air conditioning (AC), this trick is a great help.
Turn Your Fan into a Chill Machine
Fans move air rather than chill it. However, you can turn your ordinary fan into a miniature air conditioner with a little hacking.
Here’s how:
- A large metal ice dish should be placed in front of your table fan.
- To force air over the ice, angle the fan.
- Enjoy the refreshing breeze that transports you to the Alps (well, well, Lonavala at best).
It’s do-it-yourself, vintage, and flawless.
Let the Night Air In
Daytime? The curtains are drawn. Nighttime? Let everything open.
Why? Let that beautiful, delicious air in since it’s cooler in the late hours of the night and early in the morning. If at all possible, prop your bedroom door open and open your windows wide.
Invest in mesh screens or window grills if you’re concerned about security and live on the ground floor. Summer joy is equal to cool air and no mosquitoes.
If you want to keep your house cold during intense weather without becoming a popsicle every time you open the refrigerator, this method is highly beneficial.
Cotton Is Your Best Friend
Leave the satin and polyester bed linens alone. Seriously.
During the summer, everything should be made of cotton, including clothes, pillows, bed linens, and, if possible, curtains. When you try to sleep at night, cotton breathes better, stays cooler, and doesn’t feel like a clingy ex.
Do you want to level it up? Throughout the day, keep your pillowcases in the refrigerator. It may sound absurd, but every night for five seconds, it will be the most amazing moment of your life.
Unplug That Heat Factory
Nobody discusses this, yet gadgets produce heat. Yes, including that naive phone charger, your laptop, gaming system, and TV. They’re all disguised tiny heaters.
Therefore, disconnect anything you can when not in use. You prevent them from converting your room into a sauna, in addition to saving electricity.
It’s an easy step with a big payoff when you’re thinking about how to keep room cool in summer without air conditioning (AC).
Say No to Overcooking
Fire is a byproduct of cooking. Heat = fire. Heat makes you sob while stirring Dal in a pool of perspiration.
Aim to cook as little as possible during the warmest parts of the day. Choose salads, quick meals, or even takeout (not that we’re promoting junk food, but maybe a bit).
If you must cook, turn on an exhaust fan and keep the kitchen windows open to prevent heat from spreading throughout the entire home.
Switch to LED Lights and Feel the Difference
In essence, incandescent lights are miniature suns. They generate far more heat in your room than you might anticipate. Replace them with LED lights, which don’t make your room seem like a microwave and consume less electricity. They also last longer.
This is your cue to get rid of any leftover yellow lightbulbs from your housewarming celebration.
You might be surprised to see how much just one minor adjustment helps keep a room cool without air conditioning.
DIY Cool Roof: Not Fancy, But Effective
In the summer, your roof absorbs all of the sun’s rays and radiates them downward, like a huge frying pan.
This is a Desi trick: use lime to whitewash your roof or terrace. Rather than absorbing sunlight, it reflects it. White lime paint will work just fine; you don’t need expensive reflecting paints unless you’re going all out.
One more piece of advice? Cover with a couple of jute sacks and keep moist. Because it cools the rooftop, less heat will enter your room.
Even though it doesn’t appear Instagram-worthy, aesthetics can wait when you’re enduring 44°C without air conditioning.
Lifestyle Habits That Help You Stay Cool
In addition to housing modifications, little lifestyle improvements can also make a big difference in summertime comfort.
Drink plenty of water
It’s crucial to stay hydrated throughout the day. Keep a bottle close at hand and think about adding slices of cucumber, lemon, or mint as natural coolants. Buttermilk or coconut water might also aid in controlling body temperature.
Put on clothing that breathes
Select lighter-colored, breathable materials like linen or cotton. Steer clear of synthetic or tight clothing that retains moisture and heat. Your body temperature can remain constant throughout the day if you dress appropriately.
Consume fresh and light meals
Meals that are heavy and greasy can make you feel sluggish and increase body heat. Choose meals that are light and hydrating, such as salads, steamed vegetables, curd-based recipes, and fresh fruits.
All and All for How to Keep Room Cool in Summer
We’re not advocating that you live in the mountains like a monk. However, you’ll actually notice a difference in the way your home feels if you incorporate even three or four of these suggestions.
Actually, our grandparents knew half of these tips back when air conditioners weren’t invented, and they managed to stay cool using clay pots and common sense.
Send this article to everyone who asks you how to keep room cool in summer without air conditioning. Additionally, you might want to share your bowl of icy air with them, as even while you’re melting, kindness counts.
