No A/C? What to Do to Keep Your Home Cool

When the weather is hot, those without an air conditioner may find themselves not but two inches away from their fan. There are a few things that you can do, that don't involve turning on an air conditioner, to keep your home cool in the Summer.

Avoid Baking If You Can, Even Using the Range Will Heat Things Up

If you can help it don't bake during the hotter parts of the day. Even turning on the range will make your home less cool so consider having food that you don't have to heat up for the majority of your meals.

Turn Off All of the Electronics and Appliances That You Can, Keep the Refrigerator On Though

Turn off the TV, VCR, DVD player, Wii, PS3, Gamecube, Xbox, computer or whatever electronic device that you have that generates heat and doesn't need to be on. Some people turn off their water heater if they know that they will not need hot water until later in the day. Without an air conditioner you will have a harder time staying cool if you have a lot of electronics and appliances running.

Turn off Lights or Use Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Hard to believe that a 60 watt light bulb is really adding heat to your home but it is. By keeping your lights turned off as much as possible during the hot parts of the day you will cool your home and by using compact fluorescent light bulbs when you need to have a light on you will ensure that your home is not heating up from your lights as much as it would be if you were using regular light bulbs. Fluorescent light bulbs will be less expensive than a new air conditioner.

Open Some Windows, But Not Until It Cools Off