Ways to Cool Down at Home this Season

With the weather outside getting hotter every day, the choice to stay at home instead and relax has been a preferred option for most. While this likely leads to high electricity consumption, here are some tips on how you can cool down at home without worrying too much about your electric bills at the end of the month.

Turning on your air conditioners is the usual choice to beat the heat while at home. Some households even leave their AC on the entire day to make the heat more bearable. After all, air conditioners improve indoor air quality and make for a more comfortable environment, especially during the hotter seasons.

That said, make sure your air conditioners are clean and leak-free so that you can maximize every cent spent when they're on. Dirty air conditioners have to work harder and consume 5%–25% more electricity as compared to cleaner units, so it contributes to a higher electrical bill.

If you feel like opening the AC for a longer time isn’t cost-friendly, then going with a fan is a cheaper and more budget-friendly way to prevent feeling the effects of the daily heat.

Just like air conditioners, electric fans must also be cleaned regularly (even more so than air conditioners) so they can work at their maximum. The good thing about fans is that they are easier to clean and maintain. Doing that at least twice a month would be enough to ensure it works at its best. 

Given the intensity of the daily heat, drinking cold water more regularly is a good way to avoid feeling dehydrated. Of course, this will likely mean opening the fridge more often than usual or relying on water dispensers, which will also lead to higher electricity costs. Instead, it is advisable to buy insulated water tumblers to keep your drinks cold for a longer time.

Having plants inside your house helps purify the air inside and can even help remove household toxins. Rubber plants, palms, and weeping figs are some plants that also have cooling effects and high-water content, which keep the air moist and cool. 

The presence of plants inside the house has some positive psychological aspects as well. According to studies, plants do boost one’s productivity and can even buffer stress and anxiety. 

If you have big windows inside your house, then putting on the correct curtains certainly plays a role in how much light and heat can reach inside. In terms of the color of curtains, choosing lighter shades is the recommended way to go. Not only do they reflect the heat (as opposed to dark colors, which absorb the heat) away from your home, but they make the room cooler as well. In terms of fabric, linen curtains allow air to circulate inside the room, which makes them a go-to choice against the sunlight.