Alternative air conditioning – tips and tricks for a cooler apartment
Summer is finally here! Not only are the days getting longer, the thermometer is also showing higher temperatures. Whether at the swimming pool, at the ice cream parlor or at the lake, everyone is enjoying the wonderful weather. Unfortunately, stuffy and overheated apartments are inevitable and some people wish they had air conditioning to escape sweaty nights. Air conditioning can not only be expensive, but also consumes huge amounts of electricity and pollutes the environment. If you want to avoid a high electricity bill at the end of the year, you can make your apartment without air conditioning a little more bearable with the following tips and tricks.
Important: ventilate properly!
First of all, it is important to ventilate properly. Yes - you read that correctly, ventilation sounds trivial, but if you leave the window ajar all day and think that this will keep the apartment well ventilated and cool, you are wrong. If the window is left open all day, warm air can get into the apartment and build up inside. It is therefore a good idea to ventilate the entire apartment in the morning and evening, when temperatures are logically lower, and then keep the windows closed. Unfortunately, this is often not enough, so the rooms should also be darkened. Roller blinds on the outside are particularly useful here, because roller blinds inside the apartment do not have a reflective coating and heat the room even more. A little additional tip: textiles store heat, i.e. banish carpets or wool blankets to the basement in summer!
Small adjustments can already work cooling wonders
Often we don't think about it, but even small actions can make the temperature in your home a little more comfortable . Turn off unnecessary electrical devices that are on standby, as these also give off heat and cause the temperature to rise. Towels or sheets soaked in water are the best alternative to air conditioning. To do this, simply hang the towels in front of the window or place them on a clothes rack in the room. As heat is removed from the air during the drying process, not only the towel is cooled, but also the surrounding area.
Other ways to fight the heat
If these tips don't help, there is also the fan . This also uses electricity, but significantly less than an air conditioner. Unfortunately, it cannot lower the temperature, but it swirls around the warm air that we give off. In combination with damp sheets or a bowl of ice cubes , the temperature can also be lowered somewhat. Last but not least, window films work wonders. Although they have the disadvantage of darkening the room, they protect against sunlight and the room does not heat up as much.
All in all, there are some alternatives to power-hungry air conditioning. In addition to cooling the room or apartment, it is important to always drink plenty of fluids in these high temperatures!
All tips summarized
- Proper ventilation
- Don't let the sun in
- Ban textiles such as wool blankets and carpets in summer
- Turn off electrical devices
- Hang wet towels in front of the windows
- Use a fan
- Apply window films
- DRINK LOTS!
