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7 Ways to Beat the Heat

Even as we get through the hottest part of the summer, there are still plenty of warm days left, especially in the D.C. area. As a society, we’ve become reliant on air conditioning to help cool us down, but AC uses a lot of power, making it both expensive and a possible contributor to power outages on hot days. On that note, here are a few other ways to beat the heat that don’t involve using your AC.

1. Block the sun. It might seem like the heat is unavoidable, but as anyone who has sought out the cooling shelter of shade knows, it’s the sun that pushes the temperature from warm to sweltering. When you’re in your house, close your shades and blinds to try to reflect the sun’s rays and to prevent them from warming the inside of your house. If your sun blockers are white, even better.
2. Close the windows. Contrary to popular belief, when the temperature rises past the upper-70s, having the windows open can actually make you hotter. The warm air from outside will come into your house and raise the temperature from what it would be if the windows were all closed. (This is most important if you’ve just shut off the air conditioner or the house cooled down overnight.)
3. Have a fan blowing out the window. At night, position a fan in your room so that it’s blowing outside. In this position, the fan will push out the hot air from your home and suck in the cooler air from outside. And of course, having a fan blowing cool air onto your body will help make you comfortable, but make sure it isn’t blowing hot air. (Also, remember that a fan doesn’t cool a room, it just makes you feel cooler; turn the fan off when you leave the room.)
4. Turn off electronics and appliances. The reasons for this are twofold: 1) your laptop and other powerful electronics produce heat, which they expel into the air around them; and 2) the more electronics you have going, the more of a drain it is on the power grid, which raises the likelihood of an outage. Outages during periods of incredible heat are risky and dangerous, so take care to avoid them, and don’t use unnecessary appliances like a dishwasher or washer and dryer.
5. Wear loose-fitting clothes made of light fabrics. Loose clothing allows air to move between your skin and the clothing, helping sweat from your skin evaporate more quickly. Wearing a material like light cotton or, even better, the athletic-type clothing designed to keep you cool lets more air through to your skin.
6. Eat spicy, eat light, drink water. Your diet can help you stay cool as well. Spicy foods make you sweat, and they can provide quick relief as you eat. However, you don’t want to eat heavy or fatty foods; it’s better to dine on vegetables and fruits, which will help keep you hydrated and give you energy. Speaking of hydration: drink plenty of water. As you sweat, you lose fluids, and the only way to stay refreshed is to replace the fluid you lose.
7. Dim the lights. Reducing heat by turning off the lights in your home is a reliable way to cool down the house. Also, changing your light bulbs to the efficient fluorescent variety will help save energy, combating possible power outages, and will produce less heat, making your house far more comfortable. For more information on the light bulbs you should use in your home, read Crest’s blog post on changing to efficient fluorescent bulbs.

As oppressive as the heat might sometimes feel, these strategies give you ways to at least fight back. And remember: October’s only a few months away!

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