Tips for keeping you and your home cool in extreme hot weather

1. Hose down your outside air conditioning unit during extremely hot days.

2. Install your HVAC unit in a shaded area or plant shrubs 2-3 feet around the unit after installation.

3. Keep the drapes inside the house closed during the hottest times of the day between 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

5. Keep away from the satin and silk and opt for the cooler linen and cotton sheets. Light-coloured bed linen made of light fabrics (take Egyptian cotton for example) are breathable so better to sleep in.

6. Speaking of sheets, you can stick them in the freezer for a few minutes before you're about to go to sleep. Make sure you put them in something like a plastic bag before you pop them in. The trick won't last all night but it will give you a breather so you can get to sleep.

7. Buy yourself a hot water bottle and fill it with water and pop it in the freezer; creates a ice pack.

8. Fans are great in the mild heat, but when it's cranked up they just blow hot air around so it's all about strategic placement. If you point them outside, slightly towards the windows, they push out the hot air. If you have a ceiling fan set them counter-clockwise to pull the hot air away.

9. Light bulbs - even if they're environmentally friendly - give off heat, so switch them off. The sun shines for longer now anyway so keeping the lights off not only saves on your energy bill, but cuts down on the extra heat.

10. Hanging a wet sheet in front of an open window will help bring down the room's temperature.

11. Unplug your phone and devices, do not charge them when you are asleep. Everything radiates heat and you don't need that at night. 

12. Turn the thermostat down at bed time for extra cooling time overnight.

13. Change or clean filters of your HVAC regularly.

14. Grill outside, order takeout, or dine at a restaurant to avoid using the oven or stove.
- Justin




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