9 Tips on Staying Cool Without an Air Conditioner

As I’m writing this post, the temperatures in the New York City are flirting with the triple digits. Weather forecasters indicated that we are facing the hottest days in roughly a decade. Heat indexes are in the 100+ range and it was around 107 degrees(F) at one point.

Even though with this sweltering heat of the summer season, I’m quite comfortable living without an air conditioner.

An air conditioner is nice. There’s one in the living room. Sadly, my internet connection is spotty there. Plus, I’ve set up my room to be my ideal productive workspace. My situation has put me in a position where life without an air conditioner is beneficial in a few ways.

• Save on the electricity bill. The average air conditioning unit uses 12 times more electricity per hour than the average ceiling fan. That’s a ton of money right there.
• A greener, eco-friendly solution. I’m consuming less energy and playing my very small part in reducing my impact on the environment. The Energy Star label means nothing if I don’t use the appliance.
• Bragging rights. There has got to be a story here about how I survived 100-degree temperatures without an A/C.

Here are some tips I’d suggest from my summer, so far, without an air conditioner:

1. Wear minimal, loose clothing. Sometimes, I’ll put on a sleeveless shirt. But usually, I’m shirtless with shorts on. Or, you might prefer to take everything off (but be sure to read tip #5).
2. Drink cool water regularly. Hydration is important because it resupplies the water released through sweat (our bodies’ cooling mechanism) and it helps cool our bodies internally as well.
3. Use a fan. Our bodies emit heat that lingers around more so when temperatures are high. The fan creates a wind current that transfers the heat away (convection). It also cools us by speeding up evaporation of our sweat.
4. Stay close to ground level. Hot air tends to rise. This is why we typically aim the A/C towards the ceiling. Naturally, the upper floors of the house are significantly hotter than the basement (where I spend most of my time at home).
5. Shut window blinds, shades, and curtains. Sunlight can heat everything up very quickly (including you and your home). During the brightest hours of the day, I like to keep my room as dark as possible so the sunlight doesn’t bake me like an oven.
6. Close windows during the day and crack them open at night. When the temperature outside is hotter than it is inside, I’d prefer to keep the heat from coming in. It is much cooler with the windows closed and the fan on. As the night comes around and temperatures begin to drop, I’ll crack open the windows to let the heat out.
7. Remain calm. Of course, any type of physical activity will make us hotter. But in these temperatures, a sneeze or funny Youtube video is enough for you to break a sweat. I like to turn on Pandora Radio to some tranquil instrumental music and write.
8. Wet yourself with water. Water has a high specific heat capacity – meaning it is able to hold a good amount of heat. It helps remove heat from your body (like sweat). Many people keep a spray bottle with water on their desk. Once in a while, I’ll just wipe myself with a wet towel, then re-soak it and wrap it around my neck. Note: the head, neck, and chest are most sensitive to temperature changes.
9. Turn off unnecessary electronics. Anything that uses electricity will generate heat. When my laptop and phone is charged, I disconnect them from their chargers. I plug in my earphones instead of using the external speakers. The lights come on only when adequate vision is absolutely needed.

After a while, our bodies acclimate to the higher temperatures and it doesn’t seem so bad in the end. If the thermometer read 80 degrees, I’d think summer was over.

(Photo credit: ka_tate)

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