7 Easy Ways to Keep Your House Cool Without Air Conditioning

Day 7: Its hot. Not that I'm complaining, I love the summers here in the high desert, one thing I absolutely do not miss about Hawaii is the humidity. But sometimes it gets a little too hot, even for me and that's where the following information becomes very useful. If you have an older home like we do, (ours was built in 1978) you probably do not have central air conditioning. Or maybe you do but want to cut down on the astronomical cost of running it 24 hours a day. Here are ten ways to keep cool while being kind to the environment and your wallet:

1. Install Ceiling Fans. A typical ceiling fan uses on average 55-90 watts of electricity per hour of use, whereas a central air conditioning system uses on average 3500 watts! I was able to find basic ceiling fans for as low as $23.97 at the following site: http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-Fans-Fans-Ceiling-Fans-Indoor-Ceiling-Fans

2. Keep the Sun Out.  I love opening the shades and letting the sun in first thing in the morning. But before it gets too warm outside, I close the shades and drapes again to prevent the direct sun from coming in and warming up the house.

3. All Window Coverings Are Not Equal. Instead of just purchasing standard drapes or curtains, consider energy efficient window coverings. These are made of specially woven material that not only keeps your home cool in the summer but also keeps the cold air out in the winter and can even block outside noise. (A great plus for baby's room!) I found some great ones on sale here: http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6E.aspx?deptid=70751&catid=70821&grptyp=ENS&itemid=15a1150&dep=WINDOW&cat=Curtains+%2B+Drapes&refpagename=X2%252Easpx&refdeptid=70751&refcatid=70751

4. Let The Cool Air In. At night that is. Keeping windows open at night when the air temperature drops allows the house to cool down several degrees. Close the windows in the morning to trap that cool air. For security reasons however, do not do this in single story homes or on the ground floor of a two story home. If you have a single story home, you can still take advantage of this, but be sure to close and lock windows before turning in for the night.

5. Plant A Tree. Not just any tree but one that will grow large enough to provide plenty of shade for your home over time. The benefits of planting just one tree on your property are amazing!  Obviously this will not provide cooling benefits overnight, but once the tree is large enough to provide shade it will continue to do so for many years. To find out which trees work best for your region check out this site: http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/ShadeTrees.htm

6. Get Out the Grill. Nothing says summer to me like the smell of BBQ chicken slow cooking on a grill. (Organic, hormone free chicken of course) But there's more to grilling outside than just that nostalgic smell. Having the oven and even stove top burners on can significantly raise the temperature in the kitchen and surrounding areas of the home. Love to bake? Did you know you can bake bread on almost any outdoor grill? It really works! http://www.breadtopia.com/2007/07/31/grilled-bread/

7. Make Your Own Air Conditioning. Although this is not the most aesthetically pleasing way to cool a room, it definitely works! Instead of simply running a standard floor or table fan, place a large shallow bowl of ice 6-12 inches in front of the fan. As the ice melts, the fan will blow air over the cold water and turn warm air into cool air! This works best in a small area, its a great way to cool down your bedroom before going to sleep. Of course be very cautious not to get fan too close to water, keep out of reach of children and pets.