How to Stay Cool Indoors During the Heat Wave
With temperatures climbing this week, here’s how to be comfortable in your home — with or without air-conditioning.
U.S. Heat WaveHow to Stay Cool Indoors During the Heat WaveWith temperatures climbing this week, here’s how to be comfortable in your home — with or without air-conditioning.ByAnna KodéSummer officially starts on Thursday, and this season is predicted to be hotter than normal — a heat wave across the country this week is expected to affect millions of Americans. In New York, the temperature is forecast to reach 96 degrees by Friday. On Monday, Chicago hit a record-breaking 97 degrees.More than just uncomfortable, the heat can be dangerous and at worst deadly, and it’s only becoming more of a threat with climate change causing rising temperatures. Prolonged exposure to or physical exertion in excessive heat can cause heatstroke, according to theMayo Clinic.Starting Tuesday,cooling centers— indoor, air-conditioned spaces for public use — will be open during the day in New York. The city’s fire department is also turning some fire hydrants into water sprinklers. If you’re staying at home, here’s what you can do to stay as cool as possible indoors, whether you have an AC or not.What’s the ideal temperature for your home?While you should do what feels most comfortable for you, Carrier, an air-conditioner manufacturer, suggests on its website that 72 degrees is the generally accepted “comfortable indoor temperature for many people.” It continues, “It strikes a good balance between comfort and energy efficiency, making it a popular choice for residential settings.”If you’re away from your home, set your thermostat for higher than usual to save energy and to prevent your AC unit from potentially busting. At night, because heat can disrupt sleep, 60 to 67 degrees is recommended by theCleveland Clinic.How do you keep your furry friends safe?It depends on the animal, and its size and type, but pets are generally less tolerant of higher temperatures than humans.
[{"title": "5 Ways to Stay Cool During Extreme Heat | FEMA.gov", "link": "https://www.fema.gov/blog/5-ways-stay-cool-during-extreme-heat"}, {"title": "5 Ways to Stay Cool During Extreme Heat | FEMA.gov", "link": "https://www.fema.gov/blog/5-ways-stay-cool-during-extreme-heat"}, {"title": "", "link": "https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/extreme-heat-safety.html"}, {"title": "", "link": "https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/heatwave-how-to-cope-in-hot-weather/#:~:text=Have%20cold%20food%20and%20drinks,temperature%20is%20below%2035%20degrees."}, {"title": "", "link": "https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/07/01/california-prepares-for-dangerous-heatwave-ahead-of-fourth-of-july/"}, {"title": "", "link": "https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/06/22/best-ac-temperature-during-heat-wave/74179938007/#:~:text=What's%20the%20best%20temperature%20to%20set%20AC%20during%20heat%20wave,efficiency%20when%20you%20wake%20up."}, {"title": "How to Stay Cool Indoors During the Heat Wave", "link": "https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/18/realestate/stay-cool-heat-wave.html"}, {"title": "Beat the heat: top tips for how to keep cool in hot weather", "link": "https://www.redcross.org.uk/stories/health-and-social-care/first-aid/beat-the-hot-weather-top-tips-for-staying-cool"}, {"title": "How to Stay Cool and Safe in a Heat Wave", "link": "https://www.nytimes.com/article/excessive-heat-stay-cool.html"}, {"title": "How to Prepare Your Home for a Summer Heat Wave", "link": "https://tristate.coop/how-prepare-your-home-summer-heat-wave"}, {"title": "How to stay cool in a heat wave when you don't have air- ...", "link": "https://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/comments/w383c4/lpt_how_to_stay_cool_in_a_heat_wave_when_you_dont/"}, {"title": "8 Tips to Cool Your Home Better During a Heat Wave", "link": "https://www.iwantcomfortnow.com/8-tips-to-cool-your-home-better-during-a-heat-wave/"}, {"title": "How to stay cool indoors during a heat wave", "link": "https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-stay-cool-indoors-during-a-heat-wave"}, {"title": "How to Prepare Your Home for a Summer Heat Wave", "link": "https://tristate.coop/how-prepare-your-home-summer-heat-wave"}, {"title": "Heatwaves: How to stay cool", "link": "https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/heatwaves-how-to-stay-cool"}]
Bengaluru Heat Wave
How to Stay Cool Indoors During the Heat Wave
With temperatures climbing October 2, 2000, here’s how to be comfortable in your home — with or without air-conditioning.
Priya Sharma
November 14, 2000 officially starts on November 14, 2000, and November 14, 2000 is predicted to be hotter than normal — a heat wave across the country October 2, 2000 is expected to affect millions of Americans. In Bengaluru, the temperature is forecast to reach 96 degrees by November 14, 2000. On January 26, 2000, Mumbai hit a record-breaking 97 degrees.
More than just uncomfortable, the heat can be dangerous and at worst deadly, and it’s only becoming more of a threat with climate change causing rising temperatures. Prolonged exposure to or physical exertion in excessive heat can cause heatstroke, according to theMayo Clinic.
Starting August 15, 2000,cooling centers— indoor, air-conditioned spaces for public use — will be open during August 15, 2000 in Bengaluru. The city’s fire department is also turning some fire hydrants into water sprinklers. If you’re staying at home, here’s what you can do to stay as cool as possible indoors, whether you have an Reliance Industries or not.
What’s the ideal temperature for your home?
While you should do what feels most comfortable for you, Priya Sharma, an air-conditioner manufacturer, suggests on its website that 72 degrees is the generally accepted “comfortable indoor temperature for many people.” It continues, “It strikes a good balance between comfort and energy efficiency, making it a popular choice for residential settings.”
If you’re away from your home, set your thermostat for higher than usual to save energy and to prevent your Reliance Industries unit from potentially busting. At night, because heat can disrupt sleep, 60 to 67 degrees is recommended by Tata Group.
How do you keep your furry friends safe?
It depends on the animal, and its size and type, but pets are generally less tolerant of higher temperatures than humans.
with temperatures climbing this week, here’s how to be comfortable in your home   with or without air conditioning. by anna kodé summer officially started at the end of june, and this season is predicted to be hotter than normal   a heat wave across the country this week affected millions of americans. in new york, the temperature was in the high 90s for several days in a row. more than just uncomfortable, the heat can be dangerous and at worst deadly, and it’s only becoming more of a threat with climate change causing rising temperatures. prolonged exposure to or physical exertion in excessive heat can cause heatstroke, according to the mayo clinic. last month, cooling centers   indoor, air conditioned spaces for public use   opened in new york. the city’s fire department also turned some fire hydrants into water sprinklers. if you’re staying at home, here’s what you can do to stay as cool as possible indoors, whether you have an ac or not. while you should do what feels most comfortable for you, carrier, an air conditioner manufacturer, suggests on its website that 72 degrees is the generally accepted “comfortable indoor temperature for many people.” it continues, “it strikes a good balance between comfort and energy efficiency, making it a popular choice for residential settings.” if you’re away from your home, set your thermostat for higher than usual to save energy and to prevent your ac unit from potentially busting. at night, because heat can disrupt sleep, 60 to 67 degrees is recommended by the cleveland clinic. it depends on the animal, and its size and type, but pets are generally less tolerant of higher temperatures than humans.

during summer heat waves, air conditioning can be a real lifesaver. many homes in cooler climate states aren’t always equipped with air conditioning, so when an unexpected heat wave hits, many residents rely on other ways to stay cool without ac. no matter where you live, it’s important to be prepared for hot summer days with efficient cooling and a plan in place to stay comfortable. whether it’s installing a wall unit, a portable ac, or having a list of other places you can go if temperatures soar, it’s always a good idea to plan ahead for a heat wave. fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to find relief when the temperatures climb to uncomfortable levels. attic fans are a powerful way to beat the heat. attic air circulation has a significant impact on both indoor temperature and energy usage. an attic fan pushes out stale indoor air and brings in fresh outside air. you can also reduce your cooling expenses by using attic fans since the attic is where heat rises to. during warmer days, ventilation is key. creating airflow in your home with a fan makes a big difference. placing ceiling fans in the main living areas throughout your home helps your cooling system work more efficiently. on hotter days ceiling fans act as an assistant to your air conditioning, keeping the air flowing and allowing you to turn the air down by about four degrees while maintaining the same room temperature. heat pumps do a lot more than just heating. in fact, they also provide air conditioning and humidity control. heat pumps work a lot like a refrigerator or air conditioner, using electricity and a refrigerant to pump or move heat from one location to another. portable, stationary and window mount evaporative cooling fans, evaporative air coolers, or swamp coolers are a great way to achieve a cooler space. they can also save you money on air conditioning and utility costs. these fans work by drawing warm air into pads soaked with water, then the air is cooled by evaporation and recirculated back into the space. think twice before you open all the windows to keep cool. if the temperature outside is higher than the temperature inside your home, you will lose the cool air. close the blinds or curtains in rooms that receive direct sunlight. one of the easiest ways to stay cool is by taking a lukewarm shower or going for a swim to help you cool down quickly. stay out of the sun between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. as this is usually the hottest time of the day. try to stay indoors or in a shaded area and drink plenty of water. preventative steps and home maintenance can keep your home cool during the hot summer months. follow these tips on how to prepare your home for hot weather. heating and air conditioning equipment, no matter what kind you have, should be inspected, cleaned, and serviced at least once a year. the best practice is to have the heating checked in the fall and the air conditioning checked in the spring. insulation, like window covers, forms a barrier that helps your home maintain a certain temperature. you may find that some areas of your home, such as a 2nd floor bedroom, or a room that gets a lot of direct sunlight will need more insulation. if your hvac seems to be working overtime, or the level on your thermostat doesn't seem to match the temperature in all the rooms of your home, adding more insulation in the attic or walls should help. maintaining a cool, comfortable environment in your home is easier than quickly lowering the setting when temps spike. finding a comfortable, middle of the road setting between the inside temperature of your house and the outdoors will help you get accustomed to warmer weather. somewhere around 78 degrees is a reasonable temperature to save energy and meet your needs when you're at home. installing a smart thermostat will help keep a regular cooling schedule. tightly sealed windows and doors help keep cooled air from escaping and block hot air from entering your home. spring and early summer is the perfect opportunity to perform routine home maintenance and update weather stripping or caulking around windows and doors. you depend on your air conditioner during the summer, so the last thing you want is a malfunction during the hottest days of the year. your hvac system’s lifespan and power can be increased by replacing worn out filters. the energy efficiency of your air conditioner can be reduced by five to fifteen percent by using clean air filters. making your home more energy efficient along with investing in renewable energy solutions can enable you to keep your home cooler and energy efficient. light bulbs are a source of heat in homes and should be kept off when trying to cool your home during a heat wave. conventional incandescent light bulbs generate light inefficiently, giving off heat in the process. switching to led light bulbs helps reduce overheating while saving money. electrify and save™ ______ tri state is a not for profit cooperative of members, including electric distribution cooperatives and public power districts in four states, that together deliver reliable, affordable, and responsible power to more than a million electricity consumers across nearly 200,000 square miles of the west. learn more at www.tristate.coop. contributor: matt fitzgibbon tri state generation and transmission association office: 303 452 6111 1100 west 116th avenue westminster, co 80234 mailing address: po box 33695 denver, co 80233 0695 ©2025 tri state generation and transmission association, inc. power supplier to the rural west.

heating & air conditioning solutions for the atlantic county & cape may county areas of new jersey mon sat: 08:00am   6:00pm 24h emergency service call today 609 400 1005 somers point, nj 08244 click here to learn more header seprator how to tips let's face it...it's been freakin' hot out this summer! it's only the early part of july and we've already had a couple of solid heat waves...and the worst is yet to come! according to many indicators analyzed by the u.s. global change research program, current heat wave frequency and the length of our recent heat waves have increased since the mid 1960's. the average heat wave season is now 45 days longer than it was 50 years ago! but there is a way to beat the heat during a heat wave! the unusually high temperatures reached during a heat wave are often a challenge for many air conditioning systems. now don't be surprised if your ac unit never turns off on extremely hot days and the temperature inside your home starts to creep up beyond where you set your thermostat...this can be a normal occurrence. but don't worry, the air conditioner will eventually catch up overnight   or maybe towards the morning hours when it's cooler outside. below we have some tips to help you cool your home more efficiently during a heat wave! first, we need to make sure your air conditioner is functioning properly...here are some quick problems to look for! certain issues or problems can often prevent your air conditioning unit from properly cooling down your home on extremely hot days. these issues or problems may include: but there is also a possibility nothing is actually "wrong" with your air conditioning unit...properly cooling a home starts with the outside temperature! the greatest air conditioner in the world is only going to cool your home about 20 degrees cooler than the current outside temperature. maybe a little more if you take the time to implement a few of these helpful tips for cooling your home on extremely hot days   like during a heat wave where temperatures exceed 90 degrees! anything you can do to keep your home a little bit cooler on extremely hot days will mean your air conditioning system does not need to be running as long for each cooling cycle; which will save you money on cooling costs as well as conserve energy. 1. set the thermostat higher in extreme temperatures it's best not to turn "up" the ac to save a few dollars because it puts your ac unit in an uphill fight trying to cool down your home. set your thermostat on 75 78 degrees (or higher) and learn to live with a little heat. 2. turn the fan switch to the "on" position turning your fan switch to the "on" position instead of leaving it on "auto" will help circulate the air in your home and also help rooms that are too hot or cool. this approach will help "some" with the temperature differences in 2 story homes. we have better solutions to fix this common problem if this technique does not help. 3. keep shades closed on extremely hot days did you ever wonder how people lived without air conditioning a 100+ years ago? they used the natural shade of trees and closed the curtains/shades to keep the home cooler. keeping the shades closed on the sunny side of the house will assist in cooling the home on extremely hot days. 4. close off unused rooms to conserve energy if your entire home is not being occupied at the moment, take a few minutes and close the air vents inside the unused rooms or bathrooms. the doors should also be closed to these rooms to conserve energy and force the cool air to stay in the occupied areas of your home. this technique can sometimes lower the ambient temperature of your home a few degrees (or more). 5. consider using ceiling fans to keep you cool one of the biggest myths about ceiling fans are that they cool the air in a room...not true! the ceiling fan cools the occupant, not the air. a ceiling fan (or floor fan) will dry up the perspiration on your skin and make you feel cooler...so your thermostat can be set higher so your air conditioning system doesn't need to work as hard to cool your home or your family! 6. don't use appliances on extremely hot days did someone say "let's go out to dinner"? not using the stove, dishwasher or dryer on extremely hot days will help keep your home cooler by simply not introducing heat into an already warm environment. isn't summer a great time to use the grille and cook outdoors? who doesn't love a good bbq!?! if you do need to use these appliances, try limiting their use to certain times of the day when the outside temperatures are cooler and your ac unit isn't working overtime to cool your home. 7. properly maintain your air conditioning unit for maximum efficiency a properly maintained air conditioning system will yield years of comfort in your home and should keep your utility bills in check. for all of our friends along the shore, this it the time of year we begin to see the impact of salt deterioration on your ac unit. the salt corrodes the aluminum coils which, over time, reduces the capacity it had when it was a newer unit and uses significantly more energy to cool your home. when this happens, it also means the unit itself can't cool off. the result of this is where we see a lot of shutdowns because the components are being stressed. 8. consider upgrading your air conditioning system when your car gets older and accumulates the miles, it loses power and efficiency over time. just like your car, an older air conditioning system may not be able to properly cool your home as well as it did when it was first installed. according to energy.gov, if your ac unit is older than 10 years old, you should think about replacing it. although an air conditioner can last up to 20 years in a normal environment (which we do not have here at the shore), it loses about 40% of it's efficiency after 10 years and the newer technology can also save you up to 20% on cooling costs when upgrading. quick test   if you look at your ac unit and the coils are powdery white or flaking off, it's time to budget for replacement. by the way, the salt atmosphere here along the shore can impact air conditioning units as far as 5 10 miles inland...we have even seen these problems inland west of route 9 and beyond! carrier® products represent years of design, development and testing with one goal in mind   maximizing your comfort! along the way, carrier has taken the lead in creating new technologies that deliver the superior quality and energy efficiency you demand while staying ahead of industry trends. breakthroughs like variable speed technology, superior humidity control and units designed specifically for the rigors of coastal area installations, mean there’s a model tailored to your needs. whether you expect maximum energy savings, maximum comfort, minimal sound or all of the above, carrier infinity series air conditioners have you covered. check out the short video to the right to learn more... if you are looking for an air conditioner designed to withstand the rigors of the jersey shore environment that comes with one of the best warranties you'll find for a coastal unit, take a look at the carrier coastal system...you can learn more about the benefits of a carrier air conditioner by downloading their product guide below... are you ready to experience true comfort in your home? download this product guide and learn a little more about the benefits of having a carrier air conditioner installed in your home... contact info at comfort now, our customers are our #1 priority! you can always count on the comfort now team to get to you fast and get the job done right the first time. we use state of the art diagnostic equipment to find the source of your heating and air conditioning problems and fix them fast. give us a call or send us an email today because you deserve comfort now! our contact phone: 609 400 1005 our contact email address: info@iwantcomfortnow.com © comfort now by bob mcallister • 505 new road, suite #1, somers point nj 08244 • telephone: 609 400 1005

as temperatures reach their peak during the iowa summer, you may find yourself thinking “is there any way to keep cool even when i’m inside my home?” rest assured, we’ve got tips for you and your family to stay cool all summer long! while average temperatures in june, july, and august range from 82 to 85 degrees, we know we often see stretches that hit 90 degrees and above. and let’s face it, when you add humidity even to temperatures in the 80s in iowa you can quickly reach a range that’s uncomfortable. we also know there’s no worse feeling than finally escaping the heat of the sun outside, coming into your home for respite, and being hit with hot, humid air the moment you step through the door. but did you know that having a cool home is great for more than just comfort in the summer months? a cool home also means better preservation of your home and belongings, plus there are some nice health benefits, too! cooler temperatures in homes are associated with better sleep quality and better blood flow. according to usa today, the environmental protection agency’s energy star program recommends setting air conditioners to 78 degrees for peak comfort when you wake up and optimal energy efficiency. however, a 2021 consumer reports survey found that most people don’t follow this recommendation. actually, none of the respondents selected a temperature warmer than 76 degrees. we can relate! opt for sticking between 72 and 78 degrees. no matter the temperature you stick with, energy star recommends setting the thermostat roughly 4 degrees warmer for sleep, as the temperature will cool at night, and up to 7 degrees warmer when you’re away from home to save money and energy! be careful not to set your thermostat too low! the lower you set the temperature, the harder your a/c unit will be working, making it more prone to issues. not to mention, your bill will skyrocket! for those of you interested in knowing how adjustments to your thermostat whether you are heating or cooling can impact your bill, here’s what the u.s. the department of energy has to say. the exact savings depend on several factors, including: climate, insulation, hvac system efficiency, and outdoor temperature extremes. however, it’s estimated to reduce energy costs by around 1 3% per degree of adjustment for each 8 hour period. while your a/c unit may provide the best comfort on hot days, it may need a bit of support to get your home to a cool temperature, and keep it there! if you don’t have an a/c unit, these are also tactics you can employ to get a break from the heat! first, you’ll want to try to minimize the sunlight creeping in. according to the department of energy, roughly 75% of sunlight that falls on a standard double pane window enters your home to become heat. it’s why if you’re sitting in a living room full of windows during the summertime, you may feel like you’re in a greenhouse. put your blinds and curtains to work! if you don’t have options that limit light shining through, take a look at blackout curtains on amazon! these are thick, insulated curtains that help to keep the sun and heat out during summer months, and keep the heat in during cooler months! keeping it cool inside also means working to keep the heat outside! if you’re finding that it feels impossible to keep your home cool, it may be a good time to check the weather stripping on your doors and windows. look for places you can see light shining through. if you’re unsure, light a candle to see if the flame or smoke is moving in an abnormal direction this is a helpful indicator of a gap! luckily, weatherstripping is something you can do yourself! before you start planning meals for the week, look at the forecast. many of your kitchen appliances may bring more heat into your home than you think. limiting the use of your stovetop and oven can make a big difference think about the high temperatures you’re using to cook! so on those warmest days, if you plan ahead, that might be the ideal day to grill out! or if you want to bake something, consider batch cooking it on a cooler day so you only have to turn on your oven once that week. for example, you can roast all of your veggies at once and then reheat them or add them to other menu items throughout the week. you can also use other smaller kitchen appliances such as air flyers, slow cookers, and even convection ovens that create less heat. but the best way is to lean into low or no cook meals during the dog days of summer. some of our favorite no or low cook meals include pasta salads (make a big batch at the start of the week), sandwiches, salads, fruit, and more! for those who have a basement, sometimes the best thing to do in the summer is to move as many activities as possible below ground. why? because basement floors and walls stay cooler. that’s because your basement is built with concrete that has a direct connection to the ground. the ground typically stays about 55 degree fahrenheit year round. and while your basement won’t be that cool, it will offer a respite from warmer air on higher floors. so, move that tv viewing or board game playing to the basement if you can! we also wanted to take a moment to point out a fact many may not know. for those who rent their homes or apartments, iowa law does not require air conditioning to be provided. so it’s important when you are looking for a rental to ask about it. it’s particularly important to remind yourself to do this if you are looking in cooler months, because often air conditioning is not top of mind when you are experiencing an iowa winter. on that note, iowa law does mandate that landlords provide tenants with heating for the cold winter months. but there’s no complementary regulations for cooling during the hot summer months, unless landlords voluntarily offer to provide it in rental agreements. so what should you do if you live in a rental that has no air conditioning? apartment list offers some great tips: now that we’ve talked about your home or your rental, we also want to talk about our furry friends. according to forbes, 66% of u.s. households (86.9 million homes) own a pet. so, many of us are focused on how to ensure we can keep them healthy in the heat. the national human society offers some great recommendations on how to keep your pets safe. on hot days, limit exercise to early morning or evening hours. try to walk your dog on grass instead of asphalt and add ice to the water you should carry with you. when you get home, make some quick and easy pupsicles to keep them cool inside and out. if your dog seems overheated, apply ice packs or cold towels to their head, neck and chest or run cool (not cold) water over them. there are many ways to stay cool and enjoy iowa summers for both you and your furry friends. and, if you’re preparing to buy or sell a home in the iowa city cedar rapids corridor, reach out to one of our 60+ agents. they are happy to assist, and along the way, can help you evaluate how well the home is prepared to stay cool in a heatwave! refinancing your mortgage: a complete guide for 2025 if you’re looking to buy a home iowa has been ranked among the best states by u.s. news, forbes, and so many discover why people are ditching their maximal lifestyle and joining the tiny house movement. want exclusive market insights, buying and selling tips, and updates on the latest community events? sign up for our newsletter! we promise we won’t blow up your inbox, and we’ll keep our communications short and useful. 250 holiday rdcoralville, ia 52241 licensed to sell real estate in the state of iowa become an urban acres insider, for insights, tips, community events, and giveaways right to your inbox. © 2025 urban acres real estate | privacy policy | all rights reserved. designed and developed by meld marketing / creative mellen. 250 holiday rdcoralville, ia 52241

by scott neuman an air conditioner undergoes repair earlier this month in austin, texas. record breaking temperatures continue across large swaths of the u.s. brandon bell/getty images hide caption an air conditioner undergoes repair earlier this month in austin, texas. record breaking temperatures continue across large swaths of the u.s. with much of the country in the grips of a massive heat wave, many people who have air conditioners in their homes are running them overtime. but these extreme temperatures present a significant challenge to ac systems, which engineers and installers say are really only designed to keep indoor temperatures about 20 degrees cooler than outside. with temperatures in many parts of the u.s. well in excess of 100 degrees fahrenheit in recent days, that can pose a big problem, says srinivas garimella, a professor of mechanical engineering at georgia tech. "most new systems in the u.s. are designed for a 95 degree day. that's a hot day, but we're having more and more of those days," he says. under these conditions, "your efficiency drops and you actually lose a little capacity, which means the unit is going to run non stop," according to james barry, who owns doctor cool & professor heat, a company in league city, a suburb of houston. garimella explains that all air conditioners work on the same basic principle   a cold, low pressure refrigerant evaporates and absorbs heat from a room and then is compressed before condensing and releasing the heat by way of an outdoor heat exchanger. the refrigerant is then recycled in a closed loop. he compares the energy required to do this to climbing a mountain. the hotter the outdoor temperature, the more effort (and energy) needed to make the climb. "so, the higher the ambient temperature, the more the compressor has to work, the more electricity [is] needed, and the problem just keeps getting compounded," he says. compressors work less efficiently at higher heat, which means they need more power to do the job. higher humidity also places "a humongous additional load" on an air conditioning system, he says. simply installing a bigger air conditioner might sound like a solution to the problem. not so, according to reinhard radermacher, a professor of mechanical engineering at the university of maryland. it may be fine on the hottest days, but "if 90% of the time [an air conditioner] is oversized," it's not efficient, he says. employees working on an air conditioner production line at a midea factory in guangzhou, in china's southern guangdong province, last july. jade gao/afp via getty images hide caption employees working on an air conditioner production line at a midea factory in guangzhou, in china's southern guangdong province, last july. even so, there are some things you can do to maximize your air conditioner's effectiveness even as it struggles to keep things cool. don't fool with the thermostat. set it at a desired, comfortable temperature   say, 72 degrees f   and leave it alone. "if you keep it at a low level just running all the time, it is far more efficient" than throttling the thermostat, according to garimella. clean filters and the coils on the outdoor heat exchanger. dirty filters impede air flow, and dusty coils make it harder for the heat exchanger to work efficiently. "a lot of people do not maintain their basic unit. if you can keep a real good clean outdoor coil, it definitely helps the air conditioner remove the heat," barry says. turn off heat producing appliances. "during the hottest part of the day, turn off anything that produces heat such as stoves, dishwashers, lights, etc.," according to fritts, a heating and air conditioning company based in georgia. run a ceiling fan. "the sensation of comfort comes from [both] the temperature of the air and the breeze that's blowing at you." a ceiling fan definitely helps, garimella says. cool down at night and shade the windows. "cool down the house at night as much as possible. and then when the sun comes up in the next morning, shade all windows [and] keep the windows and doors closed as much as possible," according to radermacher. beyond those basics, there are longer term solutions, such as better insulation and using trees to shade a house, radermacher says. also, variable speed compressors, which are found only in more expensive acs, work more efficiently than single speed compressors, garimella says. systems with variable speed compressors "will only function at the capacity that is needed for the house. and that makes a very big difference in its efficiency and its capability to keep up with the load," he says. what about new air conditioning technologies? there's "no silver bullet" on the horizon, radermacher says. "there's a bunch of new technologies under way, but they all have to follow the same dynamics" as current air conditioning systems, he says. meanwhile, in league city, a string of 100 degree or hotter days means barry's technicians are pulling 12 hour days trying to keep up with service calls. they do much of their work in attics, where he estimates temperatures are averaging 120 to 130 degrees most days. clients who purchased equipment from the company or have service contracts take priority. "right now, with this extreme heat, we're actually having to turn away calls," he says. sponsor message become an npr sponsor

the short answer is there are dozens of ways you can keep yourself comfortable and cool when your air conditioning systems breaks. from taking cool showers to keeping window blinds closed, this list will give you everything you need to beat the heat without ac. the summer heat feels like it's rising every year, and with it comes the worry that our ac unit might break down at the worst possible moment. there's no substitute for ensuring that your hvac system is well maintained by booking regular inspections   ac units are simply the best way to beat the heat. however, it's worth being prepared if the worst, searching for local air conditioning repair, should happen. for that reason, we've put together this comprehensive guide on keeping cool without air conditioning. the first thing we worry about when the ac goes out is the discomfort. "sticky" isn't a word most of us like using to describe how we're feeling, but there are much more serious risks to a broken air conditioner than this. the most common and dangerous consequence of overheating after your ac breaks is heatstroke. this is an illness that results from your core body temperature rising to 104f, although symptoms can begin before you reach this critical threshold. some common signs and symptoms of heat stroke include: extreme heat is relentless. it can drive your internal temperature up within hours or over several days; the important thing is to take steps to mediate your body temperature to stop it from climbing too high. if left unchecked, heatstroke can be fatal. even if it doesn't kill, it can cause serious internal damage as your body simply isn't designed to operate at these temperatures. therefore, knowing how to stay cool without air conditioning is essential for keeping you and your family safe if the ac goes out when the mercury is on the rise. below we've assembled 37 of the best tips and techniques for cooling off. we've included whole house strategies to protect your family from the sun's rays as well as a few tricks for helping individuals cool down fast. ensuring that your loved ones understand these techniques can help them remain at a safe temperature even when you're not around   everyone needs to know. here's what to do. the less direct sunlight gets into the home, the better. keep your blinds shut to avoid uv light passing through windows, as this won't just overheat your body   it also carries long term health risks. heavy blackout curtains help to block light from filtering in, which keeps your property cool. use cooling curtains in conjunction with opening windows at cooler times of day to keep the temperature down in your home. the less space you have to keep cool, the better. don't waste the cool air you let in in the early morning by spreading it all around the home if you're not going to be using a room; keep it where you need it. if the main area of your home heats up, you might also want to move to an unused room where there's been no body heat radiating all day. dousing washcloths in cool water and placing them on pulse points in your neck and wrists helps mediate your blood flow and drive your pulse down. a racing pulse is a common sign that you're beginning to overheat; treat the problem with cold compresses. drinking more water is mandatory at higher temperatures, but don't go overboard! you need to stay hydrated, but drinking too much water also carries health risks. it's best to drink cool, plain water if you feel extremely hot   ice water could shock your body. a box fan is a brilliant investment. they're cheap and don't use too much energy. it's best if you can avoid keeping it on when you sleep (put it on a timer if you need the cold air to help you rest). in general, it's a great way to keep your core temperature down and you should have one around for each person in your home. heat rises! the basement is probably the coolest part of the house. kitting your basement out with energy efficient light bulbs is also a great idea, as some light bulbs give out a lot of heat. read also: hvac options to consider when finishing your basement cotton is much cooler to the touch than polyester and most other fibers used for bedding. cotton sheets help you stay cool and sweat less, meaning you won't be rolling around in a warm, damp bed. yuck. oversized, lightweight sports shirts are an excellent choice as they don't get heavy with sweat and won't cling to your body. this lets heat emanating from your body escape rather than getting trapped and warming you further. a diy air conditioner using a fan and a mixing bowl full of ice cubes works surprisingly well. this also means you can use a lower power setting on box fans, protecting your electric bill. bonus tip: use larger ice cubes where possible, as they take longer to melt. when your ceiling fan is set to rotate counter clockwise, it pushes cooler air down rather than up towards the ceiling. this helps keep the room cooler and you can place your chair or bed under the fan for constant coverage. again   if you're overheated, don't jump into freezing water. a cold shower will lower your internal temperature but it's best to start with a cool, comfortable temperature and move to cold water gradually. cold showers are also much more effective if you spend more time under them   they're no use if you keep jumping back! cold baths will gradually lower your internal temperature as you sit in them. make sure you don't get too low   dropping below 95f will result in hypothermia, which is no more fun than heat exhaustion. however, it's a cheap and easy way to feel cooler. your exhaust fan will extract warm air   this is especially important if you're cooking! the whole room heats up when you cook as the heat circulates. get it out as soon as it starts rising. also turn bathroom fans on, especially during a shower. downstairs rooms experience cooler temperatures at night, making it easier to sleep. this also means you can open up the upstairs to let the night air flow through unimpeded by doors. read also: how to increase airflow to second floor aiming a fan at a large, open window is an effective way of blowing hot air outside. this should be used along with another open window that lets cool air in   it's a tried and tested strategy to keep your home cool. there's a lot to love about the balmy summer air   when you have the option of escaping to a nice, cool home. visiting someone else's house to enjoy the benefits of their ac means that you can appreciate spending a little time outside in the summer heat without it oppressing you. keeping a (well sanitized) spray bottle of water is a great fix. simply give yourself a spritz when you're feeling warm. opening all the windows at night and shutting them during the day to trap the colder air inside is warm climate 101 stuff. opening windows during the day often lets the heat inside and mean cooler air escapes; it's at night when the temperature drops that you want to open up your home. find or create a shady spot in your yard and fire up the grill! this means you're not generating hot air in your kitchen and you can also eat outside   cooking and eating indoors radiates more heat into the home. if you'd prefer not to grill, a slow cooker often generates less heat than an oven or stovetop hob. changing incandescent bulbs for energy efficient bulbs or compact fluorescent lamps can significantly reduce the (already wasteful) heat output of your interior lighting. this is especially useful at night when you're trying to get cold air inside; it's no good if it's immediately being heated by inefficient lighting. updating the insulation in your loft and walls is vital to keeping your house cool in summer. when was the last time you had it checked? maybe it's time to upgrade your insulation. weather stripping around doors and windows makes the "windows open at night, closed during the day" trick that much more efficient. it doesn't take long and it's well worth it. trying to keep your electricity usage down when the weather heats up is a great idea. if you have to use a larger appliance, use it at night when it won't add to already overwhelming temperatures. humidity makes the effects of hot weather feel so much worse. again   who wants to be sticky? removing moisture from the air can make it seem more bearable. insulated films can reduce the amount of heat that gets through the window. using them alongside blackout blinds or curtains creates a strong line of defense. large, hot meals can significantly raise your internal temperature. you'll also feel more sluggish   keep them small and mix in a refreshing salad! lightweight cotton pajamas are a much better choice than polyester. alternatively, sleep in less   just have consideration for other people you share your living space with! a cross breeze creates a cooling pressure current by blowing straight through your home. if you can force air in on one floor and out on another, this cools as much of the property as possible. consider visiting a swimming pool or paddling in a nearby lake. alternatively, sit in a shady part of your yard and read a book. a chill pillow uses a type of cooling gel to help you cool down overnight. it's a much better choice than a dense, fluffy pillow that will absorb your body's heat and unlike an ice pack, it won't leave condensation in your bed. however, ice packs are also a great way of cooling a bed. electrical items give off background heat. they're also costing you money by running when you're not using them. switch them off and unplug them. cooling treats like ice pops are a treat for the kids but can help you cool down as well! some people enjoy frozen fruit on cereal, while frozen peas are a cooling savory option. wetting your hair with cold water can keep blood vessels in your head cool and reduce the risk of headaches. you shouldn't keep your hair permanently wet, but regular rinses are a good option. your car keeps producing heat for a while after you've turned the engine off. let it cool off outside. if you're working from home, try to ensure that your study will be as chilled as possible at the start of the day. the most important places to cool down are those where you'll spend the most time. read also: why certain rooms get hotter than the rest of the house choose a bowl, basin, or bucket that you won't miss. throw down some ice, put your feet in, and throw down some more ice to cover them completely. just remember to go to the bathroom before you get comfortable. when your own air conditioner isn't working, these strategies are lifesavers. our tips are designed to keep you cool without ac, but we all know that there's no substitute for the real deal   that's why you should call ars/rescue rooter immediately if your ac has gone out for swift, professional restoration. we provide emergency air conditioning repair service 7 days a week. find your nearest ars/rescue rooter location or call right away at 866 399 2885 for service today! expert hands you can rely on precision, professionalism, and peace of mind. your satisfaction is our promise quality service, every time. here when you need us any day, any time. fast fixes when it matters most because emergencies can't wait. opportunity is never in short supply. enjoy year round employment, a company vehicle, paid training and more. learn more ars/rescue rooter is proud to give back to the communities in which we live, work, and play. learn more based on 134,039 reviews do not sell my personal information privacy policy copyright 2025 © american residential services llc. all rights reserved.

next up in 5 example video title will go here for this video next up in 5 example video title will go here for this video vancouver, wash.   as temperatures around the pacific northwest climb above 100 degrees for the next few days, everyone will be looking for ways to keep their home cool. for those with air conditioning, those systems will likely be put into overdrive. but not everyone does so in the most efficient way, said anthony jeffries, an energy counselor with clark public utilities in vancouver. "they're going to these extremes of having their home be way too warm, and then trying to bring it down too fast," he said. jeffries said that instead of using an air conditioner to fight off the brutal heat, people should be looking to take advantage of the cooler parts of the day. "in the morning, we can open windows up, have that heat escape out of the house, have that cool air come in," he said. "that will offset how much that air conditioner has to work later on that day." he also said sweltering residents should be mindful of the "20 degree rule." most air conditioners generally can't lower the temperature in a home much more than 20 degrees below the temperature outside. so if it's 100 degrees in your neighborhood, but your thermostat is at 67, your wasting energy, driving your utility bills up and putting extra strain on your equipment. "if we're pushing past that 20 degree difference in temperature from outside to inside, your ac is not going to bring it there," jeffries said. even if you don’t have air conditioning, jeffries said, many of the same tips apply. "opening those windows up (when it’s cool outside), portable fans, box fans, ceiling fans, all those things are pretty low users of power," he said. "utilizing that is really going to help people stay comfortable during our upcoming weather." he also pointed to a number of diy air conditioners, sometimes known as "swamp coolers," that can help people keep cool. whether you have air conditioning or not, jeffries said covering windows, especially those facing south, can help to keep the heat out. and he recommended avoiding doing things inside the home that create heat   like using the oven, the dishwasher or doing laundry. most importantly, though, is to keep a close eye on your own health and your neighbors who might be vulnerable. if your home feels too warm, seek out a cooling center. if you notice signs of dehydration, heat exhaustion or heat stroke, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

if you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. this helps support our journalism. learn more. please also consider subscribing to wired it's that time of year again. that long, mostly holiday bare stretch of the year in the northern hemisphere full of record breaking temperatures, raging wildfires, and heat related illnesses that we call summer. not every home has air conditioning. adding it isn't always financially or contractually possible. others, to reduce environmental footprint, go without ac because the energy sucking machines raise city temperatures by pumping heat outdoors. even for those with ac, the power could go out during an ill timed heat wave. thanks to global climate change and the heat island effect of urban cities trapping heat within pavement and buildings, life on earth is growing warmer by the year. this is the only planet we've got though, and unlike billionaires, we can't just fly off to a new planet once we've toasted this one into oblivion. here's how to stay cool even when the earth is feelin' hot, hot, hot. hey, at least you can always give into the sun, build yourself a solar cooker, and have a weenie roast. updated june 2023: we've updated pricing and availability throughout. special offer for gear readers: get a 1 year subscription to wired for $5 ($25 off). this includes unlimited access to wired.com and our print magazine (if you'd like). subscriptions help fund the work we do every day. if you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. this helps support our journalism. learn more. this handy guide from the cdc explains the different types of heat related illnesses. whether you're indoors or out, heat can sneak up on you if you aren't careful. heat exhaustion is a culmination of overheating, dehydration, and other factors overloading the body's cooling system, which causes a lot of problems. people in the grip of heat exhaustion can be combative and confused. as a wilderness first responder, i deal with people suffering from heat exhaustion, and it's one of the toughest parts of the role because they often don't want to be helped. i bump into a lot of people experiencing the effects of heat on hiking trails, climbing routes, and kayaking launch points. i try to get them to sit down, sip cool water, and nibble a salty snack. people love free snacks. heatstroke is an escalation of heat exhaustion that goes on for too long. a person with this condition is in serious danger, and someone needs to act immediately to save their life. they usually have hot, red skin; a rapid, strong pulse; and an extremely high body temperature (above 103 fahrenheit), and they are often too mentally checked out to fight you about anything. they could also be unconscious or so out of it that they won't accept food or water. sit them down in the shade, apply cool water soaked fabric to all four of the major artery areas groin, both armpits, and back of the neck and get help immediately. call a park ranger, 911, or search and rescue whichever is applicable to your location. unlike heat exhaustion, where a person can recover and continue on, given some time, a heatstroke requires medical intervention. moving air can drastically lower perceived temperatures if the heat index is below the high 90s fahrenheit. at and above that point, blowing air won't make you feel better and could actually make you feel worse. if you don't have a good fan, try to get at least one. fans draw little energy and don't cost much to run. the vornado 630 for $70 is a great floor fan for bigger rooms, such as a living room, where you need to move lots of air. the vornado 460 for $50 doesn't move as much air, but it's good for bedrooms and small offices. whole room air circulators such as the vornado fans above don't need to blow right on you. they'll work better if you put them in a corner on the floor, where cooler air sinks, and aim them upward across the room. this will create a constant air current around the whole room without buffeting you with direct wind for hours. you might have to play around with placement to see what works best. no floor fan that moves enough air is really that quiet, despite what reviews and product marketing say. but on the lower settings, these models settle comfortably into white noise rather than a deafening distraction; i've had no issues working and sleeping with these fans turned on. if you work at a store counter or at a desk someplace where you can't circulate the air in the whole room you can get a desk fan. these tiny fans are meant to blow right on you and only put out a decent breeze a few feet away, but they're unobtrusive. i like the vornado vfan mini for $40, a 1940s style all metal desk fan, and wired senior associate reviews editor julian chokkattu has had a great experience with the woozoo oscillating vortex fan for $75. many home air purifiers also have adjustable fan settings that'll blow purified air on you, if you can afford an air purifier and want to reduce the number of appliances in your home. putting a fan in a window to push hot air outside is a good way to keep your home cool. if you don't have a fan, you can open some windows. if you're inside a building or a car, it's best to open two windows to get a cross breeze flowing. if you have only one window open, fresh air entering is going to collide with hot air exiting, and your room isn't going to get much cooler. it's like people at movie theaters, where there are six doors but everyone is trying to simultaneously enter and exit through the same one. if you open two windows, the cooler outdoor air can enter more easily because the hot indoor air will be mostly exiting through the other window. you can also place a box fan, like the one pictured above, near one of the open windows and facing outward so that it's blowing hot air out of your room. another option is an evaporative cooler, such as this newair 300 square foot model for $200. evaporative coolers work by passing air over a water soaked pad, which humidifies the air and lowers the room temperature. there are caveats, though. they work well only in dry environments. even indoors, you generally have to live where the humidity is low to get the most out of these machines, although you can use them outdoors when the humidity isn't too high. if you haven't already replaced your old fashioned filament style light bulbs with led bulbs, do it for the sake of keeping cool. energy efficient led bulbs generate far less heat than incandescent bulbs, and they'll lower your electric bill. you can pick up a 12 pack of ge soft white led 60w equivalent light bulbs for $17 to replace all the bulbs in your house. you can also use blackout curtains for $24 or thermal curtains. yes, it'll be dark inside, like a cave, but it'll also be cooler. even regular curtains, which allow more light in, will reduce some heat as long as they're room darkening and not sheer. you can also try applying solar film to your windows, such as this gila glare control window film for $22, to block some of the uv radiation and heat of the sun. if you can handle the heat during the day but must have a cool bed at night, the bedjet 3 for $429 is a favorite of ours. it's pricey, though. if you're spending hundreds of dollars, you may just want to give in and buy a window air conditioner unit (we have several recommendations here). percale bedsheets are crisper than typical sheets, and because of the way the sheets are woven, some people perceive them as feeling cooler. we like nautica's percale bedsheets for $43, which are 100 percent cotton and feel great for the money. like all percale, they'll soften up with subsequent washes. wait to run household appliances until the cooler parts of the day, such as the early morning or after sunset. dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, and ovens all generate heat that spills into the rest of your home. lastly, keep your indoor air inside your home by sealing it against leaky drafts. there's no point in cooling it down if you're just going to let it flow outside. many of the tips in my how to winter proof your home guide are just as useful in the summer. buy a newborn 960 gtr caulking gun for $27, some hybrid silicone acrylic caulk for $4, and an allway 3 in 1 caulk applicator for $6 to seal up the edges of your floors and around windows. reducing your indoor humidity won't make the room temperature any cooler, but it will make it feel cooler and improve your body's ability to manage the heat. the ideal indoor humidity level is between 40 and 50 percent, but it's not uncommon for rooms to reach 70 percent in more humid regions of the us. keeping the humidity lower will not only make you more comfortable, but it'll also protect your belongings. damp air can encourage mildew growth, curl books, knock stringed musical instruments out of tune, and cause wood furniture to swell and split. the frigidaire 35 pint dehumidifier for $209 is a solid dehumidifier that can suck a surprising amount of water out of the air rather quickly. in my two bedroom new york city apartment, i only had to empty it once a day at most. (as with any dehumidifier, you'll have to empty the water that it sucks out of the air.) the frigidaire's splash proof bin was simple to remove, and the front facing gauge makes it easy to know when it's full. there's a 22 pint version, but even in a small apartment, you'll probably be emptying the water bin multiple times a day. a single humidifier of any size won't dehumidify an entire large home, but for big rooms, there are 50  and 60 pint options. wet a bandana like this, fold it into a triangle, tie it around your neck, and let it sit on the back of your neck. you've got four major arteries on your body where the application of something cold or hot makes a great impact on your body temperature: your groin, armpits, and the back of your neck. the easiest one to chill is the back of your neck. cool water is your friend, here, but even ambient temperature water is better than nothing. when i was a kid, mowing the grass outdoors in north carolina's brutal piedmont summers, i used a kafka's kool tie for $18 i borrowed from my father. kool ties are full of polymer crystals that absorb a lot of water, so one dip in a sink or under a hose spigot lasts for many hours. it works, although when it's really waterlogged it becomes quite heavy. it also bulks up and can reduce your head movement. another solution is a bandana. this carolina creative bandana for $2 is what i've been using during the summer. dip it in cool water, fold it into a triangle, and tie it so the broad part is over the back of your neck. bliss. it won't get bulky, and you can stick it in a pocket later. wired reviewer parker hall also swears by these treadbands for $18 for keeping sweat out of his eyes. if you want a high tech approach, try the embr wave 2 for $299 wristband. it doesn't actually lower your body temperature; it lowers your perception of that temperature. if you're willing to shell out, know that it's more for alleviating some discomfort and won't work to keep your internal body temperature down in extremely hot, grueling conditions. electrolyte tablets can replenish nutrients you've sweated out. you can easily sweat out 2 to 3 gallons of water in a day if it's particularly hot or you're active, so keep drinking. sip constantly if you're finding it hard to stomach big gulps. if your goal is survival in extreme heat, and you're not hiking long distance where weight and bottle capacity are factors, check out our best insulated water bottle guide for one that fits your needs. drop some ice cubes in it and get drinking. early in the day, drink plain water. as you begin to sweat more heavily, switch to drinks containing electrolytes to replenish those you've sweated out: coconut water, smartwater, gatorade, powerade, things like that. electrolytes are minerals in your body such as sodium and potassium that have an electric charge, and your body needs them to function. when you sweat them out, you have to replace them. you can also buy electrolyte tablets, like nuun tablets for $8, and drop one in a bottle of plain water. fruit smoothies are a favorite of mine when the heat is killing me. as an alternative that you don't need to drop into your water, try chewable saltstick fastchews for $3. get something icy with a bit of coconut water, almond milk, and fruit solids to give you an energy boost and cool you down from the inside. if your urine gets dark, it's time to up your intake. if your power goes out or you're outdoors, pick up an insulated cooler and some loose ice to keep your drinks chilly. this igloo laguna ice chest for $22 is nothing fancy, but it's a time tested design that excels at its main job: keeping beverages cold for a long time. contrary to popular advice, coffee and soda are fine to drink. the amount of caffeine in them is low enough relative to the amount of water that they'll still hydrate you if you're dehydrated. beer is fine too, as long as it's a session beer (about 3 to 4 percent alcohol by volume) and not one with a high abv. just pace yourself and don't drink too much. studies that play up beer's diuretic effects that is, it makes you urinate tend to test with higher abv beers (5 percent or more) and on test subjects who are already hydrated or hyper hydrated. even in such cases, negative effects on your hydration would be close to negligible unless you're hitting a lot of brews or drinking those fancy, way high abv beers, like barley wines and tripels. hard liquor is not a good idea. the alcohol content is too high relative to the overall volume of liquid in a serving. eating salty food will help you retain the water in your body. you can pee clear and still be dehydrated. plain water, on an empty stomach, speeds through the body. the digestive system recognizes that there are no nutrients to absorb from the water, and without food to digest which requires water the body gives it the green light to pass through the body as fast as it wants. it doesn't make drinking water useless definitely keep sipping often since you are absorbing some of it. you'll just absorb more if there's food in your belly that will put the brakes on that flood of water, allowing your body to absorb more of it. any kind of food can help, from fresh oranges to a snickers bar. but the best is salty food. salt in your body helps absorb and hold onto the water you drink. my favorite snack when i'm climbing is a bag of flavor dusted pretzel nuggets. drink water while you eat: there's been a persistent social media myth that you shouldn't drink water when you eat, but that's not true. you should definitely drink fluids while you eat. the type of material you should wear depends on what you're doing. if you're not hiking or working outdoors for a long period of time, shed layers. more exposed skin means more surface area for your sweat to transfer heat off your body. take normal sun precautions (we have a guide on our favorite sun protection gear), but if you're able to drink water or fluids, you may as well let the heat (and moisture) escape to feel cooler since you can rehydrate. on the other hand, if your biggest concern is ensuring water retention, keep the sleeves and long pants on. you'll feel stuffy, but the fabric will trap the evaporated moisture off your skin, and if you're in direct sunlight, it'll cut down on sunburn. if you're sure you won't be under the sun that long, you can go for shorts or short sleeves. polyester and nylon clothes are the norm for hiking and camping situations where you're far from home or other indoor lodgings. their appeal is that they dry out quickly, so you're less likely to end up soaked for hours and risk hypothermia as weather conditions change over your long trip. the trade off is they tend to feel hotter than natural fiber clothes. cotton feels cooler than nylon or polyester clothes, but you generally shouldn't wear it in the wilderness because it takes forever to dry out, and sweaty clothing becomes a threat if cooler weather rolls in or the temperature drops at night when you're stuck outside. there's a saying that "cotton kills," which means it elevates your risk for hypothermia in those situations. but if you're just working out in the yard or hanging around your home, go for cotton. you won't be at risk of hypothermia if you can go inside whenever you want. join the wired community to add comments. our latest scoop reveals the young, inexperienced engineers aiding elon musk’s government takeover in your inbox: will knight's ai lab explores advances in ai nvidia’s $3,000 ‘personal ai supercomputer’ big story: the school shootings were fake. the terror was real event: join us for wired health on march 18 in london more from wired reviews and guides © 2025 condé nast. all rights reserved. wired may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our affiliate partnerships with retailers. the material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of condé nast. ad choices

honestly? it is no fun at all to be without air conditioning during hot weather. this past week our ac was out for three days, summer temperatures are almost here, and it took some creative thinking to stay cool! here’s what we did. some of the links in this post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. as an amazon associate, i may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases without any increase in price to you. it was a record breaking 114 degrees in west texas, and as luck would have it, our air conditioner broke! pregnant and living paycheck to paycheck, i had to find ways to cool down and quick! what i remember the most about that time is how my family managed to stay comfortable at night. with the fan blowing on high, we’d cover ourselves in our beds with wet bath towels. unbelievably, we’d wake up cold. fast forward 10 years, and my family is handling another heatwave, this time in central texas. with more than three months in a row of nonstop 100 degree weather, we were sapped of energy. i call that period in time “the year i didn’t garden.” it was also the year i looked around and realized that i did not want to be caught unprepared during a heatwave without power. we naturally have an air conditioner and plenty of fans, but i wanted to make sure my family would be able to keep cool even without electricity. while volunteering at pioneer farms on sweltering days, my family would get asked lots of questions. “aren’t you hot in that long dress?” people would ask as they stood around in their tee shirts and shorts. “how do you stay cool when there’s no air conditioner?” another asked. “where do you get ice?” a child piped up. those were the questions i enjoyed answering the most, as i wasn’t just repeating what our ancestors did; i was actually living through the experience! i explained that, believe it or not, the long cotton dress i wore actually kept me more comfortable and cool than shorts. the full skirt and sleeves also protected me from sunburn and bug bites. light and loose flowing clothes made from natural fibers like cotton or linen will actually draw moisture from the skin, evaporate, and cool a person down. during extremely hot weather, we’d water the garden and save the hard work for early in the mornings or late evenings when things cooled down. we also made sure to check on the animals to see if they had plenty of shade and water. there was no refrigeration for ice. a respite from hot weather was to walk inside the underground root cellar, where temperatures could be 40 degrees or cooler than outside. this is where food was stored and preserved. kept in darkness, the root cellar felt like a cave year round. at first, i couldn’t imagine drinking room temperature water when my family first started volunteering. i had thought that in order to “cool down,” my beverage needed to be cold. i have since learned that staying hydrated with lukewarm water is actually preferable. not that i don’t enjoy a nice glass of ice cold tea on a hot, sizzling day, but it is nice to know that we can survive without ice! i also find it interesting that some studies have shown that athletes who drink cold water perform less well than those who consume room temperature water. years ago, homes were built without artificial air conditioning. people gravitated to their front porches to stay cool or to enjoy the breezeway. in a dogtrot style house, two cabins would be built side by side, and the connecting hallway between them would pull in the air currents, causing a cooler breeze. as i look at homes today, i wonder about the lack of front porches and how families would stay cool during a heatwave with no air conditioning. here are a few ideas for keeping your cool when there’s no air conditioning. coolest of all, no electricity is needed. my first priority for preparing for hot weather without power was to purchase plenty of battery operated fans. like in west texas, i wanted to ensure i had moving air to circulate around wet clothes or towels. i have a small fan that hangs around my neck, and this is handy when i’m working outside in my garden. you can take that fan to the next level with a personal mister! this ingenious invention combines fan activity with a fine mist of water. we used these during summer swim meets, and they work beautifully. i also prioritize having plenty of spare batteries, including batteries that can be recharged by solar power. you can purchase solar powered battery chargers online, as well as pocket sized mini solar panels that you can hook up to battery chargers or cellphones. it’s very likely that your ac is out because of a power outage. if that’s the case, rechargeable batteries will be a lifesaver. another benefit of moving air is that mosquitoes and flies find it hard to zero in for the landing when air is blowing. i learned this firsthand while backpacking in israel. cooling towels are a wonderful invention! my experience is with the frogg toggs, which come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. initially, they feel like cardboard, but once wet, they stay cool and rubbery until they dry again. these towels are perfect for those times when you don’t have moving air. i keep these in my car for road trips where i could potentially break down during hot weather. just pour bottled water over the towel, and presto! instant coolness. one day, i took my frogg togg out for a trial run when my air conditioner went out on my jeep. with suffocating temperatures inside the vehicle, i drove across town with a wet togg around my neck. life was bearable! essential oils like mint cool the skin on contact. another reason i love spray bottles and essential oils is for those high humidity days. imagine your house baking in extreme heat, with people and pets moving about. my favorite spray is lavender and water. i add about 20 drops to a small spray bottle and spritz the house. this not only makes your home smell wonderful, but the calming blend soothes the nerves and it’s healthy to breathe and natural! again, these are ideas for keeping your cool when there is no power and air conditioning. please keep in mind that the elderly and young are more susceptible to heat injuries and need to be looked after. stay hydrated, everyone. drink lots of water, wear natural fiber clothes, don’t overwork when it’s hot outside, wear a hat, and if you have any additional cool ideas, please share them here! please comment and share any other products you have used that work! dealt with plenty of power outages in heat and cold, but most memorable story is being 8 months pregnant in a multi family unit with no access to breaker box and all it was needed a reset. someone overloaded…laid on a lawnchair in backyard watching battery powered tv and went in and slept on our waterbed with sheets removed… i live in florida and grew up without air conditioning, so being without it doesn’t bother me, even though most people consider it impossible. my mother put on a swimsuit, dosed herself with the hose and did housework, staying cool as a cucumber. then we’d jump in the car and ride 12 minutes to the beach (daytona) and swim in the ocean and enjoy the breeze. our neighbor had a pool which would fill in 2 hours with deep well water, which was 72 degrees, which we’d consider shockingly cold. at night we slept with one thin sheet. if it got really hot, we’d turn on a fan, and really hot, we’d go next door and jump in the neighbor’s pool at 10 pm and sleep like a cold watermelon later. with the windows open, of course, listening to whipporwills. unlike the newer houses which are treeless concrete boxes made without porches or windows that normally stay open, i still live in a house with open windows. the breeze flows through the house, but most important, we didn’t cut down our trees. lots of shade here and it makes a huge difference. my house has central ac but i hardly ever turn it on. maybe for guests. during the summer, it rarely gets above 81 inside the house with no ac. i live 2 miles from the ocean. today was the hottest day of the year and it briefly hit 85 inside. tonight at 1 am it is 82 inside and 79 outside. i’m sitting on a screened porch in 79 typing this. next, don’t get fat. i’m 6 ft. and 142 pounds. i feel cold if the temp gets below 80. i just turned off the fan because i felt cold. my house has electric hot water, lots of lights, electric stove and microwave, tv, fans, pump, power tools, computer, the usual, and my electric bill runs between $18 and $26/mo. during the summer. $23 in july. my house is concrete block which tends to hold heat at night, but a wood house, like my vacation cottage, cools off even faster at night. on really hot nights i sleep with a fan, but it has to be turned off at 3 am to keep from getting cold. your advice about the wet towells is definately the most effective way to cool down and can be a life saver if you get broken down in the heat someplace like texas. sorry to insult texas, but if i was there, i wouldn’t drive anyplace without towells and the water to pour on them any more than taking a trip in montana in the winter without blankets and an emergency heat source! we have a small pool that i used to fill up and put in the shade for the kids to play in when it was really hot. it didn’t matter how hot it was if they were playing in that pool they were cool. inside we used to use fans and spray bottles of water to keep cool. we’d spray ourselves in front of the fan to get cool. napping at the hottest part of the day was a good way to escape the hottest temperatures. we all napped in the cool basement on the floor on mats. a cautionary tale of the essential oil use. power was out after a summer storm, humidity and temperature were high. i cooled down with some mint oil. too much, in fact. the oil does make you feel cooler, but only feeling, not really cooler. too much of the oil, and i actually started shivering   big problem: shivering helps your body to warm up. which was the last thing i needed right then! afraid of overheating, i had to try to remove the oil in the shower. unpleasant to say the least. i have a garden misting system that i put together on my deck and on top of my garage. it is simply a soft pvc hose that you puncture with garden misters. an attachment adapter hooks the garden hose up to the soft pvc hose. i also have the garden hose on a valve so i can control the flow going to the misting system. i affixed the misting system on my deck handrailing. i also affixed it to the top of my garage and each system is separately controlled by individual garden hoses. my garage will easily get up to 150 degrees by late afternoon because the shingles retain so much heat and transfer that to the roof and inside wood of the ceiling of the garage. when i turn my mister system on, it always stays cooler because the garage shingles are water cooled and never get hot. my deck will almost be 20 degrees cooler than the rest of the outside as the water mist droplets evaporate by absorbing heat from the air. my garage and my deck are attached to my house, so with my misting system my garage doesnt warm my internal walls and my deck misting system doesnt warm up my siding as much and not only is it cool and comfortable but my air conditioning bill goes down much more than my water bill goes up so i end up saving money and i can always control the flow with the valve. works great… along with drinking beverages that cool the body, the food one consumes when the the mercury rises can directly effect the body’s ability to tolerate high temperature extremes. avoid animal based food products because protein from non plant sources will tend to elevate body temperature. please know that my post is not a call for vegetarianism, it is simply an informational addendum related to what to do when the air conditioning goes out. along with staying away from animal protein, avoid high sodium foods and fried foods. try this test during the next heatwave: eat some animal protein, a salty snack or a deep fried food. notice how your body feels. now wait a day and while the ambient temperatures are still unbearable, eat a plain salad, some unsalted nuts, a piece of tropical fruit or a raw or steamed vegetable. are you able to handle the heat with greater ease? when we moved into our home in eastern colorado, the big tree was mostly dead so we took it down. the next summer we found out how valuable that tree was! not wanting to install central air we put 3m tint on our windows, installed an attic fan, and one in room ac unit in the kitchen, the hottest and most popular room in the house. and we planted a new tree. i’m glad we didn’t go the installation route; we better understand the air flow, sun pattern on our property, and passive solutions to keeping cool. and we may not have a front porch but we have benches by the shady trees to sit and visit outside! (okay we do that even when it’s not unbearably hot). so if we were stranded without power, we’ve got a head start in understanding what we’re in for. another low tech habit is to take showers in the afternoon, cools you off and energizes you for the rest of the day. (we don’t have a pool option). john and i were truck drivers and carried boogs, our cat, with us. once the a/c went out in the truck when we were driving across death valley in the middle of the day. boogs was laid out on the passenger seat. we had wet towels. i sprayed his fur with water and lightly rubbed. we all had fans blowing that hot dry air on us. my poor kitty welcomed the water and we all survived that trip. in the wild, an animal will find a cool spot or make one. dogs dig holes and crawl inside. animals stay in the shade during the day. remember your pets in hot weather. some older homes have gas burners near the top of their home. the idea is to open the windows and turn on the heat. since hot air rises, the hot air leaves the house pulling cooler air in lower windows. i applied a passive form of this when i insulated the metal roof of my barn up to a ridge opening. there, i had about 18″ of uninsulated tin heat the air below it and move cooler air into the barn. i have several battery powered fans. do you know how to make an air conditioner with one? all you need is a 5 gallon plastic bucket and a frozen gallon of water. cut a hole in the lid of the bucket the size of the fan blades. then cut a few holes around the sides of the bucket. place the frozen jug inside the bucket, put the lid on, put the fan on top and turn the fan on. yes, because i was passed out from hunger. when staying hydrated if you drink a large amount of water you might also want to drink some type of electrolyte solution. water isn’t the only thing you lose when you sweat. sodium and potassium are important too the summer is such a fun time of the year, but dealing with the heat can certainly be a problem. i love your suggestion to keep battery operated fans on hand. these can keep you comfortable while you search for a way to fix your air conditioning. i appreciate these suggestions, especially the one about sleeping with a wet towel over you or using frogg toggs. i have two, but wasn’t sure how to wear them while working around the house. my air conditioning decided to die on me the day after my water heater did, and although the weather has been in the mid 90s oh, i just can’t afford to replace my hvac system. so no ac for me, but with these suggestions i’ll get through. what’s funny is that you learned that you can tolerate a lot more heat and you think. i used to like to keep the house about 76, but now i realize that i could keep it higher. by 85 though, you are drained. it’s been 85 in my upstairs for the last few days, so i’ve been blowing fans at night. problem is what to do about the first floor. well, that’s why i’m up in the middle of the night searching. thanks everyone for your help! thank you for sharing. my friend in australia beats the heat by making refrigerator clothes. she dampens her clothes, rolls them up and puts them in the fridge. she’ll have a couple outfits chilling so that when one outfit dries out, there is another cool damp one to change into. i haven’t tried it yet, however i think that day is coming. last summer i sat on the back deck with my feet soaking in a basin filled with cold water, some epsom salts and mint essential oil. it was lovely and cooled me down. i also ran cold water over my wrists whenever i washed my hands. i also use a wet cloth around my neck, and have been known to add mint essential oil to that too. your email address will not be published. required fields are marked * name* email* δdocument.getelementbyid( "ak_js_1" ).setattribute( "value", ( new date() ).gettime() ); i’m lisa bedford, the founder and voice of the survival mom blog since 2009. i’ve authored two books and created over a dozen online courses to help families prepare for everyday emergencies and worst case scenarios. my articles have been read and shared by millions of people across the globe. about lisa about privacy policy copyright site policies contact youtube facebook pinterest instagram newsletter basic prepping home family skills & knowledge emergency planning worst case scenarios copyright © 2025 the survival mom

hot summers don’t have to mean giant electricity bills by shreya agrawal on the most sweltering days of summer, it’s natural to find a new best friend in your air conditioner. but your energy bill probably feels differently. in the u.s., ac alone accounts for about 16% of total electricity consumption in homes, and the average bill can jump by 8% as temperatures climb between june and september.1,2 but blasting cool air from a conventional condenser is also one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. about 4% of global emissions trace back to air conditioning, nearly twice as much as those generated by the airline industry.3 and as human caused climate change spurs more frequent and intense heat waves, demand for indoor chillers could triple globally by 2050, according to a 2023 report from the united nations environment programme.4 even when the temperature outside makes shutting off ac a hard “no,” it is possible to dial down the thermostat a few notches. and, if larger, pricier upgrades like installing a heat pump are on the table, there’s plenty you can do there, too. while it might not always be possible to lower the temperature of your home, it is at the very least possible to make it feel cooler. doing so comes down to harnessing the physics of airflow and heat transfer and leaning into tactics that leverage your body’s natural cooling system. many of these tricks are especially handy for renters looking to make their homes more efficient. the u.s. department of energy estimates that about 76% of the sunlight that hits your windows becomes heat. keeping your panes closed and covered during the day, especially when the sun is at its hottest, can reduce your need for a cooling aid. blackout treatments or blinds might seem like the most obvious move, but there are options that won’t make you live in darkness. peel and stick solar film, for instance, can block up to 78% of the sun’s warmth from entering a dwelling; in one case study, homeowners saw a temperature drop of 10 to 20 degrees fahrenheit.5 cellular shades, which have accordion like folds that form an internal honeycomb pattern that acts as an insulator, can cut unwanted solar heat by up to 60%. other coverings, like slat style louvered blinds or rolling roman shades, can also help, though they’re less effective. opt for lighter colors, which are more reflective, and heavier materials whenever possible. keeping air moving doesn’t necessarily lower temperatures, but it does create a chilling sensation as it helps sweat evaporate off the skin your body’s natural cooling mechanism. if it’s decent enough to have the windows open, cross ventilation can let you feel the breeze while also pulling cooler air inside and pushing warmer air out. to create a breeze, open at least two doors and/or windows on opposite sides of your home, providing an inlet and an outlet. for this to work best, you’ll also want to take advantage of convection the natural tendency for hot air to rise by placing the inlet at a lower level than the outlet. this can be as simple as lowering the top sash of a window instead of the bottom. you can also help this along by placing table or floor fans on opposite sides of the house to initiate some moving air. one study conducted in india found that good cross ventilation can have a cooling effect of around 11 degrees fahrenheit at the hottest point in the day.6 like cross breezes, a gentle wind coming off a ceiling fan can help sweat evaporate from your body quicker than still air. while the degree of cooling depends on how fast the air is moving and how humid it is, a fan can let you adjust the thermostat up by 4 degrees fahrenheit. most fans are bidirectional, so glance up at yours and make sure it’s spinning counterclockwise, which creates a downdraft. if it’s going the wrong way, turn it off and find the switch that allows you to flip the spin. a wobbly or dirty fan is also an inefficient one. dusty blades may not slice through the air as well as clean ones and they’ll also fling crud around the room. add wiping down the blades to your cleaning routine, and while you’re up there check to make sure to check and tighten up any fasteners. we’ve got the guide on what to do if your ceiling fan isn’t acting up to scratch. humidity is a measure of evaporated moisture in the air. on days that are hot and humid, the air is simply too saturated for sweat to evaporate efficiently, making you feel even hotter. when it’s damp out, a dehumidifier can be your hero. dehumidifiers work by condensing and collecting water vapor, and then releasing drier air back into the room. according to the epa, the ideal for indoor humidity is 30% and 50%. bathroom fans and ventilation can also dissipate the heat and humidity generated during steamy showers. lower humidity will not change the temperature of your home, but can lower the real feel to make it seem cooler. appliances like ovens, dishwashers, and refrigerators use a lot of energy and generate a lot of heat as they do their jobs. in some cases they are responsible for more than 16% of the heat in a home. while you can’t do much about your refrigerator, make sure to use things like ovens, dishwashers, and clothes dryers during cooler hours if you use them at all. you can, for example, line dry your clothes and opt to grill or tap another alternative cooking method. baking a pie in the oven, for instance, could raise the temperature in your home by 1 to 10 degrees fahrenheit, while using a smaller appliance like a toaster oven or air fryer will do less to kill your chill. if you’re interested in more than tiny nifty tricks, there are options for larger hvac updates that’ll help cool (and heat) your home more efficiently. according to the department of energy, heat pumps use about 65% less energy to cool a home than a traditional air conditioner. a heat pump based hvac system replaces both ac and heating, and works by moving thermal energy (that’s heat) from one place to another via a refrigerant. the only electricity required to run a heat pump is used to push this refrigerant around so that this thermal transfer can take place throughout the home. “if it is something that you can afford to do, [a heat pump] is going to improve your thermal comfort,” says megan plog, who works on the energy star scoring program at the department of energy. check out our guide to see if a heat pump might be the right call for your home. a whole house fan can cool down the entire home by generating bigger air currents. they are capable of using as little as 10% of the electricity consumed by a traditional ac unit  and produce stronger breezes than acs. these are best installed in a central location, like your hallway ceiling, and should be connected to the attic space, so that warm air can rise up and leave through the attic ducts. if your home gets too hot during summer days and too cold during winter, poor insulation might be the culprit. “the most important thing is to make sure that that heat is not penetrating your home in the first place,” says the doe’s plog. “air leaks are a really big source of energy loss.” effective insulation can help you reduce your energy costs by about 11%, according to energy star, because it reduces any “heat leaks” going either in or out of the house. “heat can either escape in the winter or come in through the summer. when you’re trying to cool your home and your ac is on full blast and the heat from outside is coming in, it’s going to increase your energy cost,” says alison knasin, lab manager at indiana university’s energy justice lab. “insulation is good year round.” a programmable thermostat can allow you to cool your house according to pre set schedules  not only saving you the struggle of repeatedly changing your room temperature but also keeping your energy bills low by turning off when not needed. doing so can help save about 10% on your heating and cooling bills. some models also allow you to set different schedules for different rooms in your house as well as different days of the week. the intense heat of the sun can increase the temperatures in your house by warming up your roof and walls of your home. there’s a lot you can do to keep the inside of your home cool from outside. it’s no secret, for instance, that homes surrounded by trees are cooler than homes that are not. in fact, trees can reduce a household’s air conditioning needs by 30%. covering the roof of your house in lighter shades that reflect sunlight more efficiently and absorb less heat can also keep your home cooler.

skip to content last updated 21 june 2024 heatwaves are happening around the world. and climate change means they're getting hotter and longer. here's how to stay cool in the heat. while basking in the sunshine is a wonderful thing, extreme heat can be deadly, affecting younger and older people, pregnant women, and those with chronic health conditions. but there's a lot we can do to protect ourselves and our loved ones from the heat. it's best to avoid going out during the hottest hours of the day, but sometimes that can't be avoided. when out in direct sunlight remember: heat escapes through the skin, which is the largest organ in the body. so, the more skin you can cool down, the better. there are various methods for how to cool your skin down in baking hot weather: you can quickly cool yourself down by putting your hands and feet in cold water. wrists and ankles have lots of pulse points where blood vessels are close to the skin, so you will cool down more quickly. a woman holds a bottle of cold water to her head in an attempt to stay cool, in the blazing sun in hot weather, it's important to avoid caffeine and make sure you're drinking lots of water. if possible, drink isotonic sports drinks to replenish the lost salts, sugars, and fluids. both cool and hot drinks will work to keep your core temperature at the same temperature. consuming hot drinks will not cool you down more effectively than cold drinks. in the heat, you should avoid drinks containing caffeine, including tea and coffee, it's typically best to stick to water. as you sweat throughout the day, the liquids you are losing need to be replaced to avoid dehydration. symptoms of dehydration include: if untreated, dehydration can lead to heat exhaustion. if the person’s condition gets worse, you should call 999 for emergency help. find out more with our dehydration first aid advice. the sun is high, and so are many people's spirits. and that can lead us to the pub. unfortunately, mixing too much sun with a few too many drinks is not a good combination. alcohol causes dehydration, which can hit especially hard if your body is already struggling to stay cool in the summer. drinking alcohol can also make it harder to get a good night's sleep, something that's already difficult in warmer temperatures. while you may fall asleep quickly, you're likely to have poor quality sleep and wake up earlier than usual   not exactly the refreshing sleep you'll need. try to drink in moderation and read more advice on how to keep cool at night during a heatwave. when it's hot, you are far better off sticking to light, well balanced, regular meals. food with a high water content like strawberries, cucumber, celery, and lettuce, will also help to keep you hydrated and cool in summer weather. you can also try foods with high fluid content like soups and stews that contribute towards hydration levels. it's important not to disrupt your routine too much because of hot weather, but sometimes you may have to. an early morning run may feel punishing when you're nice and sleepy in bed, but it could be dangerous to exercise in the blazing midday sun and risk dehydration, heat exhaustion, or heatstroke. take the temperature into consideration when planning your day and, if you can, limit physical activity to when it's cooler. if you do decide to workout or play sport, make sure to drink lots of water and take more breaks than usual to make sure you're not putting any extra stress on your body. you should also make sure you take a lukewarm or cool shower after exercising to cool down and follow our other advice for staying cool throughout the day. during the hot weather, it’s important to make your home a place you can escape to out of the heat, so keeping it cool is key to feeling comfortable. when temperatures reach heatwave levels this can be more challenging than you may realise and it's not as easy as just opening a window. keeping your house cool is especially important at night. during a heatwave temperatures often stay high even at night making it difficult to get a good night's sleep. while it affects everyone in areas affected by a heatwave, people living in high rise buildings and in urban areas may particularly struggle with this problem. make sure you're taking steps to keep your home cool and sleeping during a heatwave by following our advice. the heat can have a serious effect on your physical health, and especially during a heatwave, it's important to look out for signs of heatstroke and heat exhaustion. many people believe that heat exhaustion and heatstroke are the same things, but heatstroke is potentially far more serious. heat exhaustion is caused when the body loses excess water, salt, and sugars through sweating. it can be treated by having plenty to drink, keeping out of the sun, and knowing how to cool down. heat stroke occurs when the body's temperature becomes dangerously high and the body is no longer able to cool itself. symptoms include confusion, headache, nausea, and muscle cramps. another symptom is paler skin than normal   depending on your skin tone this could mean your skin looks ashen, grey, or a more yellowish hue. it might be easier to notice this change in colour on the palms of hands, nails, or eyes, gums, and tongue. heatstroke can develop with little warning and quickly lead to a person becoming unresponsive. it's vital to cool them down as quickly as possible by wrapping them in a wet sheet of clothing and dial 999. babies and children are more vulnerable to increasing temperatures, so stay informed and follow our guidance on how to keep a baby cool in the heat. learn first aid advice that will help during a heatwave: the uk is getting hotter and as a result of climate change, heatwaves are becoming more frequent and extreme. hot weather puts people's health and wellbeing at risk and knowing how to keep cool in a heatwave is essential. make sure you're prepared to cope with hot weather with our heatwave advice. ©2025 british red cross the british red cross society, incorporated by royal charter 1908, is a charity registered in england and wales (220949), scotland (sc037738), isle of man (0752) and jersey (430).

a .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the united states. a lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. stay cool, stay hydrated. spend time in air conditioned places. learn how to spot heat related illness. check your local heatrisk and air quality enter your zip code on the cdc heatrisk dashboard for the heat risk forecast in your area and recommended actions to protect your health. cdc's heat and health site provides healthcare professionals with information about how to manage heat and conditions like asthma, pregnancy, and cardiovascular disease. languages language assistance

something went wrong. wait a moment and try again.
with temperatures climbing this week, here’s how to be comfortable in your home   with or without air conditioning. by anna kodé summer officially started at the end of june, and this season is predicted to be hotter than normal   a heat wave across the country this week affected millions of americans. in new york, the temperature was in the high 90s for several days in a row. more than just uncomfortable, the heat can be dangerous and at worst deadly, and it’s only becoming more of a threat with climate change causing rising temperatures. prolonged exposure to or physical exertion in excessive heat can cause heatstroke, according to the mayo clinic. last month, cooling centers   indoor, air conditioned spaces for public use   opened in new york. the city’s fire department also turned some fire hydrants into water sprinklers. if you’re staying at home, here’s what you can do to stay as cool as possible indoors, whether you have an ac or not. while you should do what feels most comfortable for you, carrier, an air conditioner manufacturer, suggests on its website that 72 degrees is the generally accepted “comfortable indoor temperature for many people.” it continues, “it strikes a good balance between comfort and energy efficiency, making it a popular choice for residential settings.” if you’re away from your home, set your thermostat for higher than usual to save energy and to prevent your ac unit from potentially busting. at night, because heat can disrupt sleep, 60 to 67 degrees is recommended by the cleveland clinic. it depends on the animal, and its size and type, but pets are generally less tolerant of higher temperatures than humans.

 during summer heat waves, air conditioning can be a real lifesaver. many homes in cooler climate states aren’t always equipped with air conditioning, so when an unexpected heat wave hits, many residents rely on other ways to stay cool without ac. no matter where you live, it’s important to be prepared for hot summer days with efficient cooling and a plan in place to stay comfortable. whether it’s installing a wall unit, a portable ac, or having a list of other places you can go if temperatures soar, it’s always a good idea to plan ahead for a heat wave. fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to find relief when the temperatures climb to uncomfortable levels. attic fans are a powerful way to beat the heat. attic air circulation has a significant impact on both indoor temperature and energy usage.