How to cool your home during a brutal heat wave without relying on air-conditioning

The record-setting heat wave that has been baking the Southwest is expected to move eastward this week, the federal government said Sunday.

“For much of July, hot, dangerous conditions have been the normal [sic] in parts of the West, Texas and Florida,” the National Weather Service said. “These summer conditions will build and expand across the eastern two-thirds of the country this week, starting in the North Central states and Plains.”

The Weather Channel forecasts that the Midwest could see temperatures of around 100 degrees, and that much of the Northeast will reach the 90s.

Roughly 1 in 10 Americans lacks air-conditioning, and others may find that their air conditioner isn’t powerful enough to cool a home on triple-digit temperature days, leaving them searching for other solutions. (As NPR reported last week, most air conditioners “are really only designed to keep indoor temperatures about 20 degrees cooler than outside.”)

So here are some ways of keeping your house cool without — or in addition to — air-conditioning. (Unfortunately, like AC itself, most of the long-term solutions cost money that many consumers may not have.)

Short-term solutions

Close your blinds. Window coverings block up to 60% of the heat coming in through a window, according to the Department of Energy, so keep them closed, especially when the sun is coming in.

Get rid of hot air. Heat rises, so exhaust fans in the ceiling of your bathroom or above your stove are worth using to remove hot air from your home. If the inside temperature is higher than the outside temperature, typically at night, put a box fan in front of a window and blow outwards and use another fan in front of an open window to blow cool air in.

Make a DIY air conditioner. “A good breeze and something cold can help cool off the room,” Real Simple reported earlier this year. “There are several strategies you could try — hang a cold, wet sheet in front of the fan; place a large bowl or bin filled with ice cubes in front of it; or attach frozen water bottles to the back of the fan.”

Run a ceiling fan. That can help a room feel 10 degrees cooler, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Bob Vila’s website noted in a May article that you should set the blades to run counterclockwise, which draws cooler air up from the floor.

Minimize heat from electric devices. “Everything that’s plugged in and running generates a small amount of heat, even your phone charger,” the Los Angeles Times noted earlier this month. “Unplug or at least turn off anything you’re not using.” You should also avoid running heat-producing appliances like a dishwasher or washer/dryer until nighttime.

Leave the oven off. Ovens give off a lot of heat. The New York Times’s “Wirecutter” column suggests using devices such as an electric pressure cooker, a slow cooker, a rice cooker or a microwave. You can also just avoid hot food, and eat fresh fruits and vegetables, which will help your body stay hydrated and cool.

Long-term solutions

Insulate your attic. Hot air can get trapped in the attic, so you should insulate your attic floor.

Upgrade your window treatments. You’ll gain less heat in the summer and lose less in the winter if they fit properly.

The DOE recommends choosing products certified with the Attachments Energy Rating Council (AERC) energy improvement rating. You can also apply a window film, which helps block heat from coming in, according to the agency.

Honeycomb shades are named for their shape, which is adept at capturing heat, according to Southern Living. If you go for drapes, choose a heavy fabric with a lining, not something sheer, the magazine recommends.

Better Homes & Gardens suggests using lighter-colored fabrics, which reflect heat, and using multiple layers, like adding drapes over shades or blinds.

Install low-E glass. With an energy-efficient coating, or insulated glass, low-E glass has two or more panes with a gas in between that prevents heat transfer.

Weatherize your home. The NRDC suggests signing up with your utility for a home energy audit, which will show where outside air is getting in, then seal the leaks, add weather stripping and more insulation.

Add a screen door. Doing so will bring in more fresh air if it’s cool at night or in the early morning.

Paint your roof white. That will reflect heat during stifling summer months.

Install a whole-house fan. These are typically installed in the ceiling of a stairwell to exhaust hot air from a house.

Plant an indoor garden. “Certain plant species, such as snake plants, aloe vera, and peace lilies, have natural air-purifying properties and release moisture through transpiration, helping to cool the surrounding air,” Better Homes & Gardens reports.