11 Tricks to Cool Down Your Apartment

There’s been a rise in temperature across the globe, especially in recent years. June 2019 was the warmest June on record in the United States. Temperatures remained well above average in most of the states throughout the rest of the year as well. With this in mind, people are running their air conditioners more often and for longer periods of time, which means they’re experiencing higher energy costs.

Apartment tenants and homeowners alike are curious about ways to decrease their electricity bills without sacrificing the comfort of cooler living spaces. We’ve compiled a few tricks that will help keep your apartment cooler as temperatures rise.

1) Keep Your Windows Closed

The temperature inside directly depends on how much solar heat enters through windows. Keeping your windows closed and installing blinds or curtains can help reduce the amount of sunlight and heat that gets inside the apartment, which will help keep the temperature lower. The sun’s rays are the most intense between 12 to 4 pm, but once the sun sets, you can open the windows to let fresh air in.

2) Adjust the Thermostat to the Right Temperature

Striking a balance between comfortable temperature and one that’s energy-efficient is the key to cost savings. Consider setting your thermostat to 72 degrees Fahrenheit when you are home. Turn the thermostat up to 77 degrees when you are away.

3) Fans and Ice

This trick is a tried and true one. Put ice in a bowl and place the bowl in front of a fan and point the fan in your direction after you turn it on. It creates a cool, pleasant breeze on warm days.

4) Direct the Air Flow

The air created by your AC/fan moves throughout your apartment. You can direct cooler air to other parts of your apartment by strategically closing doors of rooms where you don’t want the cool air to flow and opening the doors of rooms where you do.

5) Use a Simple Portable Fan

A simple portable fan can make things cooler around you. The best thing is you can place it wherever you sit or work so you can feel cool air anywhere. You can also maximize a portable fan’s output by placing a bowl of ice in front of it as it blows.

6) Replace Your Bed Sheets

A change in weather should trigger you to change your bedsheets. Switch out flannel sheets for lighter and cooler cotton ones. To make things even cooler, buy a buckwheat pillow. This type of pillow doesn’t trap heat like conventional pillows, so they remain cooler and feel great on warmer days.

7) Run Fans Counter-Clockwise

A ceiling fan’s blades play a big role in keeping living spaces cooler. Keep fan blades running clockwise during the spring and summer months.

8) Focus on Yourself

It’s essential to keep your body temperature down when it’s warm outside. There are two ways to achieve this.  One way is by consuming cold beverages and second, apply a cold cloth to areas of your body like your wrists and neck. Additionally, adjust your clothing choice according to the weather and wear neutral-colored, light, and cotton clothes.

9) Install Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

Traditional light bulbs consume more energy and emit a lot of heat. They can also be more problematic when there is no air conditioner in the room. Consider changing out your traditional bulbs for energy-efficient bulbs to cut down on excessive heat.

10) Minimize Kitchen Heat

The kitchen is the one place that can undo all of your efforts to keep your apartment cool. Cooking meals on the stove and using the oven raises the room temperature in the room. Try to minimize when you use your oven and stove during warmer months to help reduce the temperature inside. Another idea is to use the kitchen during the hours when it’s cooler outside, usually in the evening or early morning.

11) Allow the Night Air Inside

No matter how hot it is during the day, nights tend to be cooler. Take advantage of it by opening the windows before going to bed to let in the cooler air. Don’t forget to close the windows before the temperature goes back up the next day.

Conclusion

You can drastically reduce the temperature inside by using the techniques mentioned above. There are also other things that you can implement, such as insulated window films. Additionally, adding plants to windowsills and close to windows indoor plants can help shield rooms from the heat of sun rays.