Ten tricks to survive the heat in the city without air conditioning, without consuming too much energy and without burdening the environment.
There are those who have it and abuse it, transforming the house into an icebox; those who do not have it and dream of it at night, while turning over in bed looking for the coolest corner of the pillow: air conditioning, the cross and delight of the sultry season that has just begun, if not used wisely, risks transforming the our electricity bills in the bill of a five-star resort, and to cause a surplus of electricity consumption.
How to refresh the house using it as little as possible? And how can we survive the great heat if we don’t have a plant? Here is the basic decalogue to face the summer heat . You save. And save the environment.
1- LOWER THE SHUTTERS OR CLOSE THE SHUTTERS in the hottest hours of the day, in order to create shade and shelter the house from the sun’s rays. During the peaks of heat, also close the windows: it may seem counterintuitive, but it will serve to prevent damp and heavy air from entering the house. Open the windows, however, in the early hours of the morning or – security permitting – at night: you will refresh the rooms.
2- WHERE POSSIBLE, SET UP AWNINGS or a balcony umbrella: by keeping them open you will obtain a shaded outpost at the windows of the house, and in the less hot moments you can spend a few hours outdoors.
3- IF YOU HAVE A SMALL OUTDOOR SPACE, a terrace, a balcony or a garden, especially if on the most exposed and sunny side of the house, fill it with plants and vines, they will help to shield and absorb some of the heat.
4- TRY NOT TO CREATE ADDITIONAL HUMIDITY inside your home: do your laundry and shower in the coolest hours, to prevent condensation and steam from worsening the situation.
5 – TURN OFF ALL APPLIANCES you do not use: in addition to consuming energy, they heat the environment.
6 – NO HAIRDRYER, OVEN, BRIGHT LIGHTS, DRYER : it’s already very hot, let’s not get hurt! Even with the lights off, the house will be bright until late, these are the longest days of the year.
7 – EAT FRESH , water-rich FOODS . Above all, limit the use of the hob to the essentials.
8- ISOLATE YOUR HOME . If you have an attic or an attic, insulate the surfaces most exposed to sunlight.
9 – FOR INDOOR CURTAINS, prefer white, which helps to reflect the sun’s rays.
10 – IF YOU REALLY CAN’T RESIST THE HEAT, even with these tricks, opt for a portable or paddle fan. With the same use, a portable fan consumes about 15 times less than an average air conditioner.
FOR THE DIEHARDS OF AIR CONDITIONING: turn on the system only during the hottest hours and turn it off if you leave the house. Remember to close the windows, to keep the house cool, and do not set it more than 6 degrees below the outside temperature (the ideal temperature in the house, according to the Ministry of Health, is 24-25 ° C, even if air conditioner is used).
