BOOK SERVICE10 Ways to Cool Down This Summer (No AC Required)
Air conditioning isn’t the only way to stay comfortable when summer hits. Especially with electricity prices in Massachusetts among the highest in the country, a few smart habits can keep your home cooler *and* take some pressure off your bill. Here are ten that actually work — no equipment purchase required.
1. Use fans the right way
Fans don’t cool a room — they cool you, by moving air across your skin. That breeze can make you feel several degrees cooler, which means you can nudge the thermostat up (or skip the AC altogether on milder days). Set ceiling fans to spin counterclockwise in summer, and turn fans off when you leave a room. A fan cooling an empty room is just spending money.
2. Block the sun before it gets in
A huge amount of summer heat comes straight through your windows. Close blinds and curtains on the sunny side of the house during the day — south- and west-facing windows are the worst offenders in the afternoon. Light-colored or blackout curtains help, and exterior shades or awnings are even better, since they stop the heat before it reaches the glass.
3. Open up at night, seal up by morning
New England summer nights usually cool off nicely. Take advantage: open windows after sunset and create a cross-breeze, ideally with a window fan pulling cool air in on one side and pushing warm air out on the other. Then, before the day heats up, close the windows and the shades to trap that cool air inside.
4. Put your exhaust fans to work
Bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans pull heat and humidity straight out of the house. Run the bathroom fan during and after hot showers, and switch on the range hood whenever you’re cooking. It’s an easy way to vent the muggiest air instead of letting it settle in.
5. Stop heating the house with your oven
Your oven is basically a large room heater. On hot days, cook outside on the grill, or lean on the microwave, air fryer, slow cooker, or stovetop instead. Cold meals — salads, sandwiches, leftovers — are your friend during a heat wave.
6. Switch to LED bulbs
Old incandescent and halogen bulbs give off real heat. LEDs run cool and use a fraction of the energy, so swapping them out lowers both the temperature in the room and your electric bill. It’s one of the cheapest upgrades on this list.
7. Tame the humidity
Humid air feels hotter than dry air at the same temperature — and Greater Boston summers can get plenty muggy. A dehumidifier in the dampest part of the house (often the basement) can make the whole place feel cooler and more comfortable. Just remember to empty and clean it regularly.
8. Cool yourself, not the whole house
Sometimes the fastest fix is the most direct. Lightweight, breathable bedding and clothing, a cool shower before bed, a cold drink, or a damp cloth on the back of the neck or wrists can take the edge off a hot evening without touching the thermostat.
9. Close off rooms you’re not using
There’s no point cooling space you’re not in. Shut doors to unused rooms and concentrate your fans and cool air where you actually spend time. (One caveat: if you have a central forced-air system, don’t close off too many vents — that can throw off the system’s balance.)
10. Seal leaks and add insulation
The same things that keep heat *in* during winter keep it *out* during summer. Caulk and weatherstrip around windows and doors, and make sure your attic is well insulated. It’s the least glamorous item on the list, but a tight, well-insulated home is easier — and cheaper — to keep comfortable all year.
When the fans aren’t cutting it
These tricks go a long way, but some homes are just hard to keep cool — older houses, rooms that bake all afternoon, or summers where the heat doesn’t let up. If you’re tired of fighting it (or your summer bills are still creeping up), it may be worth looking at a more energy-efficient way to cool your home.
Our definitive guide to energy-efficient air conditioning walks through your options, from making your current setup more efficient to upgrading to a system that cools without running up your bill.