During the summer months, we are constantly looking for ways to beat the heat. Make our lives a little more comfortable. Living Large Online has come of with 6 ideas to start you out. Here they are:
One of the most comfortable feelings on a hot days to keep the back of your neck cool. Some use a wet towel or ice pack on the back of their neck. But these items can get messy and in the way during the course of a normal hot day. Try Sea Breeze, an astringent you can pick up at any local drug store. Swab some on the back of your neck and instantly, you can feel the cool breeze and your body temperature immediately lowers. If you can get by with the slight smell of an astringent on your neck, this is a great way to keep cool during those hot days.
One of the worst places to be on a hot day, is slaving over a hot stove. This warms you up and the house. Not withstanding the fact that you can opt to out for dinner, you can help alleviate the “hot kitchen blues” by turning the exhaust fan on while cooking. As you know, heat rises. So why not point it in the right direction, and suck it right out of the house.
Drink plenty of liquids. It is important that you maintain the electrolytes and hydration your body needs. Avoid alcohol, they actually raise your body temperature, and can actually attribute to dehydration.
Wear loose clothing. Stay away from synthetic and synthetic blends. Wear clothing made of natural fibers. They allow your skin to “breathe” easier by absorbing the sweat that is evaporated through the loose clothing.
If your using the air conditioner at home, it would be most effective if your home was insulated with products that have the highest “R” factor. The “R” stands for resistance. The higher the “R” factor, the higher it is resistant to any passing through of heat or cold. Call your local contractor to install insulation. This can be done by various methods. The most common after construction is using materials that are blown into the walls and ceiling. You may find that you can cut the cost of your utility bills dramatically by opting for this procedure.
If air conditioning is not an option, try opening a window or door at both ends of your dwelling. This will allow for a flow through of air. To help even more, use two fans, one to blow the cooler outside air in and another to blow the hot air inside, out. If you have one fan more powerful than the other, use the stronger one blow out, this will help the other fan by drawing air in. What happens if you have only one fan? Easy, you can set it up by blowing out or in, but remember, open up a door or window on the opposite side, your fan will run much more efficiently.
References -
www.realsimple.com
www.osha.gov/
www.nyc.gov/