All over Canada people are currently experiencing temperatures way higher than normal, and most Canadian homes are not equipped with air conditioning units due to living in a naturally cooler climate. Rather than running out and dropping hundreds or even thousands of dollars to rectify this situation (that will hopefully sort itself out soon!) here are some low budget alternatives to cool down you and your house during these unprecedented times.
Keep the Sun Out!
Windows can let in about 25 per cent of summer heat. To avoid turning your home into a microwave, make sure to block the heat with shades or blinds during the sunniest hours of the day. The darker the window coverings the more heat they will keep out. Uncovered windows can create a greenhouse effect that most people do not enjoy, especially in a time of record high temperatures.
Many people on the internet are taking to using aluminum foil to cover their windows as a much cheaper alternative to blinds or shades. Check out this video and give it a try.
Adjust the Direction of Your Ceiling Fan
A ceiling fan isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it appliance. In the summer, the fan blades should rotate counter-clockwise (as you look up at it). When your ceiling fan spins quickly in this direction, it pushes air down in a column and creates a cool breeze. The ceiling fan improves air circulation and creates a breeze that you feel on your skin, a “wind chill” effect. This helps keep a room’s temperature consistent throughout the day and it makes the air feel cooler than it is. A good ceiling fan can make you feel significantly cooler while saving energy.
Check out how with the video below!
DIY AC
With a bowl of ice and a fan, you can create the effect of an air conditioner. Simply fill a mixing bowl with ice or an ice pack, and put the bowl in front of a fan. Turn the fan on, and the air will mimic a chilly, misty breeze. This is an old school trick that people once used years ago when most people did not have air conditioning. It’s best to close the door and windows when you do this, to keep the air trapped inside. The idea is that ice generates cold air around it, and the fan will blow this air around. This is an ideal alternative to an air conditioner. Just maybe don’t sit right in front of the stream so it doesn’t irritate your eyes.
Change Out Your Sheets
Switch your satin, silk, or polyester sheets out for cooling sheets, and for a cheaper alternative use cotton sheets. Cotton tends to be breathable and excellent for promoting ventilation and airflow, which makes for a cool and refreshing sleep even in the highest of temperatures.
Open Windows at Night!
Opening your windows at night will help you take advantage of those breezy summer evenings and promote a cross-breeze that will help you sleep better. The cooler air will circulate all night, allowing you to start fresh with a cool home in the morning. There’s a benefit to closing off the doors connecting your kitchen to the rest of the house during the day, since the hot air from cooking a meal will carry throughout your home. You should also open the door or window connecting the kitchen to the outside to get rid of the hot air. You can open the doors and windows at night to allow the cooler air to flow freely from room to room.
Here are a couple more less conventional ways to beat the heat we thought might be fun to try. If you try one of these be sure to tag us on Instagram or Facebook and tag @TravelNurseCanada.
Sleep Suspended
Try releasing your inner Tarzan and sleeping in a bed that is above the ground, then you can have airflow all the way around you.
Rig up a hammock or set up a cot, both types of bed are suspended on all sides, which increases airflow.
The Egyptian Method
It’s a method where you use a sleep between damp, cool sheets in an effort to lower the body’s temperature and provide a cool, relaxing environment, basically a DIY swamp cooler. Place a dry towel under your body to avoid soaking the mattress.
Do you have any ways you like to beat the heat? We’d love to hear about how you’re combating the Great Canadian Heatwave of 2021! Be sure to comment below or tag us on Instagram or Facebook and tag @TravelNurseCanada
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