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You may love summer weather, but when it gets too hot, things can get downright uncomfortable at home. If you’re renting an apartment, you may not have the latitude to make major adjustments to the property to keep it from overheating in the summer; you likely won’t be able to install central air with a programmable thermostat, or plant greenery outside that helps shade the building from the sun. However, there are some basic interior things that you can do to help keep cool all summer long:
Turn off Lights
While turning off lights when not in use is important to remember all year long for energy conservation, in summer, doing so can help you reduce the amount of heat in your apartment. Consider replacing traditional light bulbs with low-heat emitting bulbs such as LED or CFL (compact fluorescent lighting).
Efficient Window Coverings
If your apartment windows don’t have awnings or shutters installed, sun can stream in and heat up the interior pretty quickly. You can offset this effect by installing window coverings that effectively block the sun’s searing rays. Consider Solar Shades or Roller Shades to help keep out the heat while also protecting your furniture from being faded by the sun’s UV rays. A variety of designer styles and colors are available to accent your apartment decor and style preferences.
Reduce Air Temperature
There are a number of ways to reduce the air temperature in your apartment. The most obvious would be to use a room air conditioner; however, be mindful that they use a lot of electricity, so only use them during the worst part of a heat wave. Running portable fans is more affordable and can be a great way to get the air circulating in your apartment. Strive to keep windows closed during the hottest time of the day, and allow fans to draw in cool air in the evenings to make it more conducive to sleeping comfortably.
Minimize Appliance Use
Avoid using high heat-generating appliances such as your hair dryer, oven, stove top, toaster, dishwasher, and clothes washer and dryer, especially during the hottest portions of the day. You can also reduce the heat in your apartment by turning off items such as your TV and computer when not in use.
Reduce Hot Water Temperature
Why not save on your energy bill when temperatures are high? Scalding hot baths or showers just aren’t all that appealing in the summer anyway. If you have access to the hot water heater thermostat in your apartment, consider reducing its temperature to 115 F for the summer months (in most homes, it is normally kept between 120 and 140 F). Warm summer weather is something we look forward to all winter, but extreme heat can take the fun out of summer living. Use these ideas to keep your apartment cool and pleasant even in the most scorching summer conditions.
